[DZAUTO]

Today, while working on the A26 (finishing up on the fuel bladder), we heard a BIG helicopter coming into the Ada airport. Looked out, it was a Siskorsky Skycrane. Don't see those very oftern.

Skycrane in for fuel - YouTube

 

[buenymayor]

Don't see those every day. One of them was sitting at a local airport several years ago, so the daughter and I went over to check it out. Obviously a purpose-built machine, but it was neat to see it up close.

 

[boyd66k20]

Nice to see that close up. Thanks for posting

 

[Narti]

Powerful beasts...huh??!!

 

[suntreemcanic]

Did you get a ride?

 

[DZAUTO]

Did you get a ride?

I wish!!!
They were in a hurry to gas and go. They were on their way to Clovis.
They may have been on the ground 30min to load 1,300gal----------------------------for 2hrs flight time.

 

[DZAUTO]

Interesting how they start it. Look at the picture of the left side. Immediately aft of the S in the number 14035S, is a tiny exhaust outlet. That is the APU exhaust.
The very first whine that is heard in the attached video is the APU starting up. Once it is spun up, bleed air is ducted to the first main engine. Once the first engine begins spooling up, the main rotor begins turning. It's easy to hear when the first main engine begins to spin. Soon after the first engine spools up, you can hear the second engine start spinning. The crew chief on the ground does his walk around, disconnects his head set, gets in, and they are off. They waste no time.

 

[BillyGman]

At the manufacture, we don't even see very many skycranes anymore. In fact, I've never even seen that model before. That's the older model with 6 main blades, but the big dog is the 65E with seven main blades, which is based on the old "Jolly Green Giant" the "Big E" Super Stallion. Of course the 65 E has more lift capacity than the one shown in the pics here. Anyway that's real cool. Thanks for sharing.

 

[BillyGman]

OK, to add to my post above^^ I just realized that the Skycrane shown here is an "S" model, which means that it's commercial rather than military. That explains why I've never seen that model before. The ones I've seen are bigger, more heavy duty, and have seven main blades because they are the military version. Just as our Blackhawk copter designated model 70, has the S70 version which was intended for commercial use rather than military as most of our Blackhawks are.

 

[LeoP]

Haven't seen one since Nam!!

 

[BillyGman]

OK, to add to my post above^^ I just realized that the Skycrane shown here is an "S" model, which means that it's commercial rather than military. That explains why I've never seen that model before. The ones I've seen are bigger, more heavy duty, and have seven main blades because they are the military version. Just as our Blackhawk copter designated model 70, has the S70 version which was intended for commercial use rather than military as most of our Blackhawks are.

I have to correct my own post here above^^ because yesterday while I was in work, I saw an old pic of a S64E Skycrane which was the bigger 7 main blade version. So apparently there were also S64E Skycranes which were the higher lift 7 main blade models.

 

[DZAUTO]

Bottom line-------------------HOW MANY HAVE EVER SEEN A SKYCRANE----------------------ANY VERSION?????????????????

 

[BillyGman]

Probably not many. I work at the place that manufactures them, and I've only seen one, and that was many years ago. That's EXACTLY why I said "thanks for sharing" in post #8

 

[427L88]

saw a picture of one once, er twice......!

 

[JJ'65]

I used to see them once in a while in Alaska when I was there '76-'80 flying Uncle Sam's Hercules. I believe the Skycranes were based at Allen AAF/Ft. Greely southeast of Fairbanks 50-100 miles or so. I was in there one dark winter morning for a three-ship personnel airdrop pickup of the unit there. We got a nice warm office in the hanger to update our brief, and I could see a couple of those big helos parked inside.

 

[BobFmTyler]

Bottom line-------------------HOW MANY HAVE EVER SEEN A SKYCRANE----------------------ANY VERSION?????????????????

As I recall the army had a bunch at Ft Sill near Lawton in the late 70s. You could see them from the highway when passing by. I was stationed at Wichita Falls and then Altus and could see them when going up to OKC.

 

[SSR71]

Bottom line-------------------HOW MANY HAVE EVER SEEN A SKYCRANE----------------------ANY VERSION?????????????????

Never in person - only on TV.

 

[Ghaasl]

Bottom line-------------------HOW MANY HAVE EVER SEEN A SKYCRANE----------------------ANY VERSION?????????????????

I’ve never seen one. But, I have students that have been in hoisting operations involving them.