High-Altitude Helicopter Rescue

If a helicopter pilot Andy Hermansky leave the base camp of Mount Alaska. McKinley, 7200 meters, had the wind at 50 miles per hour to run relaxed. They are stronger for the last few hours, and there are climbers stranded high up injured on the highest mountain in North America.

The achievement of climbers, who had his leg broken and fighting hypothermia, central plateau navigation, stiff wind and big risks. these challenges are nothing new for Hermansky, National Park Service contractors who flew 350 hours in the last year and attracted 14 people from the mountain.

Climbers were among four people near the summit on 11 May, when everything went bad. They are connected by a rope, and a man fell and broke his leg. The others were in the area, evacuated a large open field called football by playing in an animal shelter bivouac and separated on down the mountain, according to the Anchorage Daily News. It is unclear why the group split.

Guide, which it reduces when out of the mountain, arriving at 17 200 feet in a warehouse. Climbers with a satellite phone call for help because both climbers were injured and one other person in the party is still on the mountain. National Park Service began a search and rescue operation the next day. Alaska Air National Guard saw climbers injured some time later.

After meeting with the rangers rescue at 14 200 feet, Hermansky, which flew by helicopter operator TEMSCO Alaska, today introduced its first flight status, check in the injured climber to sit down.

Aircraft flying at an altitude of 35,000 feet is routine. But the helicopter, revolves with a relatively small wings, the struggle in the thin air. Eurocopter AS350 B3 flew Hermansky, known as the same model made headlines “Astar”. A few years ago, when a pilot landed briefly on the summit of the mountain. Everest.

Hermansky flies down version to save weight, making it easier to fly at high altitude. After the initial review of the climbers, in which he flew to 20,100 feet, Hermansky back to camp and take a ranger. He wanted the helicopter would have enough power to confirm to have to fly with extra weight.

Satisfied that the mission he, Hermansky back to the Camp Ranger to make, then went to a rescue basket hanging 125 feet below the helicopter. The wind was strong and stable.

Source : wired.com