Amazing HEMS rescue of injured skier (don't try this at home)

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around a helicopter rescue of an injured skier in the French Alps, highlighting the challenges and skills involved in high-altitude rescues. Participants share personal anecdotes related to mountain rescues and discuss the technical aspects of helicopter operations in such scenarios.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express admiration for the flying skills demonstrated in the rescue video.
  • One participant recounts a past rescue incident on Mt. Baker, detailing the challenges faced and the tragic outcome for one of the climbers.
  • There is a debate about whether the helicopter was truly hovering or if it was touching the snow with one of its skids, with some suggesting this makes the task easier.
  • Others argue that while touching the snow may simplify the operation, it poses significant risks, particularly regarding rotor clearance in steep terrain.
  • Concerns are raised about the stability of a helicopter hover when medics exit and enter the aircraft, suggesting that a stable hover would be challenging under those conditions.
  • Participants share humorous remarks about the impracticality of attempting such rescues at home without proper equipment.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on whether the helicopter was hovering or touching the snow, and there are differing views on the implications of each scenario for safety and operational difficulty.

Contextual Notes

Discussions include varying assumptions about helicopter operations, the physical risks involved in rescue scenarios, and the personal experiences shared by participants, which may not fully account for all technical details or safety protocols.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in aviation, mountain rescue operations, and the technical challenges of high-altitude rescues may find this discussion relevant.

berkeman
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Wow, what amazing flying skill, and at high altitude no less! :smile:

https://www.cnn.com/videos/travel/2019/01/09/french-alps-helicopter-rescue-ns-roth-orig.cnn

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Made me think of a rescue on Mt. Baker (in Washington state), in 2000. Two climbers were attempting the North Ridge on Mt. Baker, and got into trouble. The route includes an icewall at about a 75 degree slope, with about a 140' pitch. One of the climbers was killed outright in the fall, and the other was in cardiac arrest when the chopper got there. The pilot was able to hover the chopper at an altitude of 8700', but had to jettison fuel before going that high.
The second climber was successfully transported to a hospital, but as I recall, died anyway.
Link to article: http://old.poxod.com/memorial/Mt.Baker/from_Seattle_Times.htm

My own interest in this article is that I was with a friend, attempting the same route the year before. After I had climbed up about 30' above my friend's belay position, and placing an ice screw, I realized that with only one more screw I was woefully unprepared for this climb, and decided to back off.
 
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I don't think the pilot really hovered, from the video it looks like the chopper was touching the snow with one of the skids, which makes the task a bit easier.

I am not saying it is trivial, just a different thing than the description seems to be suggesting.
 
Borek said:
I don't think the pilot really hovered, from the video it looks like the chopper was touching the snow with one of the skids, which makes the task a bit easier.
Easier from a physics standpoint, but very risky from a practical standpoint. If the terrain is very steep, the pilot runs the risk of the rotors hitting the slope. In the rescue I described, the chopper's rotors were only 3' away from the ice.
Borek said:
I am not saying it is trivial, just a different thing than the description seems to be suggesting.
 
Borek said:
from the video it looks like the chopper was touching the snow with one of the skids, which makes the task a bit easier.
I think so too, but as @Mark44 says, those rotor blades are way too close to the snow for comfort. But without a winch, it looks like the medics had no choice but to walk out the skids to get to the snow. If the pilot were hovering just off of the snow, the perturbations from the medics getting off and back onto the skids would have made the stable hover crazy hard!
 
The pilot has great courage, I must say.

By the way, who will try this at home, @berkeman? One needs a helicopter at least, I believe? And not many common people own a helicopter. o_O :olduhh:
 
Wrichik Basu said:
By the way, who will try this at home, @berkeman? One needs a helicopter at least, I believe?
A good friend of mine is a flight paramedic with a local law enforcement agency. I can just imagine the conversation between the pilot and my friend Mark (not @Mark44 ) as they close in on a local hiker trapped on a steep slope. Mark: "You want to do WHAT?!" :bugeye:
 
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