Peculiarities Of Night Flying With External Load - Kazan Helicopters Mi-17-1V Flight Manual

MI1-17-1B. Flight manual
(4) The Flight Engineer should operate the helicopter winch to pull up the ex-
tension cable, attach it by means of the connection lug to the shackle,
disconnect the helicopter winc:h hook from the extension cable lug, and
report readiness to lifting of the load to the Captain.
(5) After the Flight Engineer reports the completion of the load attachment
procedure, the Pilot executes a shift towards the load with a slight ascent
to pull up the external load sling system cable and position the helicopter
precisely above the load. Smoothly pull up the collective pitch control
lever to establish vertical ascent until the load lifts off the ground.
Further actions of the helicopter crew and the flying control officer are the
same as upon attachment of the load after landing of the helicopter.
Warning: 1. To protect the ground personnel from static electricity ef-
fects they are not allowed to begin load attachment opera-
tions before the winch cable contacts the ground.
2. To avoid injury of hands the ground personnel is not allowed
to reposition the external load sling system hooks during
pulling up of the external load sling system cables in hover-
ing.
3. The Flight Engineer is not allowed to work without the safety
belt put on.
4 The Flight Engineer is not allowed to work if the cargo
compartment floor hatch guard is not installed.
(6) The ground condition should be taken into consideration in flight with ex-
ternalload. If snow or dust is present on the ground it is necessary to es-
tablish hovering before initiation of the attachment procedure and blow off
snow or dust from the spot by the main rotor down wash. Only after the
load is clearly visible in hovering proceed to approach maneuver and at-
tachment.
The load release area should be prepared in advance by removing ob-
stacles, watering if dusty, or rolling if covered with newly fallen snow.
5.7. Peculiarities of night flying with external load
(1) Only the crews skilled in night flying and in transportation of extern Ci I
loads by day are authorized to execute night flight with external load.
Only the loads which behaviour has been checked during transportation
by day time are allowed to be carried externally at night.
The crew actions in transportation of external load at night, as well as the
load attachment (release) procedures are the same as by day.
In order to improve the operating conditions during attachment of the load
it is advisable to illuminate the load by a floodlight or other means.
Warning: In flight with external loads made of metal the radio altimeter
readings may be erroneous, Under such a condition assess
the hovering height visually and by the reports of flying control
officer.
If the ground lights are not available, attachment (release) of the load
may be effected with the area illuminated only by the helicopter landing
lights.
In all conditions, including illumination of the area by a ground floodlight
proceed to hovering above the load with the helicopter landing lights on.
The right light beam should be directed downward and illuminate the load
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