I was never fortunate enough to be able to crew one of these but had the honor of taking possesion of one in retirement after its last flight while working at the Army Aviation Museum 91-92 Fort Rucker Alabama.
Erickson Sky Crane has mastered the helicopter in the civilian sector and all other companies have copied,tryed, or operate sky cranes. Most have failed like the company I used to work for.Other companies try to compete using the crane but only Erickson has perfected it. I dont work for them and never had or will. I got smart and work for a major airline. But if you need heavy lifting Erickson or Columbia helicopters is a company to call.
I worked on the sky crane for about a year in the logging industry. The company I worked for was bringing there first ch-54a on line and worked to get it ready for logging and worked on maintaining it out in the field. It was NOT easy to work on by no means. Was a maintence pig but at the same time very neat helicopter.
As the drive shafts for the stabilizing rotors wil be removed perhaps generators with drive wheels with gears cut to accomodate the gearface (if there is one ) that formerly drove the stabilizer rotor driveshaft such that needed electrical power for the pusher motors can be gotten from the newly installed generators ?
Also remove the main wheeled landing gear from their pods and fabricate a skid that will insert into the four points from whence the lading gear shafts were extracted
Or by the same line of reasoning in a battlefield type situation "it" could carry aloft a VLEC or very large extension cord for the purposes of receiving power from ground based electrical generation equipment to supply its laser or particle beam type weapons system and or a highly powerful radar system for monitoring the battlefield ?
Essentially a CH-108? And if it could be accomplished and those main rotors could be " feathered" for the purposes of shipboard transport this unit could act as an extension of a river or bay based fire boat ? In that it could lift and carry an extensive length of firehose and pumping equipment of its own to compliment that on board the fireboat and if deployed in and around big cities with high rise complexes close to the shoreline might prove invaluable fighting high rise fires?
located between , below and slightly forward of the two main rotors . forward momentum and additional stabilization would be achieved via two directional electric motored pusher props located in what was formerly the cockpit in the standard ch -54 ?
it might be possible to construct a "double" skycrane ? If two of these machines were mechanically connected tail to tail the stabilizing rotors and all the added weight thats involved with them (drive shafts , gear boxes etc ) could be eliminated from the equation and the lifting capacity might be better than double of a standard ch-54?Also the cockpits and their respective avionics and control equipment and heavy plexiglass bubbles would be eliminated in favor of a single control pod located
It's unfortunate that there will be fewer of these awesome machines in our skies now that they've been decomissioned.
Perhaps it takes a lover of rotary aircraft to see the beauty in the Skycrane, but I'm awe-struck every time I get the priviledge to see one in flight. A masterpiece!
weird, but the best (and most practical) Hevy Lift helicopter ever built, better than the Shit hook (Chinook) even tough it cant lift as much (about 10,000 lbs less) and still used in the civillian logging/heavy lift operations
which one? The Air and Space in DC (Smithsonian) is the most visited in the Museum in the world (thats a fact you can look up) . To each is own I guess, depends on what you like.
the dc museum butchered the Enola Gay and tries to rewrite history...the USAF museum in dayton has a vastly superior collection...simply put, the smithsonian os run by spineless limp wristed, apologetic fags,..*true fact*
In 1972 at Ft. Eustis, VA, a Chinook Crew Chief told me that I would have a longer life expectancy if I shot myself in the head twice than to fly in a Chinook...
so if it works ? why get rid of it ? i meen they still use the sky crane in everyday use out of the service so why not keep it in service ? if its not broke dont fix it ? good video
actuallly the chinook is a crummy heavy lift helicopter compared to the skycrane. One of the reasons why the skycrane is selected over the chinook still today with several heavy lift companies. Chinook is good at what it does- just not the best for heavy PRECISION lift... doesn't even come close :)
47's are not bad. For a heavy lift helicopter a tail rotor is often not preferred over a tandem rotor system. The MI-26 is a good 10 years newer then the CH/MH-53/54 or CH-47.
I think they retired this aircraft as a terrorism precaution. They were affraid terrorists would get theire hands on one of these and lift american buildings right off theire foundation, kidnaping every one inside. We must not take any chances, good work America, allways thinking ahead.
The Chinook??? You need to get your facts straight, until you do don't do it in public. HOLLY CRAP!!!!! MY COMMENT WAS JUST A STUPID JOKE EVERYBODY, GET A FUCKING LIFE AND STOP REPLYING ON MY FUCKING COMMENT!!!!!
No, you spelled it right. I think it was the Boeing CH-47. AFAIK, that's the only aircraft designated "Chinook"; I'm not exactly an expert on this stuff. My dad used to be in the 307th Heavy Helicopter (Division?), based in Birmingham, AL. He retired when they started phasing out the Skycranes. I used to love going to airshows and static displays to see the CH-54s. Chinooks are great but they look like flying bananas.
Where do I find the rest of this video? I served as an avionics tech working on Skycranes, at Long Binh in '69 & 70. They were awe inspiring to work around and fly on.
Part 2 is located at the Youtube Channel MarkoneHD, hope you enjoy, this was one of my favorite productions, I got to fly in a Skycrane, Blackhawk, Chinook and a Huey.. The pilots and crews were great people.
