Friday, April 27, 2012

Picture of the Day

Saw this up on the Wikipedia main page. 

United States Navy personnel engage in Special Patrol Insertion/Extraction (SPIE) training between a Sikorsky SH-60 SeahawkUSS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69). SPIE involves either a person or goods being lowered from or raised to a helicopter via a cable above terrain on which landing would be difficult.

Not shown is the the method used to keep the man at the end of the tether from clanging when he walked.

5 comments:

  1. I don't know about that, but I'd pay good money to ride this one

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fulton_surface-to-air_recovery_system

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  2. Sean, I've never had the pleasure, but I've seen teams of men picked up by helicopter and C-130 in a similar system. It didn't have a balloon, iirc, but instead used a cable snaked between two trees. And yeah, I'd like to try it just once.

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  3. Looking at the Fulton system...

    "Fulton next used a pig. Lifted off the ground, the pig began to spin as it flew through the air at 125 mph. It arrived on board uninjured but in a disoriented state. Once it recovered, it attacked the crew."

    That is one mad piece of bacon!

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  4. Yep, Fulton rig... It's even MORE fun with a C-130... :-)

    Watched it from the ass end of a C-130, have NO desire to do it!

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  5. Never got to do a Fulton ride, but SPIE rigging is fun. It's definitely a rush - and a lot safer than doing a fastrope at night on an unknown deck with a 90 pound load...

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