jknaus
Administrator
"
Figure CH-54 Multi-Lift Concept.
Photo Provided by J. Rickmeyer (CH-54 Program Manager's Office, AVSCOM, St. Louis)
Called the multi-lift concept, this demonstration used a radio antenna as the hoist cable/aircraft separator for the purpose of lifting an item weighing more than a single aircraft could lift. The following aircraft pilot had to keep the antenna horizontal and fly at 45 degrees to the side of the lead aircraft, because of wake turbulence, while also keeping the hoist cables vertical.
The concept was abandoned because we didn’t have the fly-by-wire technology that would make joint formation flying possible today. The proof of this bad folly was that the lead crew was happy but the following aircraft crew had armpit sweat bands that reached each other on their chest and on their back after a 5-minute circuit at the Stratford (Sikorsky Plant) back lot. Sometimes people think too far outside the box. The next test was to pick up a small tank with a single aircraft. I think there are also pictures of that which show the main rotor blades coning unacceptably and creating tip vapor vortices which we said was unacceptably reducing fatigue life and could not be counted on in anything but a cold day."
James
Figure CH-54 Multi-Lift Concept.
Photo Provided by J. Rickmeyer (CH-54 Program Manager's Office, AVSCOM, St. Louis)
Called the multi-lift concept, this demonstration used a radio antenna as the hoist cable/aircraft separator for the purpose of lifting an item weighing more than a single aircraft could lift. The following aircraft pilot had to keep the antenna horizontal and fly at 45 degrees to the side of the lead aircraft, because of wake turbulence, while also keeping the hoist cables vertical.
The concept was abandoned because we didn’t have the fly-by-wire technology that would make joint formation flying possible today. The proof of this bad folly was that the lead crew was happy but the following aircraft crew had armpit sweat bands that reached each other on their chest and on their back after a 5-minute circuit at the Stratford (Sikorsky Plant) back lot. Sometimes people think too far outside the box. The next test was to pick up a small tank with a single aircraft. I think there are also pictures of that which show the main rotor blades coning unacceptably and creating tip vapor vortices which we said was unacceptably reducing fatigue life and could not be counted on in anything but a cold day."
James
