IAF sets a world record with Uttarakhand rescue that saved 20,000 civilians

[Manindra]

Good luck & wish good coordination with sister services & civil administration

 

[RoYaL~GuJJaR]

Salute to our armed forces for evacuating so many people and specially IAF for creating history by airlifting 20,000 Civilian by Helicopter's alone.


By the way, some people just have a habit of arguing for no reason, Instead of accepting the current facts ,they feel so hard to digest something that just happened. Please Ignore them!

 

[indoPunjabi]

Indian air force is among the best in the world. Salute to brave IAF pilots and much respect to them

 

[rashtriya.rifles]

Thanks, I think there have been much larger peace time operations. Of the top of my head, USAF and the National Guard evacuated the city of New Orleans in 2005 in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Some facts :

Hurricane Katrina stuck the states of Florida and Lousiana.

City Height above Sea Level

New Orleans -6.5 to 20 ft
Florida Highest point Britton Hill 345 ft (105 m) - Mean 100 ft (30 m)


Now lets consider uttarakhand disaster :

Kedarnath : 11,657 ft above sea level
uttarkashi : 4,436 ft above sea level
Joshimath : 6150 feet above sea level !

I will let sensible people to decide which one was more ardous !

 

[dbc]

Some facts :

Hurricane Katrina stuck the states of Florida and Lousiana.

City Height above Sea Level

New Orleans -6.5 to 20 ft
Florida Highest point Britton Hill 345 ft (105 m) - Mean 100 ft (30 m)


Now lets consider uttarakhand disaster :

Kedarnath : 11,657 ft above sea level
uttarkashi : 4,436 ft above sea level
Joshimath : 6150 feet above sea level !

I will let sensible people to decide which one was more ardous !

I never said the Indian rescue effort was easy. It wasn't easy for Katrina rescuers either...

"We started watching the winds go to as much as 85 knots," or 95 mph, Massello said.

The fierce winds were blowing the helicopter off course and using up far more fuel than any normal flight. By the time the crew reached the Mary Lynn , it was roughly 1:30 a.m., completely dark, and Katrina was raging.

Using night vision goggles, they could barely see "a glow in the mist," said Lt. j.g. David Sheppard, the co-pilot, who grew up in Pinellas County.

"It was at that point that we realized that we were running low on fuel," Massello said.

So he made the tough decision to leave to get more fuel at the naval air station in Key West. They returned at about 5:30 a.m., when it was still dark. But the intense winds kept blowing them away from the boat, so Massello decided to hover nearby until daylight.

Around 7:30, they moved back into position. Looking below, Massello could see waves rising about 45 feet high - a height he could judge by looking at the length of the Mary Lynn , which was 41 feet.

Tampabay: Coast Guard rescue crew braves Katrina's winds

 

[sancho]

@Death.By.Chocolate

I have a question where you might be able to shed some light. The operations in the mountain areas were difficult because there was a lack of suitable airstrips available in the area at first. When those were cleared though, some of IAFs fixed winged aircrafts were used and although only the C130J made it in the media reports I guess that some of the Do 228 and possibly An 32s were also able to land at these short strips.
The question however is, would have the C17 also be able to be used, if it would be inducted sooner?

I couldn't find details about the airstrips, only that they must be around 1400m long (possibly less), but maybe these pics can give you an idea:

I know that the C17 can land and take off from such airstrips and that it needs around 24m to turn around, but based on the wingspan of the C130J, it seems more like around 30m width of the air strip and possibly 50m total width (C17 wingspan 51.4m), so that will be difficult during take offs an landings or?
What else would be important to consider if the airstrip is suitable?
Is there any info for US forces available about number of suitable airstrips in India?

 

[dbc]

@Death.By.Chocolate

The question however is, would have the C17 also be able to be used, if it would be inducted sooner?

