Butte County Sheriffs Office

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Butte County Sheriffs Office Butte Interagency
Rescue GroupAir Operations Air Rescue
Presentation Created byCaptain Mike Larish
Helicopter Rescue Crew Chief Butte County
Sheriffs OfficeButte County, California
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Brief History

• 20 Years of Sheriffs Office Air Resources
• Valuable Services
• Law Enforcement Patrol
• Search Rescue
• Fire Suppression
• Marijuana Eradication
• Formalized Air Rescue Program
• 1999 saw the formalization of the Helicopter Air
  Rescue program in the Butte County Sheriffs
  Office
• Multi-agency participation
• Formal training (Rescue 3, Int.)

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Current Status

• Strong Support by Sheriff Reniff
• Butte County boasts a highly trained cadre of
  Helicopter Rescue Professionals
• Air Rescue Classifications
• Rescue Pilots Sheriffs Office deputies (full
  time or reserve) Must meet quarterly Rescue
  Pilot qualifications in addition to normal
  pilot/patrol qualifications
• Helicopter Crew Chiefs Trained in all aspects
  of air rescue and aircraft operations
• Helicopter Rescue Technicians Primary rescuer
  trained in basic technical air rescue

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Current Status Cont.

• Current Breakdown
• Search Rescue
• 5 Crew Chiefs
• 7 Helicopter Rescue Technicians
• Chico Fire
• 3 Crew Chiefs
• 2 Helicopter Rescue Technicians
• Paradise Fire
• 1 Crew Chief
• 4 Helicopter Rescue Technicians
• CDF / BCF
• Due to state policy mandates is unable to
  participate in the Butte County Sheriffs Office
  Air Rescue program. CDF has their own program
  with their own qualification standards, positions
  and helicopters.

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Current Status Cont.

• Air Rescue Technical Capabilities
• Land Short-Haul
• Static Water Short-Haul
• Dynamic Water Short-Haul
• Helicasting / 10-10 Insertions
• Toe-Ins, One-Skids, Helistepping

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Available Aircraft
Butte County Sheriffs Office Helicopter
H-1 Military OH-58 which is a military version of
a Bell Jetranger Primary Mission Technical air
rescue, marijuana/drug eradication Callsign
N487BC Pilot Location Front-right Normal
Seating 4 Persons (2 front, 2 rear) Fuel Type
Jet-A, JP4 Fuel Capacity 71 gallons, 490 pounds
(at 7 pounds per gallon) Fuel Consumption 25
gallons per hour Engine Allison C20c, 420
horsepower Max Exhaust Heat 812 C. Empty
Weight 1870 pounds Gross Weight 3200
pounds Useful Load 1330 pounds Useful Load
w/Full Fuel 840 pounds Cruising Speed 100
knots/115 MPH (doors off), 120 knots/138 MPH
(doors on) Maximum Speed (VNE) 134 knots/154
MPH Max Endurance 2 hours, 50 minutes Max
Range 287 miles Special Features Nightvision
Capable, 20 million CP spotlight, double
belly-hook system for shorthaul or sling loading
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Available Aircraft
Butte County Sheriffs Office Helicopter
H-2 Military OH-6 which is a military version of
a Hughes 500c Primary Mission Law enforcement
patrol and Search for missing/lost
persons Callsign N62528 Pilot Location
Front-right Normal Seating 2 Persons (2 front)
(ship does have two cramped rear seats) Fuel
Type Jet-A, JP4 Fuel Capacity 54 gallons, 356
pounds (at 7 pounds per gallon) Fuel Consumption
22 gallons per hour Engine Allison C18 (Rolls
Royce) T63A700, 311 horsepower Max Exhaust Heat
1500 F. Empty Weight 1500 pounds Gross Weight
2550 pounds Useful Load 700 pounds Useful Load
w/Full Fuel 344 pounds Cruising Speed 120
knots/138 MPH Maximum Speed (VNE) ? knots/?
MPH Max Endurance 2 hours, 24 minutes Max
Range 310 miles Special Features Nightvision
Capable, 5 million CP spotlight, FLIR/Camera
System
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Available Aircraft Cont.
CDF Copter 205 Military UH-1H Huey Primary
Mission Fire suppression / Air Rescue Callsign
? Pilot Location ? Fuel Type Jet-A, JP4 Fuel
Capacity ? gallons, ? pounds (at 7 pounds per
gallon) Fuel Consumption ? gallons per hour Max
Exhaust Heat ? Empty Weight ? pounds Gross
Weight ? pounds Useful Load ? pounds Useful
Load w/Full Fuel ? pounds Cruising Speed ?
knots/? MPH Maximum Speed (VNE) ? knots/?
MPH Max Endurance ? hours, ?? minutes Max
Range ? miles Special Features Belly Hook,
Fire bucket, internal dynamic lowering system
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Available Aircraft Cont.
CHP H20, H16, H14 Eurocopter AS350 B3 Primary
Mission Law Enforcement, Air Rescue Callsigns
N217HP, ??, ??, ?? Pilot Location
Front-Right Fuel Type Jet-A, JP4 Fuel Capacity
143 gallons, 939 pounds (at 7 pounds per
gallon) Fuel Consumption 329.5 pounds per
hour Max Exhaust Heat ? Empty Weight 2,716
pounds Gross Weight 4,960 pounds Useful Load
2,244 pounds Useful Load w/Full Fuel 1,305
pounds Cruising Speed 127 knots Maximum Speed
(VNE) 155 knots Max Endurance 4 hours, 28
minutes Max Range 368 miles Special Features
Belly Hook, Hoist, FLIR, Limited ALS capable
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Available Aircraft Cont.
Enloe Flightcare Eurocopter AS350 B2 Primary
Mission Air Ambulance Callsign N922RJ Pilot
Location Front-Right Fuel Type Jet-A,
JP4 Fuel Capacity 143 gallons, 939 pounds (at
7 pounds per gallon) Fuel Consumption 324
pounds per hour Max Exhaust Heat ? Empty
Weight 2,700 pounds Gross Weight 4,960
pounds Useful Load 2,260 pounds Useful Load
w/Full Fuel 1,321 pounds Cruising Speed 127
knots Maximum Speed (VNE) 155 knots Max
Endurance 4 hours, 45 minutes Max Range 371
miles Special Features Night Vision capable,
ALS EMS Ready
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(Very) Basic Helicopter Flight

