Army in new bid to get its airship flying

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Re: Army in new bid to get its airship flying

Post by Bristolian »

Every good landing is only a very well thought through and exicuted crash.
The reverse is also true, every crash is a very poor landing.

The definition of a good pilot is one that has the same number of take-offs and landings in his log book

I am pleased that no one was hurt in this particular fiasco.

What a waste of tax money!!!
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Re: Army in new bid to get its airship flying

Post by Nereus »

Every good landing is only a very well thought through and exicuted crash.
The reverse is also true, every crash is a very poor landing.
Sorry mate, I cannot agree with that. ALL flying maneuvers are the result of pilot control input, and that starts with proper training, closely followed by the right mental attitude.
From what has been reported previously concerning this particular aircraft, they have not been able to control the thing in a professional manner from day one. And having at one time been involved with army pilots and training in Thailand, I am willing to bet that the problem was pilot induced, rather than any fault of the blimp. :cheers:
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Re: Army in new bid to get its airship flying

Post by Lung Per »

That reminds me of another crazy procurement, of outdated German U-boats. Did that procurement go through and if so, have they ever been flying - I mean sailing submerged to any extent?
Or are they just sitting in the docks somewhere?

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Re: Army in new bid to get its airship flying

Post by STEVE G »

You have to be careful with airships:
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Re: Army in new bid to get its airship flying

Post by Lung Per »

U.S. blimps were filled with helium which does not burn. German airships such as the Hindenburg were filled with hydrogen which is highly flamable. The U.S. was the world's only producer of helium and denied exports to Germany, hence the Hindenburg catastrophe.
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Re: Army in new bid to get its airship flying

Post by Bristolian »

Nereus wrote:
Every good landing is only a very well thought through and exicuted crash.
The reverse is also true, every crash is a very poor landing.
Sorry mate, I cannot agree with that. ALL flying maneuvers are the result of pilot control input, and that starts with proper training, closely followed by the right mental attitude.
From what has been reported previously concerning this particular aircraft, they have not been able to control the thing in a professional manner from day one. And having at one time been involved with army pilots and training in Thailand, I am willing to bet that the problem was pilot induced, rather than any fault of the blimp. :cheers:
:agree: My comments were meant to be a little light hearted and are actually quotes from a good friend of mine who is ex RAF and now a BA captain.

He would be the first to agree that training and total familiarisation with the craft that you are flying is essential.

In this case it is pretty clear that the training and familiarisation is insufficient
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Re: Army in new bid to get its airship flying

Post by Big Boy »

They probably put the same effort into learning to fly as they do learning to drive. I wonder if the pilot actually had a licence :twisted:
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Re: Army in new bid to get its airship flying

Post by barrys »

Big Boy wrote:They probably put the same effort into learning to fly as they do learning to drive. I wonder if the pilot actually had a licence :twisted:
And don't even get me started on how they drive boats!!!!! :banghead:
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Re: Army in new bid to get its airship flying

Post by Rider »

Nereus wrote:
Every good landing is only a very well thought through and exicuted crash.
The reverse is also true, every crash is a very poor landing.
Sorry mate, I cannot agree with that. ALL flying maneuvers are the result of pilot control input, and that starts with proper training, closely followed by the right mental attitude.
From what has been reported previously concerning this particular aircraft, they have not been able to control the thing in a professional manner from day one. And having at one time been involved with army pilots and training in Thailand, I am willing to bet that the problem was pilot induced, rather than any fault of the blimp. :cheers:
Agreed, the pilot's fcked up, but the media are saving their blushes.
Should of had a real pilot from the manufacturer show up and train them properly.

The financial cost is mind-boggling.
But it's all fake money anyway once the tax-payers are bled dry.
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Re: Army in new bid to get its airship flying

Post by Nereus »

Army airship in emergency landing

http://www.bangkokpost.com/most-recent/ ... cy-landing

PATTANI – The army's trouble-plagued airship made an emergency landing in a rice field in Pattani's Yarang district late Monday morning. The airship, operated by the 15th Infantry Division based in Nong Jik district, came to ground shortly before noon in tambon Yarang, with the crew reporting a fault in the control system, according to Khao Sod newspaper.

Villagers said the airship appeared in the air in the morning, then began circling. Two helicopters and a small plane then appeared to guide it to a landing.

