Is Marine One FIKI?

Jaybird180

Jaybird180

Final Approach
Joined
Dec 28, 2010
Messages
9,036
Location
Near DC
Display Name
Display name:
Jaybird180
Lastnight, the POTUS was stuck in the DC traffic, due to the snowstorm. As I understood the story, he was coming from Andrews and it took an hour (normal is 20 mins) to get him and the motorcade to the White House.

Is Marine One not capable for yesterday's mission?


* This is strictly an aviation question, please no ancillary commentary.
 
Probably low ceiling and/or visibility. It's a visual procedure that they fly.
 
would they even take POTUS in sketchy weather, even in Air Force 1? IOW, do they fly him in all the same conditions that they would take a typical commercial passenger?
 
rbridges said:
would they even take POTUS in sketchy weather, even in Air Force 1? IOW, do they fly him in all the same conditions that they would take a typical commercial passenger?
Click to expand...

I could answer you but then we'd have to eliminate you. :yesnod:
 
They should just fly him coach, or let him pay for the hours on that chopper.
 
Not sure if the VH-3 is approved for icing but the VH-60 is. Doesn't matter anyway if they don't have the ceilings to get into the WH. That is unless they have a proprietary IAP that they use.
 
If it took his motorcade over an hour,how does he think everyone in the traffic jam he creates feels. Wait till Friday and Saturday when DC gets some real snow.
 
Jaybird180 said:
Lastnight, the POTUS was stuck in the DC traffic, due to the snowstorm. As I understood the story, he was coming from Andrews and it took an hour (normal is 20 mins) to get him and the motorcade to the White House.

Is Marine One not capable for yesterday's mission?


* This is strictly an aviation question, please no ancillary commentary.
Click to expand...

Icing generally isn't a problem below the clouds when its snowing. Unlike rain, snow drops visibility to nothing quickly.

He got home last night around 7, at the peak of the snow. Arriving to the south lawn requires a certain minimum amount of visibility which they apparently didn't have to dispatch the flight. Snow really screws your visibility quickly.
 
Yesterday wasn't the light dusting of snow - the ice was the issue - Temps in the teens and twentys for a few days, then a lttlie snow, some blactop sun melt, ice patches, and the spin outs, etc.

I kinda liked him getting jammed up - they jacked up traffic for forty minutes in advance of him coming up the GW parkway to the beltway a few months back, for a 30 minute grip-and-grin fund raiser, at a private mansion; then repeated it in the opposite direction. Put a lot of folks a few hours late for dinner, child care pickup, etc.
 
I miss the SZ. Corralled the ding dongs. This was a simple question and the OP even asked to keep the stupid out...and yet.
 
Velocity173 said:
Not sure if the VH-3 is approved for icing but the VH-60 is. Doesn't matter anyway if they don't have the ceilings to get into the WH. That is unless they have a proprietary IAP that they use.
Click to expand...

If they do it's got to have pretty HIGH minimums. The White House lawn approach is pretty arduous and obstacle ridden. They used to have the option of using the ellipse which is a little more friendly, but they stopped doing that long before 9/11 because of security reasons.

I suppose they could use a closer in heliport (Bolling or the Navy Yard or something) but at that point, it's probably easier to throw him in the Limo with a police and black suburban escort and zip him in on the roads.


For ten years I drove a black suburban. One day I inadvertently was waived into the middle of a motorcade (don't think it was a president). I got a few blocks down the street before they yanked me out.
 
flyingron said:
For ten years I drove a black suburban. One day I inadvertently was waived into the middle of a motorcade (don't think it was a president). I got a few blocks down the street before they yanked me out.
Click to expand...

I'll bet that was a fun ride! :thumbsup::thumbsup:
 
Kelvin said:
I'll bet that was a fun ride! :thumbsup::thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Wasn't too bad as the Motorcade was heading the same way I wanted to go. Can't remember if I got to avoid any lights, but I definitely had a clear shot while it lasted.
 
James331 said:
They should just fly him coach, or let him pay for the hours on that chopper.
Click to expand...

To be fair, all the presidents have been passive if willing participants in the use of the presidential air craft. If any of them wanted to change it, the Secret Service would have an absolute fit. And to be honest, if I lived in DC, I'd rather he be flying over in a helicopter than riding in a car and screwing up traffic even more.
 
flyingron said:
If they do it's got to have pretty HIGH minimums. The White House lawn approach is pretty arduous and obstacle ridden. They used to have the option of using the ellipse which is a little more friendly, but they stopped doing that long before 9/11 because of security reasons.

I suppose they could use a closer in heliport (Bolling or the Navy Yard or something) but at that point, it's probably easier to throw him in the Limo with a police and black suburban escort and zip him in on the roads.


For ten years I drove a black suburban. One day I inadvertently was waived into the middle of a motorcade (don't think it was a president). I got a few blocks down the street before they yanked me out.
Click to expand...

Yeah I couldn't see them getting down very low if they had one. Some of the ones we have for hospitals don't get you down much lower than VFR mins.
 
Velocity173 said:
Yeah I couldn't see them getting down very low if they had one. Some of the ones we have for hospitals don't get you down much lower than VFR mins.
Click to expand...

Most hospital heliports have a much better siting than the south lawn. It has a pretty narrow slot over the ellipse they have to approach through. Also complicated is that straight in approach has a 555' 5 1/8" obstruction in the way.
 
Art VanDelay said:
What approach would they fly ?
Click to expand...

Like I said, they might have some proprietary approach that they only have access to. We've got a bunch of "point in space" approaches to hospitals in EMS. Like Ron said though, I seriously doubt it would get them down to any usable altitude in bad weather. Just too many obstacles around there.
 
Velocity173 said:
Like I said, they might have some proprietary approach that they only have access to. We've got a bunch of "point in space" approaches to hospitals in EMS. Like Ron said though, I seriously doubt it would get them down to any usable altitude in bad weather. Just too many obstacles around there.
Click to expand...

As a former Marine Corps Rotary Wing Aviator that's exactly my point, I'm just trying to make the OP think a little bit with that question.
 
rk911 said:
fiki???
Click to expand...

Flight Into Known Icing. Not a military type certification that applies to Marine One but the H-60 "Marine One" is approved to fly into moderate icing. Actually the first helo approved for that.
 
Velocity173 said:
Flight Into Known Icing. Not a military type certification that applies to Marine One but the H-60 "Marine One" is approved to fly into moderate icing. Actually the first helo approved for that.
Click to expand...

thanks.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top