COURTESY OF JOHAN RAGAY

Anyone having information concerning this Test Project, please contact Johan Ragay or USAF ROTORHEADS

 KamanRotorTips  Aug-Sep64-p.6

"Huskie used in FAA test"

USAF air crews at bases in the United States and many other parts of the world make their takeoffs and landings with the know­ledge that, in the event of a mishap, HH-43B's manned by Air rescue men will be there to help. So far, since 1959, more than 50 persons have been saved from crash fires and at many of the bases, "scrambles" have become a common occurrence as the helicopters escort aircraft to landings whenever the need arises. At one base, for example, an Air Rescue Service unit scrambled 703 times in one year when emergencies were declared.

The Federal Aviation Agency is now conducting a series of re­search and development tests to determine how effective a heli­copter would be in assisting civilian passenger rescue operation. During the next few months the FAA will deliberately crash two large transport aircraft and burn five others as part of the over­all program to examine and combat the hazards presented by air­craft crashes and crash fires. FAA pilot John J. Ryan is flying the HH-43B used in the testing. An ex-World War II fighter pilot, Ryan has a total of 9,000 hours flight time, of which 2,000 are in helicopters. He first flew the HH-43B a year ago when attending the USAF Firefighting School at Stead AFB, Nev. The veteran pilot is shown with his wife, a former fashion model.

(Searching the Internet I found that a DC-7 with FAA registration N68N  crashed deliberately at Phoenix-Deer Valley AP, AZ on 24 April 1964).  This maybe one of the aircraft involved.

I would be very interested to know more about the testing, including which Huskie (serial number) was used from which unit.

JOHAN RAGAY

"FREEDOM ISN'T FREE"

~SOMEONE PAYS FOR YOU AND ME~

"HELICOPTERS" - THE ONLY WAY TO FLY

~NEVER FORGOTTEN~