• Flight Controls
• Cyclic - Center stick flight control responsible
  for horizontal movement (forward, back,
  side-slip-left, side-slip-right (in hover),
  banking-turn-left, banking-turn-right (in forward
  flight))
• Collective - Left hand, side flight control
  responsible for pitch/bite of blades providing
  lift (up, down)
• Foot Pedals - Left and right foot pedal flight
  controls providing axis rotation and
  counter-torque
• Rotors
• Main Rotor - Lift Lateral directional control
• Tail Rotor - Anti-torque (always) Axis
  directional control in hover or slow flight

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(Very) Basic Helicopter Flight
Co-Pilot side collective
Co-Pilot side pedals
Pilot side cyclic
Pilot side collective
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(Very) Basic Helicopter Flight

• Density Altitude
• What is it?
• Temperature
• Humidity
• Altitude
• Performance
• Combination of load/weight capabilities of the
  aircraft and density altitude and environmental
  conditions
• Impact on Flight Operations

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(Very) Basic Helicopter Flight

• Terms
• In-Ground Effect Hover (IGE)
• Out-of-Ground Effect Hover (OGE)
• Translational Lift
• Flat Pitch

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General Helicopter Safety
People dont get hurt around helicopters, they
get killed! Pilot has ultimate control,
authority and responsibility for the
aircraft Flight crew responsible for the safety
of ship, passengers and cargo Safety is
EVERYONEs business
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General Helicopter Safety

• Ground Safety Issues
• Rotors (main rotors and tail rotor)
• The rotors may spin incredibly fast with the
  blade tips on some ships reaching near the speed
  of sound
• Rotors may dip or flex in wind or during shutdown
  coming down to head-height on flat ground
• Never approach or exit a running helicopter from
  or to an uphill position
• Never carry or hold any object that is higher
  than your head level

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General Helicopter Safety

• Ground Safety Issues
• Rotors (main rotors and tail rotor)

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General Helicopter Safety

• Ground Safety Issues
• Exhaust
• Exhaust temperatures can reach 1,500 degrees F.
  on some ships
• Some ships vent the exhaust upward away from
  contact with people standing at ground level
• Some ships vent exhaust directly out of the rear
  of the aircraft down or laterally posing extreme
  risk to people going aft of the rear doors

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Exhaust is jetted up and away on some ships
On others, its jetted below or down from the
tailboom
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General Helicopter Safety

• Ground Safety Issues
• Misc Objects
• Pitot Tube - Used to indicate air speed
• May be heated, especially in winter to prevent
  icing. If touched or grabbed, may cause burns

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General Helicopter Safety

• Ground Safety Issues
• Misc Objects
• Skids / Landing Gear
• Upon touchdown, skids may expand outward as the
  weight of the ship settles on the ground

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General Helicopter Safety

• Ground Safety Issues
• Misc Objects
• Wire-strike Cutters
• Serrated edged blades meant to cut electrical or
  other wire if the ship runs through them

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General Helicopter Safety

• Ground Safety Issues
• Misc Objects
• External Equipment (spot lights, FLIR, camera,
  etc.)

