Had some fun yesterday!

[mechanic]

Had a MH-53C at our airport. They had to land during a cross country ferry due to a dampner failing on the rotorhead. The crew was a bunch of nice guys. They let me hang around and BS about AF stuff for awhile why they waited on a part and they also let me check out the 53C, too. Was nice to hang with some military folk for awhile, again.

 

I was thinking of you all the whole time

 

Later

[zemogman]

Sweeeeeet !!!

 

It's always awesome to check out military hardware...did you get any pics?

 

Either way...good for you!

[mechanic]

Hey,

I really did think a lot of the guys/gals would want to look around this bird. I am former USAF, so I mainly talked AF with the guys. I just took a quick look around the heli. I don't have any closeups, the sheriff's dept didn't want any pics taken, which I took these anyway. Later that evening when I was talking to the crew, they said I could take some pics, but I didn't have my camera. They didn't have anything on board. It was a fun hour or so.

 

Later

[Optigirl]

whats the mpg on a AC like this?

I bet it will suck down a few gallons in seconds.

[mechanic]

whats the mpg on a AC like this?

I bet it will suck down a few gallons in seconds.

 

I didn't ask, its a twin engine. The newer models have 3 turbines! But, its safe to assume it burns more than the Beta II that I normally fly, lol..

 

53 w/3 turbines If you look close you can see the second one tucked in behind the front engine.

[Voluptuary5]

The crew was a bunch of nice guys. They let me hang around and BS about AF stuff for awhile why they waited on a part and they also let me check out the 53C, too. Was nice to hang with some military folk for awhile, again.

 

I'm sure they are use to turning heads where ever they go. You don't sneak that aircraft into too many places without a lot of people noticing.

 

-V5

[beckwith]

whats the mpg on a AC like this?

I bet it will suck down a few gallons in seconds.

 

My buddy flys SH-60's for the navy they use about 1000lbs of fuel an hour. I've never bothered to figure out what that is in gal and that boy is alot bigger.

Edited October 5, 2007 by beckwith

[67november]

My buddy flys SH-60's for the navy they use about 1000lbs of fuel an hour. I've never bothered to figure out what that is in gal and that boy is alot bigger.

 

at 6.8 lbs/gallon that works out to be 147 gallons an hour, time $4/gal that $588 of fuel per hour.

[beckwith]

at 6.8 lbs/gallon that works out to be 147 gallons an hour, time $4/gal that $588 of fuel per hour.

 

that is precisely the reason I never figured that conversion out.

[lelebebbel]

yep, they are quite big

 

here's 2 pictures from the hillsboro airshow 2 months ago. With permission from the crew. They even let us sit in the cockpit - pretty cool. Lots of switches

 

large: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2335/151230...6270729d3_o.jpg

 

M/R hub

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2309/151230...fdfd6044b_o.jpg

[mtbman07]

Man you guys sure know how to make a guy homesick! I'm a CH-53 engine(T64-GE-416 and 416A's up to 4700HP baby!) mech by trade and that's one of my east coast shitters right there! I flew aircrew on that back in 29 palms and in NC in 2004 and 2005 and I'd like to think the #1 and #3 engines in that are still the ones I worked on but it's been a year now and with the way the dessert makes us drop engines I'll bet they aren't, but it's funny to see it none the less. People always say you'll randomly bump into the guys you serve with but I never would have thought about the equipment too lol.

[nocarsgo]

preflight must take forever on one of those.

[Mixmaster]

I remember when I flew out of Provo Utah, that there would be various military birds through (UH-60, H-47, AH-64), and I must say that all of the crews were very friendly and let us crawl all over their birds. They sure did have a lot to do though to keep those things in the air. I friend of mine had to overnight in southern Utah or northern AZ when some MH-53's were at the same airport, and he has some great picks of these huge helos with a tiny R44 next to them, Looked really funny.

[Nuke]

The model you saw was not an MH-53C but rather a MH-53J or MH-53M.. It is a Pave Low helicopter and only has 2 engines. The burn rate is approx 2500 to 3000 lbs an hour of fuel. Yes they go by pounds not gallons! It can hold up to around 12500 lbs of fuel.

 

Take as many pictures as you want as by the end of this fiscal year it will be in Davis Monthan bone yard wrapped up in white plastic!

The AF is closing down all Pave Low squadrons and the aircraft are all going away!

[mechanic]

Hey Nuke,

I am not really a MH-53 fan. It was just fun checking a big heli out. You are right, I double checked, I know one of the crewman said it was a C model, could be a C depot rebuild to a Pave Low, I don't know???? THis one is at DM AFB as I speak, I didn't want to spout off about the mission. You are correct about the MH-53 Pave Low program ending and being replaced by the V-22's from what I have read?? I am prior AF but never had AF heli's around, just some Army CH-47D's.

 

Link to diff variants of the 53.

 

I am sure I miss understood, there were 5 of us talking and my hearing is not as good as it used to be in multiple noise environments. Thanks for the clarification.