Another aircraft to miss. I wonder why they retired this one. Nothing could do her job!
At least they could have found a nice replacement.
Stover36 1 year ago
Excellent!! This sure is one amazing impressive helicopter!!
JackFlemingFan 1 year ago
I was never fortunate enough to be able to crew one of these but had the honor of taking possesion of one in retirement after its last flight while working at the Army Aviation Museum 91-92 Fort Rucker Alabama.
uhmarikun 2 years ago
Erickson Sky Crane has mastered the helicopter in the civilian sector and all other companies have copied,tryed, or operate sky cranes. Most have failed like the company I used to work for.Other companies try to compete using the crane but only Erickson has perfected it. I dont work for them and never had or will. I got smart and work for a major airline. But if you need heavy lifting Erickson or Columbia helicopters is a company to call.
ibejoe49 2 years ago
I worked on the sky crane for about a year in the logging industry. The company I worked for was bringing there first ch-54a on line and worked to get it ready for logging and worked on maintaining it out in the field. It was NOT easy to work on by no means. Was a maintence pig but at the same time very neat helicopter.
ibejoe49 2 years ago
As the drive shafts for the stabilizing rotors wil be removed perhaps generators with drive wheels with gears cut to accomodate the gearface (if there is one ) that formerly drove the stabilizer rotor driveshaft such that needed electrical power for the pusher motors can be gotten from the newly installed generators ?
srofficial06 2 years ago
Also remove the main wheeled landing gear from their pods and fabricate a skid that will insert into the four points from whence the lading gear shafts were extracted
srofficial06 2 years ago
Or by the same line of reasoning in a battlefield type situation "it" could carry aloft a VLEC or very large extension cord for the purposes of receiving power from ground based electrical generation equipment to supply its laser or particle beam type weapons system and or a highly powerful radar system for monitoring the battlefield ?
srofficial06 2 years ago
Essentially a CH-108? And if it could be accomplished and those main rotors could be " feathered" for the purposes of shipboard transport this unit could act as an extension of a river or bay based fire boat ? In that it could lift and carry an extensive length of firehose and pumping equipment of its own to compliment that on board the fireboat and if deployed in and around big cities with high rise complexes close to the shoreline might prove invaluable fighting high rise fires?
srofficial06 2 years ago
located between , below and slightly forward of the two main rotors . forward momentum and additional stabilization would be achieved via two directional electric motored pusher props located in what was formerly the cockpit in the standard ch -54 ?
srofficial06 2 years ago
it might be possible to construct a "double" skycrane ? If two of these machines were mechanically connected tail to tail the stabilizing rotors and all the added weight thats involved with them (drive shafts , gear boxes etc ) could be eliminated from the equation and the lifting capacity might be better than double of a standard ch-54?Also the cockpits and their respective avionics and control equipment and heavy plexiglass bubbles would be eliminated in favor of a single control pod located
srofficial06 2 years ago
Great video!
It's unfortunate that there will be fewer of these awesome machines in our skies now that they've been decomissioned.
Perhaps it takes a lover of rotary aircraft to see the beauty in the Skycrane, but I'm awe-struck every time I get the priviledge to see one in flight. A masterpiece!
Thank you for posting this!
msinummik 2 years ago 2
weird, but the best (and most practical) Hevy Lift helicopter ever built, better than the Shit hook (Chinook) even tough it cant lift as much (about 10,000 lbs less) and still used in the civillian logging/heavy lift operations
XLordxofxSalemX 2 years ago
@PwnzingFilms ZOMG thats what I thought.
RUSSIAisPRIMITIV 2 years ago
this looks like the thing i saw at some air museum near tuscon
Pinesol23 2 years ago
No more lifting big frying pans?
robost 2 years ago
i want to get one with a hospital pod and convert it into a office...btw...the smithsonian SUX...the af musuem in dayton is SO much better.
jjjazzycraig 2 years ago
which one? The Air and Space in DC (Smithsonian) is the most visited in the Museum in the world (thats a fact you can look up) . To each is own I guess, depends on what you like.
pilotemtnils 2 years ago
the dc museum butchered the Enola Gay and tries to rewrite history...the USAF museum in dayton has a vastly superior collection...simply put, the smithsonian os run by spineless limp wristed, apologetic fags,..*true fact*
jjjazzycraig 2 years ago
Wright-Patterson AFB Museum rocks! I live 3 hours away from WPAFB Museum, but it is worth the trip! I visited it 4 times this year.
Grillzor 2 years ago
Is that Darth Vader breathing in the background?
transdrole 2 years ago 12
nice
craman5 2 years ago
In 1972 at Ft. Eustis, VA, a Chinook Crew Chief told me that I would have a longer life expectancy if I shot myself in the head twice than to fly in a Chinook...
b1bmsgt 2 years ago
Talk Talk Talk Last Flight? When?
lionronin 2 years ago 4
lol last fight
sephirot133 2 years ago 5
so if it works ? why get rid of it ? i meen they still use the sky crane in everyday use out of the service so why not keep it in service ? if its not broke dont fix it ? good video
jeryl1968 2 years ago 22
cos they start getting old and cost tons to keep in service.... probably.
