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The Official VTOL Threadfest / Helicoters & Tiltrotors

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429 Flight Testing
 
Attempted theft of a 429 at Sacramento a day or so ago. The thief tried to start 3 others, got this one off the ground- Briefly.
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When I learned to fly, take off was natural to me. Landing, not so easy
 
End result of a dual engine failure while descending from 13,000 feet after crossing a mountain range at night in freezing rain circa 1979 in a foreign country. Although engine anti-ice was switched on and the advisory light confirmed it was working, it actually wasn't and unbeknownst to us crew members ice had formed on each engine inlet. We only find out when the ice broke up during descent into warmer temps, was ingested and FOD'd/flamed out each engine within 30 seconds of each other. Didn't know either that only one external aux tank had command jettisoned until we were on the ground, and fortunately the landing gear hadn't fully extended before we hit the ground hard (heavy internal load) after autorotation. The first ground impact ruptured the hydraulic pressure lines and shoved the gear back up into the wheel wells and then the airframe could slide to a stop on its belly in the muddy field. We flew it out of there after my first field engine change experience. We were very, very lucky with the outcome.

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I've also heard that the president doesn't fly on an Osprey due to better survivability of the VH-3D and VH-60N.

HMX-1 is divided into two distinct sections. The White Side (aka The Cage) is where the Presidential helicopters (VH-3D and VH-60) reside with round the clock security detachment Marines present except during flight. Those helicopters are also on a very special maintenance schedule, and have their own dedicated maintenance crews, crew chiefs, and shops for hydraulics, avionics, engines, metalsmiths, etc.; all with special clearance.

By contrast, the Green Side has aircraft common with other Marine Corps squadrons (prior to the V-22s it was CH-53s, CH-46s and UH-1Ns). They're neither guarded nor maintained like Cage aircraft, and they support Cage aircraft deployments as well as support other base training functions such as OCS. Green side personnel are not allowed in the Cage or around their helicopters. These are factors in why the President, VP, and Heads of State from other countries fly on Cage helicopters.

A couple VH-3D pics from my time in the Cage as a crew chief, just before President Reagan decided he wanted his crew chiefs to wear full Dress Blues during his flights (a tradition which continues today):

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