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General Helicopter Safety

• Ground Safety Issues
• Misc Objects
• Stub wings, tail boom and all other flight
  surfaces

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General Helicopter Safety

• Ground Safety Issues
• Approaching an aircraft on the ground
• Unless technical operations are going on, wait
  until the aircraft is flat pitch and engine power
  has been lowered
• Permission to approach
• If radio communications are available, ask the
  pilot or crew chief if you can approach and wait
  for permission
• If radio comm is not available, maintain distance
  from the aircraft until you have the attention of
  the pilot or aircraft crew and motion request to
  approach and wait for an affirmative response
• Always approach from the front of the aircraft or
  a 45 degree angle to the front NEVER approach
  from or near the rear of the aircraft

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Always approach from the front or 45 degrees to
the front, never from the sides or rear of the
aircraft
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General Helicopter Safety

• Air to Ground Personnel Issues
• Static Electricity
• In-flight aircraft may build up a strong static
  electricity charge
• Normally, the charge is negated when aircraft or
  sling-load cable touches ground (grounding)
• However, if the ground handler touches the
  aircraft or sling-load cable first before they
  touch the ground, the charge discharges through
  ground handler
• SHOCK!

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General Helicopter Safety

• Air to Ground Personnel Issues
• Aircraft Emergency / Hard Landing
• Emergencies DO happen
• Ground crews must always be aware of where the
  aircraft is, what its doing and all sights,
  sounds, etc. at all times
• Rapid changes in sound
• Abnormal sound
• Sudden, unexpected pitch, flight, manuver, ascent
  or decent
• Smoke or other visual bad queues
• Falling items from aircraft

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General Helicopter Safety

• Air to Ground Personnel Issues
• Equipment / Parts Falling from Aircraft
• While rare, it is possible for something to break
  lose or fall from the aircraft
• Immediate notification and protection of ground
  personnel is crucial
• Immediate notification to the aircraft is crucial
  and time critical
• Sling Load / Short Haul Falling from Aircraft
• While not so rare, it is certainly possible to
  have a sling-load improperly packaged fall
• While rare, it is possible to have an aircraft
  emergency requiring the jettison of the
  sling-load or live short-haul load
• Constant monitoring of any suspended loads is
  crucial

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General Helicopter Safety

• Air to Ground Personnel Issues
• Noise
• Helicopters can be extremely loud
• Ear/hearing protection is strongly recommended
  especially when working around running ships for
  any length of time
• Good communications, preferably in a
  noise-limiting head-set or helmet is crucial
• Blowing Debris / Eye Injury
• Helicopters produce significant down or ground
  wash blowing debris or ground objects at high
  speed
• Eye protection is an absolute requirement when
  working in the vicinity of a powered-up aircraft

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General Helicopter Safety

• In-Aircraft / In-Flight Issues
• Pilot / Co-pilot Flight Controls
• Controls (again)
• Cyclic
• Collective
• Foot Pedals
• Co-pilot flight controls may or may not be
  removable depending upon the ship
• Control attachment points can still be affected
  even when collective and cyclic are removed
• All flight controls must have full range of
  movement capabilities with no obstructions,
  inertia or other problems for safe flight

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General Helicopter Safety

• In-Aircraft / In-Flight Issues
• Flight Consoles (gages, buttons, levers,
  switches, knobs, radios, etc.)
• Master Switch
• Avionics Switch
• Fuel Shutoff
• Cyclic switches
• Collective Throttle/RPM/shutdown
• Cargo / Sling-load / Short-haul jettison
• Radios
• Aircraft Navigation (data) radio
• Aircraft Air-band communications radio
• Other
• Emergency Services VHF
• Emergency Services UHF

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General Helicopter Safety

• In-Aircraft / In-Flight Issues
• Center of Gravity Issues
• CG is usually directly under the main rotor mast
• Fore/aft CG
• Lateral CG
• Engine / Transmission Issues
• Chip light
• Loss of Power
• Component Destruction
• Rotor Strike (Main or Tail)
• Ground/brush
• Object from ship or bird

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General Helicopter Safety

• In-Aircraft / In-Flight Issues
• Wire Strike
• Tail Boom Strike
• Bird Strike
• Inclement Weather
• Loss of visibility
• VFR vs. IFR
• Loss of stable (vertical or horizontal) reference
  / vertigo
• Over water
• Fog / Clouds / Smoke
• Night

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General Helicopter Safety

• In-Flight Emergency Procedure
• 84 of critical in-flight emergencies are
  survivable
• Auto-Rotation
• Mechanics (very basic)
• Minimum altitude, airspeed and forward room
  necessary
• Lower collective for most of auto
• Glide slope like an airplane/fixed wing
• Flare / pull collective just before touchdown to
  slow descent and control landing
• Passenger/Crew Response
• Most of the time, stay inside ship until ship and
  all parts stop moving
• Follow pilots lead - if pilot runs, you run
• If fire occurs, use fire extinguisher to put
  people out or prevent burns to people, dont
  worry about the ship

