New logger series on history channel

[Shark]

Hey all,

There's a new series on the history channel (starting right now actually) called Axe Men.

Looks pretty cool.

Enjoy

[Klapton]

I Tivo'd the show. Pretty cool. Makes you appreciate your logs and lumber a lot more, knowing just how hard they work, and how dangerous it really is.

[WalkingHorseLady]

Ax Men!! Yeah, it is an eye opener for sure. For anyone that missed Sunday night's premiere, it will be shown again Tuesday at 9PM, Wednesday at 1AM, and Thursday at 7PM, all central time on the History Channel, #269 if you have Direct TV. Normal showings each week are Sundays at 9PM central time.

While I'm on here I've noticed a lot of new people on board. If you have not read the book "How To Build Your Low-Tax Dream Home" here is my original post http://www.loghomebuilders.org/book-everyone-read-building. This book will help keep you happy while you wait to take the class.

WalkingHorseLady

[spiralsands]

I just finished reading that book and it really is pretty good. In fact, it sparked my imagination about building a shed style roof rather than a gable style. And it made me want a basement again.

[rreidnauer]

That dude that was assisting the line payout to the helicopter is NUTS!!! No friggen way would you have caught me standing amongst those rapidly uncoiling cables.

I can see why commercial logging can be so dangerous though. It's all about "how much" and "how fast." No time to plan a safe method of acquiring your logs.

[tanderson]

It's probably just "dramatics" but I can't believe any pilot would agree to string 4,000' of cable without an emergency breakaway between his helicopter and the end of the cable. When the one snag occured, they made it sound like they were destined to set the copter down in the trees. I hope this series is better than "Ice road truckers".

[rreidnauer]

There is definitely a high degree of dramatics added to the show. They couldn't get an audience without it. Think of it like this. If you went out there, and stood on the hill, and just watched them doing their job, (or stood along the road to watch the ice road truckers) without editing or a narrator telling you things, (truthful or not) it'd get boring pretty quick.

Of course the chopper could drop the line. Could you envision FAA allowing otherwise? Personally, I mused at how the guy driving to work said they will get run right off a cliff if they don't get out of the way of the (I guess barreling, run-away?) logging truck. I had no idea you could legally do that over there. ;-)

But I won't deny their work is dangerous.

[patrickandbianca]

I am a helicopter pilot and I can tell you for sure that the pilot can drop the line from the cockpit. I only have about 100 hours in that model Bell but I have about 600 hours in another model Bell. There is a hook mounted under the helicopter that holds the load. The reason that it is dangerous is that the helo is designed to carry a load suspended under the helicopter, not dragged through the forest. If the line was to catch on something then there are several bad things that could POTENTIALLY happen to the helicopter. Its relatively dangerous but nothing like what the show was making it out to be.

Patrick
class of Feb16/17 08

[rckclmbr428]

the guy jumping around the cable like that is nuts. I know logging is dangerous, but this show seems to make it out like its a death sentence. I think part of the reason of the high injury/death rate is you get people with sub par judgment jumping around cables and weilding large chainsaws, its a recipe for disaster...

[shawnis]

The first show for Ax Men is a free download on iTunes. Get it while you can.

[JohnnyCoho]

We live in a town very much supported by the "Timber Dollar" and logging is the major industry here. I have many very close friends (Some I call family) working in the logging industry and have known many of the loggers lost each year from the danger and many others that have come close to losing their lives... These guys out there in the woods logging are a true breed apart from the rest!! These guys need some real kudos and respect for what they do and it really is, "that dangerous of a job". If you can't think on your feet in some pretty harsh conditions and terraine... ya'd never make it as a logger!

Personally, I'm not a small guy and can handle a chainsaw pretty well and being taught by loggers just how to "properly" run a saw and fall a tree, I still don't hesitate a bit calling a logger friend when there's even the slightest chance a tree I want to fall might "barber-chair" on me!!

