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Author Topic: Dauphin 246  (Read 1308 times)

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Offline Spook

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Dauphin 246
« on: November 16, 2005, 12:29:04 pm »
Proof of life,D246 flying today over midlands..as you can see very low,droping in for a visit.
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Offline Spook

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Dauphin 246
« Reply #1 on: November 16, 2005, 12:32:32 pm »
Another pic of D246,forgive quality of photo,was a bit rushed.
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Offline Dublin Spotter

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Dauphin 246
« Reply #2 on: November 16, 2005, 01:28:04 pm »
It will be a sad day to see these leave the fleet...
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Mick G

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Offline pilatus

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Dauphin 246
« Reply #3 on: November 16, 2005, 04:11:03 pm »
as i speak right now(4.08pm wednesday) a dauphin is flying circles over letterkenny,i think its getting ready to land at the hospital?!im going to head up there now and have a wee look!dont have a camera on me just the 1megapixel camera on my phone so il try to get some pics for you all,but they will be low resolution!
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Offline pilatus

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Dauphin 246
« Reply #4 on: November 16, 2005, 05:08:02 pm »
dam!its gone!still dont know if it actually did land or not?sorry couldnt get an i.d on it! 'pilot_sad'
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Fouga

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Dauphin 246
« Reply #5 on: November 16, 2005, 08:48:19 pm »
Lovely pics mate! '<img'>  Is that a Barracks she is going into or just training?
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Offline Spook

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Dauphin 246
« Reply #6 on: November 16, 2005, 09:39:13 pm »
Middle of Tullamore,did not see exactly where as I was too far away. '<img'>
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Offline sealion

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Dauphin 246
« Reply #7 on: November 16, 2005, 11:17:57 pm »
Quote (Dublin Spotter @ 16 Nov. 2005,13:28)
It will be a sad day to see these leave the fleet...

It was a sad day when the Spitfires left the fleet, It was a sad day when the Vampires left the fleet...It was a sad day when the Fougas left the fleet, but the fact is the Air Corps is attempting to be a modern military air wing, and the mistake that was the SA365Fi is in the way of that progress.

Good bye to the 4/5. If we lived in a fair society they should all have been grounded and immediately replaced post July 99.

RIP Crew D248
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Offline SousaTeuszii

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Dauphin 246
« Reply #8 on: November 17, 2005, 09:55:12 am »
Sealion,
Im afraid that is like tarring all helicopters with the same brush. Any helicopter utilised in the wrong role is a mistake and is a problem with its user, not the aircraft. As I stated before the 365s were bought as Naval support aircraft. It was government fast footing that ended up with the 365 on SAR. Unfortunately on that sad day there were many mitigating circumstances as laid out in the final report by the AAIU. Ultimitely the 365s lack of range proved critical and in my opinion should never have been on SAR. What annoys me is that it is very conveniant to blame an aircraft type for the failings of people who never even received a slap on the wrist.
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Offline Tech Crew

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Dauphin 246
« Reply #9 on: November 17, 2005, 10:04:57 am »
Why should they have been grounded after the crash in waterford??? Your statement makes no sense.
I was a member of No. 3 Spt Wing when that crash took place and i certainly don't remember any major feeling that the type should be removed from service.
Every time there are fatal air crashes should all of the type involved be automatically grounded permanently?
Ther is nothing wrong with the SA365fi as an aircraft. The problem is its unsuitability for some of the roles it was used for. For you to say it should have been grounded permanently in 99 is over simplifying the situation
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Offline GoneToTheCanner

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Dauphin 246
« Reply #10 on: November 17, 2005, 09:51:00 pm »
Hi Tech Crew
I agree with the thrust of what you say.Hasty grounding is of no use to anyone.Personally,I've always regarded the Dauphin as being overloaded for far too many of it's tasks.In the desire to show off how useful it was, they tasked it with every job going.There was never any point in using it for VIP or troop dropping or routine liaison, dragging around a deck harpoon,winch,SAR gear,search radar,etc,etc.I always believed that it's cabin was too small from day one...It was a real case of trying to squeeze a quart into a pint pot.
With regard to 248's loss,I remember the shock pervading the Don, as if the reality of aviation's hazardous nature had finally hit home, more so than any other crash in the Don's history.It also brought home the institutional weaknesses in the Don, from a technical/aeronautical/structural/management point of view.If it did nothing else, it set the ball rolling to get real change happening in the place.
regards
GttC
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Offline Tech Crew

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Dauphin 246
« Reply #11 on: November 18, 2005, 09:30:21 am »
Unfortunately the powers that be tried to squeeze the Dauphin into every role known to man. It was discovered quite soon that it was unsuitable for troop carrying due to the size of the cabin and the weight of fully kitted troops which meant fuel had to forsaken. To this day a111 still carry out this role.  
We all know that the Dauphin was not suitable for medium range SAR. It is ironic that the sar off Waterford in which D248 was lost was in fact an in shore, short range job. It proves no matter what ac you have that a combination of circumstances and bad luck can unfortunately lead to a disaster.
Gttc, you are correct in your comments on the mood around the Don after the trgedy. In Helis, we have had our crashes over the years and since d248, but the shock within the unit to lose four members was something that had never been felt before.

Outside of this the Dauphin as an ac was quite enjoyable to work on as a Tech. I can't speak for the pilots who flew her but I certainly considered her a good ac when used suitably
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Offline John K

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Dauphin 246
« Reply #12 on: November 19, 2005, 08:33:53 pm »
GttC, thanks for those words of wisdom! they should have consulted the SAR crews before they signed up to buy what was then a very sophisticated helicopter. Not long before this the Puma was on trial and it was far more suitable for the multi role needs of the Air Corps, but at that time the pilots wanted something they could play with, never mind that the cabin was too small, or that the door was too small for SAR, troop work, etc, they wanted all the buttons to play with. Mind you the Puma would have had trouble landing on the Eithne! But it would have been a far more useful aircraft.
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Offline SousaTeuszii

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Dauphin 246
« Reply #13 on: November 20, 2005, 07:36:25 pm »
John K,
As said a number of times already, the Dauphin was selected for Naval Support not SAR. The government decided that it should go on SAR not the pilots and if you could show me a pilot that would prefer to fly a Dauphin over a Puma ill show you a fixed wing pilot! 'pilot_laugh'
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Offline sealion

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Dauphin 246
« Reply #14 on: November 20, 2005, 08:29:56 pm »
The NS wanted a Navy Lynx for naval ops, the Air Corps wanted a super puma for SAR.
Someone, on a visit to Aerospatiale, saw the Dauphin 2 and decided(or was convinced) that it could do the job ot both.

Jack of all trades, master of None. 'thumbsdown'
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