Aug 11, 2009: Sparks

[xoxoxoBruce]

Our old buddy Mike Yon, who gave us all the up close and personal reports while embedded with different outfits in Iraq, is now embedded in Afghanistan.

He posted these pictures on his website, of a Ch-47 Chinook helicopter landing at FOB Jackson in Sangin, Afghanistan.

The white swirling light is sparks and static discharges, from the rotors hitting the sand kicked up by the down-wash.

I made this photo last night in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. This Landing Zone is very dangerous. A few weeks ago, another helicopter was coming into this LZ and was shot down at the last minute, killing all passengers and crew. Two children on the ground also were killed. The sparks coming off the rotors occur when the helicopters land in hot, dusty conditions. The landing itself occurs in a dangerous "brownout." Brownout danger is compounded by the sparks which light up the dust and can confuse pilots who are wearing extremely sensitive nightvision goggles.

The helicopter pilot wearing night vision goggles roared in so fast it looked as though he were crashing. The four green Cylums (Americans call them Chemlights) mark the HLS. While the helicopter is above the dust cloud, it melts into the dark, but as it approaches the HLS, dust swirls high, setting the stage for an amazing light show. The Chinook descends through the dry dust and the rotors glitter brightly, creating an eerie glow as if sparklers are attached to the rotors, which in reality appeared brighter to the eye than in the photo below. If the helicopter were not so loud, the millions of static discharges might be heard crackling and popping.

I can imagine the wear and tear on the rotors, as well as all the other moving parts, from that paperless sandpaper.