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General Helicopter Safety

• In-Flight Emergency Procedure
• Over-Water Landing
• Pilot will auto-rotate into water to reduce
  impact
• Passenger/Crew Response
• DO NOT PANIC!
• Unhook headset or helmet comm just before impact
• If helmet is worn, put clear visor down
• Crack/open door, just before impact
• Maintain seatbelt through impact with one hand on
  belt release
• With the other hand, find a solid reference point
  and hold on to it
• Ship will enter the water and quickly turn-upside
  down and start to sink
• Do NOT exit the ship immediately as rotors are
  still spinning and breaking apart
• Count to 5 (SLOWLY) while maintaining your
  reference points
• Unbuckle the seat-belt, push through the door and
  exit the ship

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General Helicopter Safety

• In-Flight Emergency Procedure
• External Load Pickle
• Depending upon type of load and system used, may
  be a pilot-only action or may be a combination of
  pilot and crew
• Electrical hook release
• Mechanical hook release
• Belly band cut
• Other rope or internal system release or cut

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General Helicopter Safety

• Landing / Take-off Issues
• Slope of LZ / Helispot
• Many ships have very limited slope capabilities
  for flat-pitch touchdown
• Pilot to determine if slope is too great or
  unworkable
• Obstacles / FOD
• Trees, power lines, telephone poles/lines,
  structures, bridges, towers, brush, etc.
• Touchdown spot (helispot, LZ, etc.) must be free
  or clear of the above
• FOD Foreign/Flying Object Debris
• Size of Helispot / LZ
• Small/medium size ship
• 60 x 60 day
• 100 x 100 night
• Large ship
• 100 x 100 day
• 200 x 200 night

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General Helicopter Safety

• Landing / Take-off Issues
• Angle of Approach/Departure vs. Vertical
  Ascent/Descent
• Vertical ascent/descent is higher risk, very hard
  on ship, takes more power and may not be possible
• An approach/departure angle of at least 15
  degrees is preferable
• A long approach/departure angle is the best

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General Helicopter Safety
X
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General Helicopter Safety

• Landing / Take-off Issues
• Direction and speed of wind
• Like airplanes, helicopters prefer to land and
  take off INTO the wind
• A strong wind speed isnt necessarily bad as long
  as the pilot is aware of it and the helicopter
  can
• Face into the wind for approach, departure or
  hover and
• The wind speed isnt changing rapidly (gusting)
• The wind direction isnt changing its coming
  from a single direction
• A steady wind in the right direction provides
  good lift and may give some additional
  performance capabilities when density altitude
  isnt in your favor

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General Helicopter Safety

• Landing / Take-off Issues
• Density Altitude vs. gross ship weight
• Combination of temperature, altitude and humidity
• Based upon a normal day which is 59 degrees F.
  at sea level
• A rough rule of thumb is that with about every
  18,000 to 20,000 ft of altitude gained, there is
  about half as much air density
• Since Butte County ranges from 120 feet ASL up to
  7,000 feet ASL, air density ranges from
• 120 ft. ASL 0.32 less dense
• 1000 ft. ASL 2.63 less dense
• 2000 ft. ASL 5.26 less dense
• 3000 ft. ASL 7.89 less dense
• 4000 ft. ASL 10.53 less dense
• 5000 ft. ASL 13.16 less dense
• 6000 ft. ASL 15.79 less dense
• 7000 ft. ASL 18.42 less dense

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General Helicopter Safety

• Landing / Take-off Issues
• Density Altitude vs. gross ship weight
• Air density also varies with temperature. For
  every 15F variation from the standard
  temperature at your pressure altitude, the
  density-altitude is increased or decreased by
  1000 ft
• So, with the aircraft sitting at the hanger on a
  59 degree day, there is no adjustment in density
  altitude due to temperature. But on a hot day
  such a typical summer day of 104, while the
  aircraft hasnt even left the hanger, its like
  its already flying at 3200 feet ASL.
• 59 F. 200 ft. ASL Oroville airport hanger
• 74 F. 1200 ft. ASL
• 89 F. 2200 ft. ASL
• 104 F. 3200 ft. ASL
• 119 F. 4200 ft. ASL
• Add to that the actual flying altitude needed and
  it can have dramatic impacts on aircraft
  performance and capabilities

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General Helicopter Safety

• Landing / Take-off Issues
• Density Altitude vs. gross ship weight
• Key factor in determining mission plans and
  capabilities
• May limit or require change of plans
• May limit number of people flying in the ship
• May limit internal or external loads
• May require a clean/clear approach or departure
  angle
• May require burning off fuel load before
  additional plans may be implemented
• May limit ability to do an OGE hover
• May limit ability to do an IGE hover (bad)

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General Helicopter Safety

• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
• Basic
• Long sleeve cotton shirt, jumpsuit or jacket
• Long cotton pants
• Boots
• Eye protection
• Hearing protection
• Helmet/head protection when outside the ship
• Preferred
• Flight helmet w/visor(s), w/external comm
  capabilities
• Nomex flight suit
• Nomex gloves
• Boots

