We parked by this beast on the ramp today

A good ole' CH-54. Neato!
 
They used them a lot in SE Alaska for logging back in the 80s and 90s and early 2000. Then logging was closed lots of folks lost their way to make a living....:( Loved to watch them work..
 
I have used them to set mechanical equipment in the past but most all of them are used to fight fires these days. I think the government (us) pays them more than they made setting equipment.
 
Saw an Army Guard CH-54 climb like a bat outta hades at an airshow. Think they still hold some time to climb records.
 
Pilot said the company Erickson Air Crane had like 7 of them. Mucho Dinero!
 
Erickson is who I used to use. At one time they had a bird stationed in Columbus. IIRC Erickson had purchased all the rights and tooling and at one point were building their own birds. They were all bright orange. 22K capacity depending on the surface area of what they were lifting. Could set a Roof Top Unit within abour 1/4" of where we needed it.
 
Actually jumped from one once. The Alabama ANG brought one up to Ft Bragg with a personnel container attached. Wicked tail rotor wash when you exited and I remember getting tangled in the shrouds from the wash. Pretty neat experience.
 
Jumpmaster said:
Actually jumped from one once. The Alabama ANG brought one up to Ft Bragg with a personnel container attached. Wicked tail rotor wash when you exited and I remember getting tangled in the shrouds from the wash. Pretty neat experience.
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Well now, that must have been cool. I've jumped from Hueys, Blackhawks and Chinooks but never one of them beasts.
 
Erickson owns the S-64 type certificate now. They bought it from Sikorsky in the early '90s.
 
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