It depends on the number of hours of flying time and currencies the IAF pilots have gained pre/post-induction. Flown by experienced pilots, sure the C-17 should be able to operate from this paved runway. Albeit the MTOW (maximum takeoff weight) requires 7,600 feet (2,316 meters) so the take off weight will have to be reduced and the reduction will depend on weather conditions (cross wind/ tail wind/ head wind),wet strip and terrain surrounding the airfield. NATO assets that can use this strip at MTOW are A400M,An-26,C-27J,C-130 B/E/H/J,C-160,C-295M,CN-235 and MV/CV-22B OSPREY.

I know that the C17 can land and take off from such airstrips and that it needs around 24m to turn around, but based on the wingspan of the C130J, it seems more like around 30m width of the air strip and possibly 50m total width (C17 wingspan 51.4m), so that will be difficult during take offs an landings or?
What else would be important to consider if the airstrip is suitable?
Is there any info for US forces available about number of suitable airstrips in India?

The C-17 does not need to turn it can back up(reverse) to the end of the runway after landing. If a terrain feature (hill/mountain) makes take off from one end of the runway dangerous then the pilot must make his/her landing approach from that terrain feature if possible. The air strip width does not have to equal the wing span of the aircraft assuming there are no structures man made or otherwise high enough to collide with the wing/engine.

A fully loaded C-17 accidentally landed at the small Peter O. Knight airport in Florida its longest runway is only 1,091 by 30 m. The aircraft departed a few hours later but left its cargo behind.

Again, all this is just speculation on my part we will only know for certain once the IAF has undertaken a feasibility study and cleared this strip for C-17 operations. On your last question, no I don't think USAF has a list of Indian airstrips that can handle the C-17.

Air Force C-17 Globemaster III makes surprise landing at Peter O. Knight Airport on Davis Islands | Tampa Bay Times

 

[Storm Force]

very impessive STUFF BY THE IAF.

IN A CRISIS they are READY

GOOD SHOW

 

[COLDHEARTED AVIATOR]

It depends on the number of hours of flying time and currencies the IAF pilots have gained pre/post-induction. Flown by experienced pilots, sure the C-17 should be able to operate from this paved runway. Albeit the MTOW (maximum takeoff weight) requires 7,600 feet (2,316 meters) so the take off weight will have to be reduced and the reduction will depend on weather conditions (cross wind/ tail wind/ head wind),wet strip and terrain surrounding the airfield. NATO assets that can use this strip at MTOW are A400M,An-26,C-27J,C-130 B/E/H/J,C-160,C-295M,CN-235 and MV/CV-22B OSPREY.

Payload has to be reduced in order to operate from a shorter airfield.Which means less fuel(minimum safety fuel) needs to be carried and the aircraft has to also make a compromise on the number of people or weight it is carrying.Having said that it also needs to be kept in mind that the airstrip is of sufficent length as there is a minimum distance an aircraft will roll before the aircraft starts develoving enough lift.

And yeah density and temperature are also a few things which need to be considered among the other points you mentioned regarding T/O performance.

 

[Dr. Strangelove]

well done IAF

well done IAF

well done IAF

 

[sancho]

Albeit the MTOW (maximum takeoff weight) requires 7,600 feet (2,316 meters) so the take off weight will have to be reduced

But in the recue operations in normally lands with higher payload than it takes off, since it would transport the fuel bowsers for example, but will return only with passengers that will be evacuated.
Is there any graphic or chart available for X take off or landing weight = Y Km distance?

The C-17 does not need to turn it can back up(reverse) to the end of the runway after landing. If a terrain feature (hill/mountain) makes take off from one end of the runway dangerous then the pilot must make his/her landing approach from that terrain feature if possible.

Interesting, didn't know that.

 

[dbc]

Is there any graphic or chart available for X take off or landing weight = Y Km distance?

Page 18 of the C-17 Pocket Guide.
Google search phrase "C-17 Pocket Guide"

See also, Design, Maintenance, and Evaluation of Semi-Prepared Airfields for Contingency Operations of the C-17 Aircraft

http://www.wbdg.org/ccb/AF/AFETL/etl_97_9.pdf