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End of Helicopter Awareness
The remaining presentation goes in-depth into
technical helicopter rescue and air operations,
techniques and risks.
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Air Rescue Operations
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Technical Air Operations
Unless otherwise specified, the following slides
are written from the point of Butte County
Sheriffs Office aircraft (H-1 or H-2)
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Technical Air Operations

• Duties
• Pilot
• In command of and responsible for the aircraft
  and everything it does
• Flying the ship within its limits and
  capabilities
• Flying the ship within the limits and
  capabilities of the pilot
• Ensuring the safety of everyone involved in the
  air operations
• Performing safety checks of ship technical
  operations rigging
• Ensuring Sheriffs Office and BIRG guidelines and
  policies are followed

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Technical Air Operations

• Duties
• Crew Chief (CC)
• Ensuring the safety of passengers, rescuers or
  victims in, on or around the ship
• Ensuring any technical rigging is performed
  properly and according to guidelines
• Briefing rescuers and pilot on plan of action
• Second pair of eyes watching for such things as
• Rotor blade clearance from obstacles
• Height of short-haul load from ground or
  obstacles
• Power/Torque pulled if pilot is fully
  concentrating on bottom load
• Air to ground communications
• Coordinating technical operations in the ship
  between pilot, HRTs and ground personnel
• Micro-navigation directions to pilot for
  over-water operations

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Technical Air Operations

• Duties
• Helicopter Rescue Tech (HRT)
• Ensuring the safety of passengers, rescuers or
  victims in, on or around the ship
• Ensuring any technical rigging is performed
  properly and according to guidelines
• Performing external (to the ship) rescue
  procedures including
• Short-Haul Dope on a Rope (land, static water,
  dynamic water)
• Helicasting / 10-10 Insertions
• Toe-Ins / One-Skids
• Patient Packaging for Flight Ops
• Rigging of aircraft for Technical Ops
• Patient Care

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Technical Air Operations

• Technical Operations Types
• Reference Types
• Vertical Reference
• Requires the pilot to be able to stick his head
  out the door or window looking down at the load
  or target
• Can be done without a Crew Chief or other
  inter-crew communication as pilot can see the
  load or target and adjust accoridngly
• Pilot can also hold station using vertical
  reference
• Much more accurate
• Horizontal Reference
• Requires at least one additional crew person in
  the ship with vertical reference communicating
  three dimensional movement instructions to the
  pilot
• Pilot uses a horizontal reference to hold station
• Much less accurate
• Requires precise and accurate communications
  between pilot and crew

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Technical Air Operations

• Technical Operations Types
• Reference Types
• Vertical Reference
• BCSO aircraft fly vertical reference
• Horizontal Reference
• CDF/CAL-Fire and CHP fly horizontal reference

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Technical Air Operations

• Technical Operations Types
• Sling Load
• Hauling equipment or non-human loads
• BCSO H-1 uses a 50 steel cable with an
  electrical bottom pickle hook if no human loads
  are to be carried
• BCSO H-2 not equipped for sling loads
• Static charge is definitely an issue
• Proper/secure packaging of load is crucial
• Crew Chief is optional but not necessary

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Technical Air Operations

• Technical Operations Types
• Sling-Load Cont.
• Purpose To get equipment into or out of a
  remote or difficult access area rapidly and
  easily
• Risks
• Types
• Pickling the load (intentional or accidental)
• Falling loads due to insecure rigging/netting
• Static electricity shock to ground handler
• Pilot error in sling-load operations
• Ship problems / in-flight emergencies
• Risked personnel
• Pilot/passengers
• Ground personnel in the immediate area

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Technical Air Operations

• Technical Operations Types Cont.
• Ground Short-Haul (human load)
• Purpose To get trained rescuer(s) into a remote
  or difficult access area to access and stabilize
  patient(s) and/or to extricate and transport
  rescuers and patient(s) out of a remote or
  difficult access area in a rapid timeframe where
  landing is not possible
• Crew Chief is strongly preferred - only flight
  condition limitations or lack of qualified
  personnel will preclude the use of a Crew Chief
  in the ship
• In addition to the normal PPE discussed
  previously, a full-body or seat plus chest
  harness must be worn by all on-line rescuers
• Double-hook system under H-1 used
• Requires two release/pickle methods
• Double hook check for both electrical and
  mechanical release must precede operation
• Electrical hook release fuse is pulled requiring
  pilot to push fuse in if release is necessary
• 100 rope line pre-rig along with an optional 50
  addition rope line is used with duplicate
  everything

