191–200 of 252 posts
>The main, 24-foot parachute was just flapping in the breeze and was tangled in its own shroud lines. It hadn’t opened! I could see the white folds neatly arranged, fluttering feebly in the air. > “This is very serious,” I thought.
I bet that wasn't the first thing that came to mind.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I don't think the tech was there at the time to make communications possible.
I'm not sure if it's granted that the military can talk to other forces and civilian radio. In general I'm don't think aviation have marine VHF and vice versa, except maybe the coastguard and other special cases.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Ah I didn't know that, so pilots in France use feet as a measure for aviation altitude? PS: wow, interesting https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unit%C3%A9_en_aviation
The ~30 meters vertical separation between planes lead to a nice round system for measuring everything in feet, or a cumbersome one in meters. Aviation also measure speed in knots, and distances in nautical miles. But those don't have good reasons to be kept.
1 knot is equal to 1 nautical mile/hour, which is traditionally 1 minute of latitude. I assume they have been kept for tradition and also in the event of an emergency requiring manual navigation?
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Avalanche bags work nicely in small slab to medium powder avalanches where you might end up upside down a few feet under the surface and suffocate without these bags. It won't help you with most killer avalanches such as large powder ones (220mph and acting as concrete when they stop, filling your cavities), heavy wet ones in spring taking grass, rocks and tree trunks, and most importantly large frozen slab avalanche…
> It won't help you with most killer avalanches such as large powder ones This is tautological. Yes, few people survive killer avalanches, because that's what defines a killer avalanche. Many avalanches encountered by backcountry skiers especially are not these giant killer ones, and can be survived either by skiing out of them or having the proper equipment and training. Your odds aren't great, but they aren't nothi…
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'm not sure if it's granted that the military can talk to other forces and civilian radio. In general I'm don't think aviation have marine VHF and vice versa, except maybe the coastguard and other special cases.
Also this story takes place 54 years ago.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Avalanches act very much like liquids while they are still moving, swimming upstream is indeed the common advice and it has definitely worked. That is why one of the newest devices to survive one (if you are caught) is basically a life preserver: https://www.scott-sports.com/global/en/page/avalanche-pack These serve the dual purpose of protecting your head and decreasing your density so you float to the top of the sn…
Avalanche bags work nicely in small slab to medium powder avalanches where you might end up upside down a few feet under the surface and suffocate without these bags. It won't help you with most killer avalanches such as large powder ones (220mph and acting as concrete when they stop, filling your cavities), heavy wet ones in spring taking grass, rocks and tree trunks, and most importantly large frozen slab avalanche…
For non-americans: 15 000 feet is 4.5km.
One important note is that this was NOT free fall as you'd expect. The pilot chute is still pretty large and provides a LOT of drag. Instead of 120mph, you'd be falling near ~90mph with just it behind you. That is 44% less kinetic energy!
As I read it, I thought this is such a well written piece (I thought the author was the pilot himself), and that the pilot must be insanely talented because not only was he a fighter pilot (which requires skill) but he was an adept writer as well. Then I later realized that this was a chapter from a book. Whew! the tale has got my heart pumping. This is some amazing narration of an amazing incident
Why did "He was unable to tune to their radio frequency for communications. But this ingenious pilot lowered a wire from his aircraft and dragged it across the bow of the minesweeper, the USS Embattle. The minesweeper captain understood the plea, and veered off at top speed in my direction.)" work? Did they just figure out something was wrong or is dragging a wire a common naval code?