Dave Kruger said: <snip> Coming Back Alive mainly focuses on the harrowing helicopter rescue in January 1999 of three commercial fishers from 70-foot seas on the Fairweather Ground (Gulf of Alaska). Two others from the same vessel were lost. This is a good tale for folks interested in how high-seas helicopter rescues work <snip> Dave, If this is the same incident that ran in Reader's Digest a couple of years back, it was a harrowing happening. I assume this is the one with the dilapidated ship maybe, or was it they didn't have life rafts...I can't remember. Anyway, if it was the same incident, I read an excellent article about the helicopter rescue work -- from the pilots perspective. The reason the last pilot was finally able to pull off the rescue was...you guessed it...multiple backups. Excessive fares, etc, were taken at the last moment, and much thinking outside the box was required. It was a more exciting story than even the Perfect Storm (from the aircraft perspective). BTW, went to see "Black Hawk Down" at the theater. Very good movie. Lovely shots of the ocean and beaches below the fighting, helicopters getting shot up, and massacre of Somalians and US Ranger troops. Dang, what a perverse world we live in -- such beauty, such tragedy. When is it all going to change? Doug *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
In a message dated 02/27/2002 8:28:37 PM Eastern Standard Time, dougl_at_islandnet.com writes: << BTW, went to see "Black Hawk Down" at the theater. >> I saw the documentary (with interviews with the survivors and re-enactments). Don't think I want to see the movie now. Has anyone seen both? sandy kramer miami *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Doug Lloyd wrote: > Dave, > If this is the same incident that ran in Reader's Digest a couple of > years back, it was a harrowing happening. I assume this is the one with > the dilapidated ship maybe, or was it they didn't have life rafts... That's the one -- no life raft and an older, but stout, wooden vessel having no watertight bulkheads. Life raft would probably not have been useful in those seas (so the survivors said, anyhow). It is plain from the account that the vessel had problems, but they sailed anyway. Worth reading for a "between the lines" interpretation of how they got in trouble by ignoring problems. Not uncommon in the commercial fishing industry, unfortunately. A high-risk way to earn a living. > I can't remember. Anyway, if it was the same incident, I read an excellent > article about the helicopter rescue work -- from the pilots perspective. > The reason the last pilot was finally able to pull off the rescue > was...you guessed it...multiple backups. Excessive fares, etc, were > taken at the last moment, and much thinking outside the box was > required. It was a more exciting story than even the Perfect Storm (from > the aircraft perspective). Third chopper did what you said (about 5 times the normal complement of flares) ... and ... the two pilots tried an unorthodox method of maintaining position: one pilot did the collective (held altitude) while the other did the joystick (to put the basket where it needed to go). -- Dave Kruger Astoria, OR *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
To those who have read the book. I haven't seen the book yet but may know some of the pilots out of Sitka. Was one named Bob Yerex? Bob formerly from Sitka *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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