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In those farming/logging videos, the helicopter is picking up stationary objects and depositing them in a desired location. I have trouble imagining that catch
by elihu 5y ago
In those farming/logging videos, the helicopter is picking up stationary objects and depositing them in a desired location. I have trouble imagining that catching a moving object would be less dangerous, except to the extent that the pilot's job is only to catch a single thing that day, not move dozens or hundreds of individual objects.
(Those loggers though in the second video seem like they're standing awfully close.)
- bri3d 5y agoBoth are very hazardous under different risk models. There's a concept in flying stuff that you always want to be "three mistakes high" (I think this is credited to Gene Gottschalk although I have no idea if he was the true origin - it's taken a life of its own in many communities). By that logic, the Christmas tree pilot is at a very sub-optimal altitude - 0.75+ mistakes high, but still high enough that they're unlikely to make it out in the event of a mistake or catastrophic failure. The retrieval helicopter is presumably several mistakes higher and more likely to recover from simple mistakes or equipment failure, but runs the risk of being smacked by a flying object. Neither are safe, but I think there are mitigating factors to the rocket collection that aren't present in the Christmas tree video. I think they're closer to even risk-wise. If I were a helicopter pilot, I'm not sure I would want either job!
- ortusdux 5y agoYes, the target will be a moving object, but its motion will be steady and predictable. The helicopter and booster will be the only two objects in the area, and capture should be slow and steady when viewed from the reference frame of the copter that has matched velocity. Aerial refuelings look crazy from the ground but easy but from the pilot's point of view. https://youtu.be/sL5MxCwkLJQ?t=94 https://youtu.be/sL5MxCwkLJQ?t=94