The Kopp-Etchells Effect

There's already a name for this effect. If nothing else, maybe the terminology this writer invented will be integrated as slang.

I hope this isn't modelled as an effect in MSFS. These things are overdone. Please notice that to capture this effect, he had to use special lenses and such. Maybe it would be cool if modelled through night vision, but not in the regular sim's sight.
 
When you pick up a load under one of these you need two guys.

One picks up the clevis ring and holds it clear of the load. When the pilot goes into a hover he slips the clevis into the lifting ring, thus securing the load. Training is a factor here as the tendency is for the guy holding the clevis to begin to squat (a normal reaction when tons of aircraft start to descend upon you).

The other guy has the critical task of discharging the static. That's created when the blades come close to the ground and pick up a static charge (hence the sparkly effect in the photo's). A ground rod is driven near the load, and a conductor runs from the ground rod to a separate rod held by the second crewman. When the hook gets close enough the grounded rod is held against the hook, discharging the static charge into the ground. ONLY THEN, can the lucky guy holding the clevis slip it into the hook.

Depending on conditions this charge can be somewhat benign, or it can be a MoFo. In an Alaskan winter (where it get's particularly dry) I saw a trooper thrown physically across the PZ when he and his "ground" got the sequence wrong (fortunately he was not injured -- just "stunned" a bit).

The charge is usually quite big on a CH-47. On a UH-60 it is not as pronounced (smaller aircraft).

You can't go wrong following Michael Yon's site, no matter what your political tendencies. He's just a damn good journalist.
 
I was a guy that put the ring on the hook back in 1993 when the Mississippi River flooded. My Air Guard unit was activated. We loaded hueys and nets for the CH-47's to pick up. We didn't have anyone doing the static discharge but we were warned about it. Not much static in the wet soil we were working off of. I will never forget running out from under the Chinook. It took me about 3 steps to get 20 yards away once I got put by the rotor wash. I even got a ride in the huey for a refueling trip. The amount of water in that area of southern Illinois accross the river from St. Louis was unbelievable. And I was there late in the summer when the water finally started to recede.
 
I recently watched a documentary on the Dust Bowl of the 1920s and 1930s that plaqued large area's of Americas farm land. Several of the people who lived through the Dust Bowl talked about how the fences, cars and farm equipment would build up a pretty strong electrical charge as a result of the wind blown dust hitting the metal. Sometimes this charge was enough to kill the person unlucky enough to grab the fence, plow or try to open the car door. Not really related to the helicopter thing, but still pretty cool..well, pretty cool in an odd way I suppose.
 
tigisfat said:
There's already a name for this effect. If nothing else, maybe the terminology this writer invented will be integrated as slang.

I hope this isn't modelled as an effect in MSFS. These things are overdone. Please notice that to capture this effect, he had to use special lenses and such. Maybe it would be cool if modelled through night vision, but not in the regular sim's sight.
Click to expand...

What is the name for this effect?
 
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