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Technical Air Operations

• Technical Operations Types Cont.
• Ground Short-Haul (human load) Cont.
• Without Stokes
• Rescuer(s) are in full-body harness
• Victim is in either full-body harness, rescue
  ring or diaper
• Max 2 Dopes (Dope-on-a-Rope) with a Crew Chief
  in the ship or 3 Dopes without a Crew Chief in
  the ship
• With Stokes
• Rescuer(s) are in full-body harness
• Victim is in steel stokes fully packaged (see Pt.
  Packaging section)
• Max 2 Rescuers, 1 Patient, 1 Steel Stokes (with
  no Crew Chief in the ship)
• Max 1 Rescuer, 1 Patient, 1 Steel Stokes (with a
  Crew Chief in the ship)

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Technical Air Operations

• Technical Operations Types Cont.
• Ground Short-Haul (human load) Cont.
• Risks
• Types
• Pickling the human load (intentional or
  accidental)
• Pilot error in short-haul operations
• Dopes descending too rapidly
• Dopes/Victim getting slammed
• Dopes/Victim getting ensnared or hung up on
  something
• Ship problems / in-flight emergencies
• Risked personnel
• Pilot/Crew Chief
• Dopes-on-the-Rope / Victim
• Ground personnel in the immediate area

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Technical Air Operations

• Technical Operations Types Cont.
• Hoist Operations
• Purpose To get trained rescuer(s) into a remote
  or difficult access area to access and stabilize
  patient(s) and/or to extricate and transport
  rescuers and patient(s) out of a remote or
  difficult access area in a rapid timeframe where
  landing is not possible
• Requires additional training by CHP air crews
  before it should be done
• CHP Helicopters have hoist
• Hoist max load is 400 pounds
• Hoist is controlled by CHP Crew Chief from back
  seat
• Victim/stokes only is hoisted, no rescuer with
  victim
• Upon stokes reaching the ship, the stokes is
  pulled along side of or sometimes into the
  aircraft for forward flight

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Technical Air Operations

• Technical Operations Types Cont.
• Hoist Operations Cont.
• Risks
• Types
• Pickling the hoist w/human load (intentional or
  accidental)
• Static electricity shock to ground handler
• Pilot or Crew Chief error in hoist operations
• Malfunction of hoist
• Dope/Victim getting slammed
• Dope/Victim getting ensnared or hung-up on
  something
• Ship problems / in-flight emergencies
• Risked personnel
• Pilot/Crew Chief
• Dope-on-the-Hoist / Victim(s)
• Ground personnel in the immediate area

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Dunker Training is required for all helicopter
crews that may fly over water. This training
simulates a helicopter crash in water and escape
and survival procedures.
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Technical Air Operations

• Technical Operations Types Cont.
• Static Water Short-Haul
• Purpose To get trained rescuer(s) rapidly to
  victims on a body of water to access and
  stabilize patient(s) and/or to extricate and
  transport rescuers and patient(s) out of the body
  of water in a rapid timeframe
• Crew Chief is required due to vertigo, navigation
  and coordination issues for pilot
• Double-hook system under H-1 used
• Requires two release/pickle methods
• Double hook check for both electrical and
  mechanical release must precede operation
• Electrical hook release fuse is pulled requiring
  pilot to push fuse in if release is necessary
• 100 rope line pre-rig is used with duplicate
  everything
• Rescuer(s) wear full water-based PPE
  (wetsuit/drysuit, PFD, full-body or seat/chest
  harness, swift-water helmet, etc.)

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Technical Air Operations

• Technical Operations Types Cont.
• Static Water Short-Haul Cont.
• Rescuer(s) hook up just as if they are doing land
  short-haul
• Rescuer must have a sharp knife easily accessible
• For the rescuer/victim combination, the rescuer
  has a cinch collar thats also attached to the
  short-haul line for the victim
• Rescuer slips the collar over the victims head
  and cinches it down
• All parties attached to the short-haul line are
  extricated from the water and flown to shore
• Crew Chief must give precise directions to pilot
  for maneuvering
• In water situations, Pilot should not look down
  but rather at a horizontal reference point due to
  vertigo issues
• Very close, coordinated communications between
  Crew Chief and Pilot are required

83
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84
Technical Air Operations

• Technical Operations Types Cont.
• Static Water Short-Haul Cont.
• Risks
• Types
• Pickling the short-haul w/human load (intentional
  or accidental)
• Pilot or Crew Chief error or miscommunications
• Pilot vertigo / loss of horizon reference
• Rescuer/Victim getting slammed into the water
• Rescuer/Victim getting slammed into dry
  land/trees/other obstructions/etc
• Line/Rescuer/Victim entrapment on trees, brush,
  strainers or other hazards
• Line wrapped/caught improperly around
  rescuer(s)/victim(s)
• Ship problems / in-flight emergencies
• Risked personnel
• Pilot/Crew Chief
• Dope-on-the-Rope / Victim(s)
• Boats/people near the incident
• Ground personnel on land

85
Technical Air Operations

• Technical Operations Types Cont.
• Dynamic Water Short-Haul
• Purpose To get trained rescuer(s) rapidly to
  victims on a moving body of water to access and
  stabilize patient(s) and to extricate and
  transport rescuers and patient(s) out of the body
  of water in a rapid timeframe
• Crew Chief is required due to vertigo, navigation
  and coordination issues for the pilot
• Double-hook system under H-1 used
• Requires two release/pickle methods
• Double hook check for both electrical and
  mechanical release must precede operation
• Electrical hook release fuse is pulled requiring
  pilot to push fuse in if release is necessary
• 100 rope line pre-rig is used with duplicate
  everything
• Rescuer(s) wear full swift-water based PPE
  (wetsuit/drysuit, PFD, full-body or seat/chest
  harness, swift-water helmet, etc.)

