6 year old starts up $10M helicopter

[A930Rocket]

Six year old starts up helicopter.

I guess somebody left the keys in it.

I wonder where mom and dad were?

https://gma.yahoo.com/video/child-cranks-medical-helicopter-minnesota-120941741.html

[widebody911]

The yahoo link didn't work correctly for me

[Nostril Cheese]

I was pretty deep into airplanes when I was a kid. If I had access to some of the sims today, who knows?

Could he actually do this? What is the procedure? Elec, APU, fuel, start?

[not sharp]

That is what is known as "intuitive" controls.

richard

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by Nostril Cheese

Could he actually do this? What is the procedure? Elec, APU, fuel, start?

I don't know that aircraft so I'm not sure what exactly he did. It also wasn't clear if he got an engine started or it was rotating on electric power (which some helos can do). Cashflyer may know this aircraft and provide insight on the civilian side of helicopters.

I can tell you that starting the jet engines on an H-60 requires a few more steps (and the help of other systems) than starting your F-150.

I did a lot of airshows in the 1980/90's all over the US.. I have seen some amazing things done by spectators. Amazing things. I was there.

We developed an airshow checklist, including disconnecting the battery, etc. Pre-flighting the aircraft before heading home after an airshow was exhaustive.

[KNS]

The helicopter I fly (AS350) is ridiculously easy to start.

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by Seahawk

Cashflyer may know this aircraft and provide insight on the civilian side of helicopters.

Originally Posted by KNS

The helicopter I fly (AS350) is ridiculously easy to start.

Or KNS

[pcardude]

Hahahaha cool!

[pavulon]

I would imagine this aircraft had it's full crew there and needed to be ready to leave if called. Yet, a 6 year-old should not have been able to get into the cockpit unsupervised much less get the thing lit.

Originally Posted by Seahawk

I don't know that aircraft so I'm not sure what exactly he did. It also wasn't clear if he got an engine started or it was rotating on electric power (which some helos can do). Cashflyer may know this aircraft and provide insight on the civilian side of helicopters.

I can tell you that starting the jet engines on an H-60 requires a few more steps (and the help of other systems) than starting your F-150.

I did a lot of airshows in the 1980/90's all over the US.. I have seen some amazing things done by spectators. Amazing things. I was there.

We developed an airshow checklist, including disconnecting the battery, etc. Pre-flighting the aircraft before heading home after an airshow was exhaustive.

[VINMAN]

Back in the 80's, my aviation unit had an open house. We had a bunch of our copters out. I was hanging out in back of my Huey, keeping an eye on it. This kid gets in with his friend and jumps in the pilots seat. Both about 10yrs old. The kid proceeds to go through the full pre-flight and start-up procedure.Flipping every correct switch and breaker. If the battery was connected it would have fired up. That freaked me out a bit.. Later found out he was one of our pilot's kids.


.

[gtc]

I accidentally fired up a two-stroke snowmobile inside a small motorcycle shop when I was about that age.

Scared the crap out of me.

[URY914]

I pushed the start button on our blender without the top on it once. Blew my milkshake all over the place. Mom got real mad at me.

[KNS]

I'm not familiar with the start sequence but it looks like an EC 145.

Like Seahawk stated, you always do an extra thorough preflight of the cockpit when doing a show or display. I've had literally hundreds of grade school kids climb in and out of the helicopter (and pilot seat), they always want to hang from the antennas or know where the missiles are.

[greglepore]

I was working ems dispatch in the 80's when a kid at Willow Grove NAS pulled the eject handle on an a/c that wasn't properly secured... seat deployed, killing him (he was in the seat and got launched) and another child that was near the cockpit area.

[Nostril Cheese]

Originally Posted by Seahawk

I did a lot of airshows in the 1980/90's all over the US.. I have seen some amazing things done by spectators. Amazing things. I was there.

Share a tale?

[MRM]

Local news now says it was a 17 year old and he really started it. Appears to be a medical copter on standby.

Teen started Mayo helicopter at Mankato air show - KNUJ

[carreradpt]

Originally Posted by Seahawk

I did a lot of airshows in the 1980/90's all over the US.. I have seen some amazing things done by spectators. Amazing things. I was there.

We developed an airshow checklist, including disconnecting the battery, etc. Pre-flighting the aircraft before heading home after an airshow was exhaustive.

Same here though on large airlifters. Spectators pull handles, flip switches, play with life support equipment and STEAL stuff. There's a lot to watch inside and out. Crews had to be on their toes. And the AC always kept the keys in his pocket. But we still always loved to "do" the static part of airshows.

[Eric Coffey]

Originally Posted by Nostril Cheese

I was pretty deep into airplanes when I was a kid. If I had access to some of the sims today, who knows?

Could he actually do this? What is the procedure? Elec, APU, fuel, start?

As KNS mentioned, it looks like a Eurocopter EC-145. Probably easier to start than one would imagine. Anyone getting in would likely be drawn to the 3 bright yellow toggles in the cockpit (engine 1 start, engine 2 start, battery master). So, I would imaging a scenario exists to get one side lit with just a toggle flip.

Keeping it going might be another matter, as I know some require manual throttle input to keep temps in range during start-up. Hell, that might all be automated now too...

Kurt - Isn't your Squirrel (FADEC?) basically a one-button-start operation? Does anyone even use the twist-grip throttle anymore on modern A/C?

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by Nostril Cheese

Share a tale?

Besides gum in pitot static ports, graffiti on the tail, the weirdest airshow moment for me was watching a FATHER and son grab a lever and take a window, clearly marked as EMERGENCY EGRESS ONLY off the helo.

The pic below is of an SH-60. I am in the left seat. The father and son grabbed the escape handle on the crewman's window above the missile in the picture (no missile, unfortunately, for the airshow since I would have used it on the two D-bags) and took the window out. The handle, btw, was safety wired.

I was standing on the other side, saw them and they looked at me like I had done something wrong.

What!?!

[speeder]

As a former journalism student, the bigger snafu was the news reader calling a 6-year old a "young man"...WTF

I'm also a little shocked that helicopter costs $10M??