2007TypeR 2 years ago
actuallly the chinook is a crummy heavy lift helicopter compared to the skycrane. One of the reasons why the skycrane is selected over the chinook still today with several heavy lift companies. Chinook is good at what it does- just not the best for heavy PRECISION lift... doesn't even come close :)
likeawhispr 2 years ago 2
was a good chopper but know we got chinooks and nothing i repeat nothing will beat that chopper long live the chinook
masseyfurguson8480 2 years ago 3
this things beter it does more than the chinook ever could
TLTlone 2 years ago
CH-47 Chinook Max takeoff weight: 22,680 kg(50,000 lb)
MIL MI-26 Max takeoff weight: 56,000 kg (123,500 lb)
(DATA FROM WIKIPEDIA)
ljeskovica 2 years ago
47's are not bad. For a heavy lift helicopter a tail rotor is often not preferred over a tandem rotor system. The MI-26 is a good 10 years newer then the CH/MH-53/54 or CH-47.
kblackav8or 2 years ago 2
lol its staggering, but hey, the chinook is also used for other purposess.
asianwong 2 years ago
No way is this an ugly heli. One of the most beautiful works of mechanical art.
lubetubgrade 2 years ago 4
I think they retired this aircraft as a terrorism precaution. They were affraid terrorists would get theire hands on one of these and lift american buildings right off theire foundation, kidnaping every one inside. We must not take any chances, good work America, allways thinking ahead.
Pejmoney 3 years ago 6
This comment was just dumb!
clintcollins 3 years ago
buddy, it's just a joke. I'm sorry if I have offended you in anyway. If you read it with a bit of a sense of humor, I bet you will laugh.
Pejmoney 3 years ago 6
That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard.
sbentjies 2 years ago
It was replaced by the CH-47 Chinook. If you must say such stupid things, don't do it in public.
sbentjies 2 years ago
The Chinook??? You need to get your facts straight, until you do don't do it in public. HOLLY CRAP!!!!! MY COMMENT WAS JUST A STUPID JOKE EVERYBODY, GET A FUCKING LIFE AND STOP REPLYING ON MY FUCKING COMMENT!!!!!
Pejmoney 2 years ago 3
I thought it was funny.
GettingLouder 2 years ago
I thought it was funny...
poindexterdick 2 years ago
8 years on the CH54 the video brought tears to my eyes when it was retired and replaced with the chinook
retired pemery
10th special forces (A)
pemery1234 3 years ago 3
Damn us has so many birds that we havent know about man....Whats more in Area 51 !
rapazn 3 years ago
Used to work on these in Pennsylvania..... awesome helicopters.... it was a mistake to replace them.
WarrPigg1969 3 years ago
To think how huge the Skycrane is, and how it's outperformed by the K-max.
peepeevagi 3 years ago
An interesting comment but based on what data??
weirdmen101 3 years ago
Xbox
DrHMFIC 3 years ago
lol
GhalibGames 3 years ago
Incorrect! The Skycrane can lift up to 20,000 lbs, the K-max can only lift 6000.
kennimer 3 years ago
And the Super jolly green giant Heli can lift fifty or so...
Bah, the skycranes were great :D
peepeevagi 3 years ago
Wrong again, the jolly green giant had an external load of 20,000 as well. Do your research first son.
kennimer 3 years ago
6 CH Bell 222 CCPM 3D Aerobatic Radio Remote Control Electric RC Helicopter RTF
jgoudeau207 3 years ago
What does the army replace the Skycrane with?
5687678 3 years ago
The Chinook (think i spelled it wrong)
1Paintballer 3 years ago
No, you spelled it right. I think it was the Boeing CH-47. AFAIK, that's the only aircraft designated "Chinook"; I'm not exactly an expert on this stuff. My dad used to be in the 307th Heavy Helicopter (Division?), based in Birmingham, AL. He retired when they started phasing out the Skycranes. I used to love going to airshows and static displays to see the CH-54s. Chinooks are great but they look like flying bananas.
BigEyesSmallMouth 3 years ago
When you watch this its almost sad! Kinda like a funeral. Dang.
USMC0316 4 years ago
awsome video
USMC0316 4 years ago 8
Thank you very much, I was great to film it and I had a good time flying in it, a Huhey, and a Blackhawk.
MarkoneHD 4 years ago 4
Where in Ks did you pick them up? Topeka? or Wichita?
USMC0316 4 years ago
Mark,
This is your best work.
Wouldn't it be great if you and I got paid to do nothing but projects like this all the time?
You friend always.
easterfilms 4 years ago
Where do I find the rest of this video? I served as an avionics tech working on Skycranes, at Long Binh in '69 & 70. They were awe inspiring to work around and fly on.
problematic22 4 years ago 3
Part 2 is located at the Youtube Channel MarkoneHD, hope you enjoy, this was one of my favorite productions, I got to fly in a Skycrane, Blackhawk, Chinook and a Huey.. The pilots and crews were great people.
MarkoneHD 4 years ago 2