86
Technical Air Operations

• Technical Operations Types Cont.
• Dynamic Water Short-Haul Cont.
• Rescuer(s) hook up just as if they are doing land
  short-haul
• Rescuer must have a sharp knife easily accessible
• For the rescuer/victim combination, the rescuer
  has a cinch collar thats also attached to the
  short-haul line for the victim
• Rescuer slips the collar over the victims head
  and cinches it down
• All parties attached to the short-haul line are
  extricated from the water and flown to shore
• Crew Chief must give precise directions to pilot
  for maneuvering
• In water situations, Pilot should not look down
  but rather at a horizontal reference point due to
  vertigo issues and at direction of travel as ship
  moves along with current and victim
• Very close, coordinated communications between
  Crew Chief and Pilot are required

87
Simulated flood conditions with a victim in a
tree. The rescuer is VERY carefully lowered
through the tree to the victim using short-haul.
This requires a very steady pilot and no gusty
winds. This is a high risk operation and should
be treated as such.
88
Technical Air Operations

• Technical Operations Types Cont.
• Dynamic Water Short-Haul Cont.
• Risks
• Types
• Pickling the short-haul w/human load (intentional
  or accidental)
• Pilot or Crew Chief error or miscommunications
• Pilot vertigo / loss of horizon reference
• Pilot missing obstructions, structures or other
  hazards while moving along with the current
• Rescuer/Victim getting slammed into the water
• Rescuer/Victim getting slammed into dry
  land/trees/other obstructions/etc
• Line/Rescuer/Victim entrapment on trees, brush,
  strainers or other hazards
• Line wrapped/caught improperly around
  rescuer(s)/victim(s)
• Ship problems / in-flight emergencies

89
Technical Air Operations

• Technical Operations Types Cont.
• Dynamic Water Short-Haul Cont.
• Risks
• Risked personnel
• Pilot/Crew Chief
• Dope-on-the-Rope / Victim(s)
• Boats/people near the incident
• Ground personnel on land

90
Technical Air Operations

• Technical Operations Types Cont.
• Dynamic Water Drag
• Purpose To attempt to drag a floating victim
  and/or rescuer in a moving water environment to
  the shore or other safe location
• Primarily performed in H-2 as H-2 is not
  short-haul capable and also has a greater lateral
  CG capability than does H-1
• Crew Chief is required on the skid due to
  vertigo, navigation and coordination issues for
  the pilot as well as handling of rescue line and
  rescue ring
• Rescuer(s) wear full swift-water based PPE
  (wetsuit/drysuit, PFD, full-body or seat/chest
  harness, swift-water helmet, etc.)

91
Technical Air Operations

• Technical Operations Types Cont.
• Dynamic Water Drag Cont.
• Crew Chief and in-the-water rescuer (if there is
  one) must have a sharp knife easily accessible
• The rescue line has a cinch rescue collar on it
• If the rescuer is present in the water, rescuer
  slips the collar over the victims head and
  cinches it down
• All parties attached to the drag line are pulled
  to shore or a safe eddy area
• Crew Chief must give precise directions to pilot
  for maneuvering
• In water situations, Pilot should not look down
  but rather at a horizontal reference point due to
  vertigo issues and at direction of travel as ship
  moves along with current and victim
• Very close, coordinated communications between
  Crew Chief and Pilot are required

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96
Technical Air Operations

• Technical Operations Types Cont.
• Dynamic Water Drag
• Risks
• Types
• Pilot or Crew Chief error or miscommunications
• Pilot vertigo / loss of horizon reference
• Pilot missing obstructions, structures or other
  hazards while moving along with the current or
  dragging victim to shore
• Line/Rescuer/Victim entrapment on trees, brush,
  strainers or other hazards in the water
• Line wrapped/caught improperly around
  rescuer(s)/victim(s)
• Ship problems / in-flight emergencies
• Lack of pilot jettison capabilities (on H-2)
  relies on the Crew Chief
• Lateral CG issues on aircraft

97
Technical Air Operations

• Technical Operations Types Cont.
• Dynamic Water Drag
• Risks
• Risked personnel
• Pilot/Crew Chief
• Rescuer-in-the-water / Victim(s)
• Boats/people near the incident
• Ground personnel on land

