Helicopter or plane in Bluewater

[bottemdweller2]

Okay, this past week I got to thinking about how to get a plane or helicopter to place in bluewater. Thursday I was looking in the paper or in the mule trader and found a small plane without the engine for about $2000 but in very good shape. I have already talked with Steven sunday about it and he says its cool with him. I just want to know what everyone thinks and if we had to make a donation at Bluewater to help pay for it, who would be willing to help?

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

I'd imagine an engineless plane is fairly light. A decent crane could get it in, then a couple(big) lift bags to float it and push it into a decent location.

 

[mike_s]

The engine being gone actually makes it easier as you don't have to remove it because of the petroleum products in it. (Of course you'll have to clean out the gas tanks and de-grease them before putting into the water.

A Cessna 150 (2 seat small aluminum plane) weights about 1100 to 1200 pounds on averge empty. Figure whatever you sink to be lighter than that by several hundred pounds as it's likely to not have the engine and most instruments removed. (used airplane parts are too expensive to sink). So it'll be light enough that you could get a standard boom wrecker to lower it over the side, which should be pretty cheap.


Check with the Southern Museum of FLight in Birmingham and see if they have any old planes they won't put on display that they might let you sink, espeically if it can get them in the news for some free advertising.

If you want to see some other cool sunk planes in quarries, Mermet Springs has a 727 in it and Madison Quarry has a F-4 fighter in it.

 

[philmottrek99and02]

If you want to go to that extent, why not get some of the Aviation dudes from Huntsville to hook you up with a carcass for free. I bet with the right kind of community persuasion, a Huey or even Chinook airframe could be found, ready for sinking! How bout it Huntsville? Any of you helicopter guys willing to make some inquiries?
Howard

 

[bottemdweller2]

I'll be making some calls today. I'll post what I find this afternoon. Hopefully i'll find a helicopter

 

[mike_s]

There was a helicopter that crashed (very hard landing) at the Meridianville airport about two weeks ago. It was enough that it busted the roters off and broke the tail boom. It caught fire afterwards. I'm sure they salvaged it for parts, but if the airframe is damaged, it's 'toast'.

call up there and see if they will give you whats left as a dive wreck.

Also, the US ARMY Aviation Command (helicopters) is being moved to Huntsville to Redstone. (this doesn't mean they'll have thousands of helicopters on the base (training will still continue at Rucker), but it does mean it's a good contact place.

 

[mwhities]

I think it'd be cool to have a big plane to be able to swim through or at least sections like the pipes.

Michael

 

[bottemdweller2]

I have found a few small planes around the south, mostly build it yourself type of planes. I have however found an air salvage yard in Atlanta with much of what might be usable. Their e-mail is www.aaeparts.com (look under airframes)I've written them an e-mail and I am going to call tomorrow morning. Hopefully they will help me out and we will have something else to look at.

 

[bottemdweller2]

I will also look into the helicopter crash at Meridianville airport. If anyone can help with the search up towards Huntsville it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Matt

 

[ScubaKris]

Talk to some local Army guys. Geneva Al fire dept. , for example will come and burn down your house for the practice so you don't have to go to the expense to have it torn down. Maybe you can get a local Helicopter Squadron to pick it up and drop it for the practice. I know when I was in the Marines, we would have done it. Then that was 30 years ago,.. rules change,...I don't think we had rules. My physical was with 50 guys standing in a circle with one doctor,..I think he was blind,. Anyway if you were breathing ,walking under your own power, and wanted in,..you were in!