About 50 soldiers sealed off the landing spot. Villagers said it appeared fuel containers were being delivered to the two crewmen. :wink:

Helicopters remained in the air and escorted the airship back to its base in Nong Jik district around 12.30pm
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Re: Army in new bid to get its airship flying

Post by PeteC »

Just leave it there and let the rice bugs eat it. :idea: Kids could shoot that thing out of the air with slingshots. I'm surprised the insurgents haven't yet.
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Re: Army in new bid to get its airship flying

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Military finally dumps B350m airship

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/securit ... 0m-airship

The army has finally decommissioned its controversial 350-million-baht airship after eight years' service during which time the blimp crashed once while it was mostly grounded the rest of the time as it was plagued by various defects.

Officials involved in the procurement plan and its operations, including Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon and Interior Minister Anupong Paojinda, were tight-lipped when asked by the media Thursday whether the airship was really worth the money spent and the additional amounts spent on maintenance.

The decommissioning of the airship was leaked when an army source responded to reporters' questions about a fresh auction by the army to procure a military vehicle to tow a barrage balloon.

He revealed to the media the auction was not for the airship as it had already been decommissioned, but for towing the barrage balloon used in parachute training.
Reporters immediately switched their focus from the auction for the new vehicle to the decommissioning of the airship.

Army chief Chalermchai Sitthisad later that day admitted the decommissioning of the costly airship.
When confronted with questions over the airship from a group of reporters Thursday, Gen Anupong said he had no comment because he retired as army chief seven years ago.

He said the reporters had better ask Gen Chalermchai instead.

When the reporters pressed him on why the airship was decommissioned so soon, Gen Anupong again said they had better direct their questions to the current army commander.

Gen Prayut and Gen Prawit also declined to comment.

The last time the airship was flown was on Dec 13, 2012, when it was used in a patrol operation during a visit to the deep South by former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

Afterwards, the pilot lost control of the airship while attempting to land near the airship's hangar.
Gen Chalermchai insisted the decommissioning came following the expiry of the lifespan of the airship's outer skin.

The airship's cameras are all still functioning properly, so they might be used for another aircraft, he said.
"It will be too dangerous to assign anyone to work on board an airship where its useful life has expired," he said, explaining the decommissioning.

The Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc) Region 4's forward command, responsible for overseeing security in the South, is overseeing the transfer of the airship's cameras to be used in another aircraft, he said.

He insisted he had first-hand experience of using the airship while on assignment in the southernmost provinces in 2011, travelling in it himself.
The Aeros 40D S/N 21, nicknamed Sky Dragon, together with the security patrol system was purchased for 350 million baht in 2009. Of the total price, 260 million baht was spent on a pair of AXsys V14 MS II surveillance cameras and 70 million on the ground control system that included an armoured vehicle.

The airship went into service in 2009, when Gen Anupong served as army chief and Gen Prawit was defence minister.

Leaks were detected in the airship, and since refilling with helium is costly, the airship had mainly been kept at a hangar at the 15th Infantry Division in Pattani's Nong Chik district, until Gen Prayut became the new army commander.
The army reportedly had to spend up to 25 million baht in some years on refilling the airship with helium, even though it was almost never used.

Gen Prayut, as army chief, approved the hiring of a private company to maintain the airship at a cost of 50 million baht a year, which allowed the blimp to be flown again occasionally on security surveillance operations.
The airship, however, was criticised as being substandard and it ended up stuck in a hangar until its useful life expired.

The purchase of the controversial airship previously triggered a dereliction of duty allegation against former deputy prime minister Suthep Thaugsuban.

He was at the time accused by the Pheu Thai Party of failing to stop the army from buying the airship at an inflated price.
Citing the dereliction of duty allegation, Pheu Thai petitioned the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) to impeach Mr Suthep, but the NACC later on Dec 24, 2015 dismissed the request.

The NACC said it found no evidence to prove that Mr Suthep was guilty of dereliction of duty.
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Re: Army in new bid to get its airship flying

Post by lomuamart »

Honestly, I got about 60% of the way through that article and then I just smiled and gave up.
There are just so many faux pas it's not true.
After 19 years here, I just give up.
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Re: Army in new bid to get its airship flying

Post by PeteC »

I think they may still be using the fake ADE 651 bomb detectors as well. They bought a load of them from that ATSC UK company. The founder should still be in jail in the UK until 2023, unless paroled already. The Army tried to rationalize that fiasco as well and there was article after article that "they really worked..." :lach: Pete :cheers:
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Re: Army in new bid to get its airship flying

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Of the 7 countries that I have in over the past 56 yrs. Thailand us the most corrupt and screwed-up. I suspect the former has led to the latter.
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