Airborne Snatching

[flying muppet]

Didn't think it was April 1st:

http://oultonpark.co.uk/news/article.asp?NewsID=1190

[chezza]

Unbelievable!! It wouldn't work over here...most drivers freak out at thier cars being lifted onto a flat bed...let along being hoisted into the air!!!

[Bodysnatcher]

dear Chezza (aka the hooker)
I seem to remember some of the Silverstone squad being keen to sit astride the nose of single seaters to balance them.
Anybody up for it in Dubai?

[Alan Green]

So having a helicopter is cheaper than hiring a few cranes (as at Monaco) then in Dubai. And would you want to be the one attaching the strops before the lift, eyes closed and fingers crossed all the way up and down. Crazy idea.

Trying and get the A1 cars to stop using each other as take-off ramps would be a better place to start

Al.

[chezza]

Originally Posted by Bodysnatcher

dear Chezza (aka the hooker)
I seem to remember some of the Silverstone squad being keen to sit astride the nose of single seaters to balance them.
Anybody up for it in Dubai?

Well you certainly would catch me doing that.

[beefy]

Originally Posted by chezza

Well you certainly would catch me doing that.

I hope that should have read "wouldn't" !
Sounds like some kind of hoax, surely?

[1200Datto27]

And here I was thinking that this thread was about Pamela Anderson-Lee's special chair...





I'll get me coat...

[Bodysnatcher]

Originally Posted by beefy

Sounds like some kind of hoax, surely?

No, I reckon it's real enough - after all A1GP is about putting on a show.
I think some of the 10ths marshals are out there (:coff:SG?) so we should find out the truth eventually

[ascarmarshal]

I think the CAA would have a fit let alone local councils

[JimW]

Using a helicopter in this way would improve my personal safety lots. Largely because I would be so far away that nothing could get me.

Interested to hear Flying Muppet's views. Would he fancy flying the job? (But then I know that the helicopter driver has a magic disengage button. Tough on those underneath though.)

Regards

Jim

[mark_l]

The remaining drivers would be more likely to crash because of the dust cloud and debris caused by the downdraft.

I think we should file this under 'More money than sense'

[Alan Raine]

Originally Posted by flying muppet

Didn't think it was April 1st:

http://oultonpark.co.uk/news/article.asp?NewsID=1190

Not a joke they are actually going to do it!!!!!!!!!!!

[mark_l]

Originally Posted by Alan Raine

Not a joke they are actually going to do it!!!!!!!!!!!

With Oulton Parks record for helicopters falling from the sky, I would not go anywhere near OP if this system was used.

Could you imagine this system in use at Donington Park with the snatches having to take place in between landings at East Mids Airport.

[Alan Raine]

Originally Posted by mark_l

With Oulton Parks record for helicopters falling from the sky, I would not go anywhere near OP if this system was used.

Could you imagine this system in use at Donington Park with the snatches having to take place in between landings at East Mids Airport.

One of the strangest experiences I have had of driving a race car at Donington was coming into McLeans and seeing a 737 appear over the wall. Because I was going up hill it looked a lot lower and bigger than it actually was. God knows what it would be like seeing a helicopter with a racing car hanging underneath it!

[Paul Newns]

Seems like the perfect job for you Andy!
If anyone remembers Russell Spence being hoisted into the air at Birmingham this would be even better - driver being stupid, up, up, and away.

[Hepatic]

wow.

I knew A1GP was being innovative, but i'd be damned if i was involved in any of that caper. Not sure how it could be quicker, surely the securing of the vehicle would take longer (it being more important than ever to get it right) and you'd need specially trained peeps to do it. I can't see them training all marshals on "the recovery of race cars via air vehicle" in time for the races, but i'll be watching the race with a keener interest than ever this weekend!

I can see the sand in Dubai being a problem too - it was bad enough when JP landed his at Cascades...

[flying muppet]

Originally Posted by JimW

Interested to hear Flying Muppet's views. Would he fancy flying the job? (But then I know that the helicopter driver has a magic disengage button. Tough on those underneath though.)

Jim

I'd love to fly it!

However, the potential pitfalls are numerous. With flying underslung loads, the important guys are those doing the hooking up, and if they're not trained properly it can get dangerous very quickly - the aircraft climbs before the load is secured, and then gets dropped - oops! I also don't suppose a car would 'fly' very well and therefore also has the potential to swing about dramatically!

The other problem of course is the downwash - it's a medium sized helicopter, but even so will be able to generate downwash of about 60 mph especially when heavy - dust will be everywhere! Just as a comparison, when we fly passengers into and out of Silverstone for the GP, we are not allowed to fly lower than 300 ft over the circuit, because of the potential affect on racing cars that the downwash may have. In the past, over-enthusiastic helicopter crews have managed to blow over racing powerboats with their downwash...

I'll watch with interest!!

[The STIG]

Originally Posted by mark_l

With Oulton Parks record for helicopters falling from the sky, I would not go anywhere near OP if this system was used.

Could you imagine this system in use at Donington Park with the snatches having to take place in between landings at East Mids Airport.

What about Pembrey? With RAF Bombing runs taking place!

This has to be the barmiest thing I've ever heard of - I know that helicopter rescues turned up in the Richard Burns Rally computer game but this is ridiculous!

[Woolley]

The irony is that this might be useful at circuits where there's gravel traps, but on these modern ones with acres of tarmac, cars rarely get stranded, and with nothing within ½mile to hit they could be towed away quicker than getting a chopper in. I tend to think this has 'publicity stunt' written all over it.

[The STIG]

Originally Posted by Alan Green

So having a helicopter is cheaper than hiring a few cranes (as at Monaco) then in Dubai. And would you want to be the one attaching the strops before the lift, eyes closed and fingers crossed all the way up and down. Crazy idea.

The logic is that you only need one helicopter, but many cranes...

anyway... on the A1 GP website is a better feature, with comment from the pilot

http://www.a1gp.com/news/index.php?f...d=1&newsid=133

[Woolley]

As long as there's only one car off.

I can almost imagine the discussion though. 'We have a shortage of experienced free volunteers worldwide and especially in Dubai. What's the most expensive and ridiculous alternative we can come up with...?'

To pick up other threads, for the money you spend to hire and run the helicopter, you could have built proper marshals' boxes with toilets and given everyone a thoroughly good breakfast. That way, you might have enough marshals not to need the chopper in the first place - they could pick it up and carry the car away.

[ascarmarshal]

For a Formula Ford race you will need a full squadron of choppers standing by

[Dave Brand]

So that's what Mike Kelly's doing in Dubai!

[aland]

dont see the idea ever taking off (groan)

[archaic gold]

Originally Posted by Woolley

The irony is that this might be useful at circuits where there's gravel traps, but on these modern ones with acres of tarmac, cars rarely get stranded, and with nothing within ½mile to hit they could be towed away quicker than getting a chopper in. I tend to think this has 'publicity stunt' written all over it.

Never, how much sand and dust is there in a gravel trap???