Primarily for general aviation discussion, but other aviation topics are also welcome.
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By G-BLEW
Boss Man  Boss Man
#1908931
The Red Bull Plane Swap* is live on https://www.redbull.com/gb-en/events/plane-swap at midnight UK time. Two pilots/skydivers, two C182s etc etc

Might be worth a watch, if you can get through what I imagine will be quite a bit of whoop whoop hype.

Ian
* Of course I know that a plane is a woodworking tool (amongst other things), but that's how Red Bull's titling it, so save yourself the trouble of pointing that out.
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By Micromouse
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1908942
It was interesting right up to the point where they divulged both aircraft are highly modified with a massive under belly spoilers. They might as well hang two aircraft from a crane and jump from one to another with similar and spectacular results. At least when the guy dropped out of the balloon it was less contrived.
A bit like their Formula One racing team.

Anyway we all know James Bond did this with a motorbike back in the 90s

Furthermore we all know what happens when you jump out of a perfectly good aircraft with a parachute for nothing more than YouTube views!
By Hooligan
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1908962
G-BLEW wrote:
> Bit difficult to get a crane to 12,000' :-)
>
> Ian

Oh I don't know... Sikorsky Skycrane still holds the world helicopter altitude record at 36000', set 50 years ago...

Mind you it can only hover at 10000' or below.
kanga liked this
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By Dave W
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1908965
Hooligan wrote:
> Oh I don't know... Sikorsky Skycrane still holds the world helicopter altitude record
> at 36000', set 50 years ago...

A pedant writes: the helicopter altitude world record is 42,500 ft, set in a single Squirrel (AS350B2) in 2002. 8)

Highest landing was also a single Squirrel (B3) on Everest at 29, 030ft.

Not clear if any cans of Red Bull were consumed on either occasion. :lol:
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By Flyin'Dutch'
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1908970
Well, it will keep the FAA legal eagles entertained for a bit. As a prior to the event request for an exemption was denied, I suspect that these two aviators can also relinquish their tickets.

Has (aviation) society become too decadent?

No doubt a lot of planning and calculations will have gone before their action yesterday but in essence this is not much different from the couple whereby the bloke got shot by his wife in the conviction that a thick book would stop the bullet getting through.

It resulted in a proper conviction, oh ja, and a dead husband.
By Hooligan
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1908975
Dave W wrote:
> Hooligan wrote:
> > Oh I don't know... Sikorsky Skycrane still holds the world helicopter altitude
> record
> > at 36000', set 50 years ago...
>
> A pedant writes: the helicopter altitude world record is 42,500 ft, set in a single
> Squirrel (AS350B2) in 2002. 8)
>
> Highest landing was also a single Squirrel (B3) on Everest at 29, 030ft.

Ooops! :oops:

I'd forgotten also that Jean Boulet coaxed a Lama up to nearly 41000' in 1972 - and then set an inadvertent record for the worlds highest/longest autorotation!

See that the S-64's record is actually for achieving the highest sustained level flight!
By TopCat
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1909040
Call me a killjoy, but while I'm pleased none of the testosterone-fueled muppets engaged in this 'project' were killed, I'm not sorry it was a failure. I also won't be remotely sorry if the FAA chucks the book at them.

As with the guy that trashed the Taylorcraft, IMO this was another clickbait project with no merit whatsoever.
Flyin'Dutch', T6Harvard liked this
#1909056
Killjoy :wink:

I do think there are some serious double standards going on here; all sorts of cars get trashed in the name of entertainment, and so long as no-one is hurt Plod, The Feds, the DVLA nor the DMV get particularly exercised by it. It is not as if the plane (sic) is a Spitfire or worth saving for the Nation ...