98
Technical Air Operations

• Technical Operations Types Cont.
• Vehicle in the Water Short-haul Rescue
• Purpose To get trained rescuer(s) rapidly to
  victim(s) in or on a vehicle that has gone into a
  moving body of water to access and stabilize
  patient(s) and to extricate and transport
  rescuers and patient(s) out/off of the vehicle in
  a rapid timeframe
• Crew Chief is required due to vertigo, navigation
  and coordination issues for the pilot
• Double-hook system under H-1 used
• Requires two release/pickle methods
• Double hook check for both electrical and
  mechanical release must precede operation
• Electrical hook release fuse is pulled requiring
  pilot to push fuse in if release is necessary
• 100 rope line pre-rig is used with duplicate
  everything
• Rescuer(s) wear full swift-water based PPE
  (wetsuit/drysuit, PFD, full-body or seat/chest
  harness, swift-water helmet, etc.)

99
Technical Air Operations

• Technical Operations Types Cont.
• Vehicle in the Water Short-haul Rescue Cont.
• Rescuer(s) hook up just as if they are doing land
  short-haul
• Rescuer must have a sharp knife easily accessible
• For the rescuer/victim combination, the rescuer
  has a cinch collar thats also attached to the
  short-haul line for the victim
• Crew Chief must give precise directions to pilot
  for maneuvering
• In water situations, Pilot should not look down
  but rather at a horizontal reference point due to
  vertigo issues and at any hazards in the
  immediate area
• Very close, coordinated communications between
  Crew Chief and Pilot are required

100
Technical Air Operations

• Technical Operations Types Cont.
• Vehicle in the Water Short-haul Rescue Cont.
• Careful insertion of the rescuer on or near the
  vehicle is critical and high risk due to
• Moving/dynamic water
• Downstream hazards
• Entrapment on or around the vehicle
• Risk of victim(s) jumping on rescuer or other
  hysterical hazardous actions
• Risk of vehicle breaking free, moving or rolling
• Risk of rescuer(s) and/or victim(s) falling from
  the vehicle into the water
• It should be noted that this may not be any
  higher risk than doing a non-helicopter based
  rescue. Most of the risks noted exist whether
  performing a helicopter or non-helicopter rescue
  in this scenario
• Rescuer slips the collar over the victims head
  and cinches it down
• All parties attached to the short-haul line are
  extricated from the vehicle and flown to shore
  one at a time

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104
Technical Air Operations

• Technical Operations Types Cont.
• Vehicle in the Water Short-haul Rescue Cont.
• Risks
• Types
• Pickling the short-haul w/human load (intentional
  or accidental)
• Pilot or Crew Chief error or miscommunications
• Pilot vertigo / loss of horizon reference
• Pilot missing obstructions, structures or other
  hazards in the immediate area
• Dope/Victim getting slammed into the water
• Dope/Victim getting slammed into dry
  land/trees/other obstructions/etc
• Dope/Victim getting strained or trapped by
  in-water debris or hydraulics
• Ship problems / in-flight emergencies

105
Technical Air Operations

• Technical Operations Types Cont.
• Vehicle in the Water Short-haul Rescue Cont.
• Risks Cont.
• Types Cont.
• Line/Rescuer/Victim entrapment on or around the
  vehicle
• Line wrapped/caught improperly around
  rescuer(s)/victim(s)
• Risk of victim(s) jumping on rescuer or other
  hysterical hazardous actions
• Risk of vehicle breaking free, moving or rolling
• Risk of rescuer(s) and/or victim(s) falling from
  the vehicle into the water

106
Technical Air Operations

• Technical Operations Types Cont.
• Vehicle in the Water Short-haul Rescue Cont.
• Risks Cont.
• Risked personnel
• Pilot/Crew Chief
• Dope-on-the-Rope / Victim(s)
• Boats/people near the incident
• People still in or on stranded vehicle in the
  water
• Ground personnel on land

107
Technical Air Operations

• Technical Operations Types Cont.
• Vehicle in the Water Toe-in/One-Skid Rescue
• Purpose To get trained rescuer(s) rapidly to
  victim(s) in or on a vehicle that has gone into a
  moving body of water to access and stabilize
  patient(s) and to extricate and transport
  rescuers and patient(s) out/off of the vehicle in
  a rapid timeframe
• Crew Chief is required due to vertigo, navigation
  and coordination issues for the pilot
• Rescuer wears full swift-water based PPE
  (wetsuit/drysuit, PFD, full-body or seat/chest
  harness, swift-water helmet, etc.)

108
Technical Air Operations

• Technical Operations Types Cont.
• Vehicle in the Water Toe-in/One-Skid Rescue Cont.
• Rescuer must have a sharp knife easily accessible
• Crew Chief must give precise directions to pilot
  for maneuvering
• Pilot should not look down but rather at a
  horizonal reference point due to vertigo issues
  and at any hazards in the immediate area
• Very close, coordinated communications between
  Crew Chief and Pilo