Sling Load Gone Wrong... Punched at 800' AGL

The swinging of the load started to make some of the crew members a little uneasy. We tried to slow our airspeed but it just got worse. After clearing the area below, the PC made the call and we punched the load.

[@notsoancientpelican]

This is why direct Vertical Reference (load in sight) by the pilot is so important. If a side-to-side motion begins, first try to damp it by moving the aircraft sidewards to the same side as the load is swinging toward. Don't overcontrol. Another technique is to enter a shallow banked turn and hold it, this will cause the load to move to the outside of the turn and stabilize. Often this oscillation is started from relative wind moving the loads around...this can be prevented by rigging some kind of stabilizing surface vertically from one end of the load...something like a sheet of plywood. This will cause the load to streamline into the relative wind and stabilize. Of course anything rigged for this purpose must be positively secured to the load.

[@atadbitnefarious1387]

That is why the crew chiefs exist. To communicate exactly what is going on to the pilot on controls. The pilots sit far in front of the cargo hook. And without doors off, it's impossible for them to see what's going on (bubble windows and mirrora typically aren't standard for Army aircraft). In fact, it may suprise you, but a great majority of what Arny pilots do, they do completely blind to what's actually going on. They kind of just wiggle sticks and listen to directions from the back until it's time to fly straight and level again. So comes the delecate dance of communication between the crew. Sometimes it works out. Sometimes it just doesn't. Seems like a fairly new crew at the time of the video was taken. Lots of things could have gone better. But nobody was hurt. The only thing of value lost here was the cargo hook squib. Those are hard to get replacements for lol.

[@dct124]

@@atadbitnefarious1387 Current V280 supposedly correct this problem. We've yet to see a heavy load. They've added a camera in the cockpit for the pilot.

[@TheObeaman]

i wonder if issue was properly investigated and if any proper countermeasures were ivented?

[@olafurmikaelsson4794]

It’s just aerodynamics first the pilot tries flying in s turns turning opposite to the cargo swinging and if that doesn’t work the only thing to do is drop it

[@yamatodamashii1179]

Me with difficult people.

[@danewilliam2907]

Slowing down is the worst thing you can do!