[Timber]

I do drywall work and recently worked on a home who the owner of it is a Helicopter test pilot for Robertson in Torrance CA. I know they are difficult to fly but he told me if helicopter lost power it could still land safely-hmm-not with me in it. He let me ride a three wheel motorcycle he custom made-2 wheels in the front a single wide rear wheel-It had a 350 Chevy-auto trans pretty kool bike. He built it with 2 wheels in front because it is easier to deal with dmv etc.
Can you confirm on lost power landing?

[Klapton]

Rotary wing aircraft can land safely without power. (Safely, of course is relative, based on how flat and squishy the spot is you are about to land on, hehe.) And it also depends on the load it's carrying. Obviously you'd drop any load you had slung under the thing.

[rreidnauer]

It's known as auto-rotation. (just "auto" for short) In an ideal condition, it can be done without harm to the aircraft, but generally things aren't ideal, and the heli will get broke to some degree. (but passengers fine) There is what I believe is known as a "deadman's zone" where a heli with insufficient altitude and/or airspeed can not auto successfully from. In the show, that helicopter was definitely in the deadman's zone. Had a power failure occurred while he was hung up, it would have been unrecoverable. Just like airplanes, airspeed and altitude are your friends. A lot of precise actions are required of the pilot in a very short timescale, for such a maneuver to be successful.

BTW, I fly RC helis. It's said they're harder to fly than the real thing. I for one can confirm that autoing a RC heli without breaking it is very difficult.

[Timber]

I think i would rather own a helicopoter than an airplane-because you can land anywhere.

[RodneyG]

Google flying car and the company that is working on the sky car says they will have a flying saucer on the market 2008 or 2009 for around $100,000. It will have 8 engines.

[Timber]

wow only 100k I will take 2-hope there easier to fly than a helicopter

Ron

[rreidnauer]

I think i would rather own a helicopoter than an airplane-because you can land anywhere.
Ehhh, can't say I'd agree. I use to fly an old 1956 Cessna 172 straight-tail that I could land 'bout nearly anywhere a chopper could. Also seen a Pilatus Porter used as a jump plane land in about 3 plane lengths. Best of all, when I got wings, I got better than a one-to-one glide ratio, so I don't have to land just "anywhere." ;-) (pictures of loosing power in a chopper while flying across the Chesapeake Bay linger in my mind)

[Timber]

hmm how about a plane that can land on land or lake-yea maybe that's what I need I am no where near being able to afford a plane-Ever see that show about Wayne Newton? He fly's helicopter-and knows there dangerous! He said the way you tell a good pilot from a bad one--the good one is still alive

Ron

[Klapton]

I was thinking of getting a powered paraglider. Unless you had a real short commute, it would be purely recreational. You certainly couldn't skid logs with one, lol. But if all you want is a bird's-eye view of the world, they're pretty darned safe.

[hemlock77]

Finaly got to watch show. When they lost the fuel cap off the drag line engine, I thought the sandwich bag and duct tape repair was a nice touch. Red Green would be proud;

[Timber]

That is more my budget but thats dangerous too. Powered Paragliding I happened to see one at Torrance Airport flying around today. I know a general contractor who also builds custom motorcycles-South Bay Choppers. He builds scale planes with real motors and remote flys them. I said he should just fly a real plane. He said way to much $$$! He used to have a friend with a plane and said the fuel, maintenance, etc was outrageous. Its a rich mans hobby any more!

Ron

[rreidnauer]

I started out my cloud hopping days in powered parachutes. (wheeled version of a powered paraglider, and uses a much more stable rectangular chute) Had one for about four years, and even instructed students for a while, before it's speed/range limitations made me grow bored. That's when I bought the Titan Aircraft kit. Unfortunately, though I got it built, (less paint) I never got to fly it. More important things came up, like building an affordable home. (which brings me to present day)

Dang, now I want to go Paraplane flying.

[Primitive]

That show is a joke. Yes logging is a rough job, but if you have grown up around loggers and or been involved in it like I have that show is a JOKE. Some realistic situations, but alot is for tv dramatics on ratings. I was playing poker with a couple old timer timber cutters, (one being my father) and all were in agreement that the show was a joke and it was a wonder those companys even stay in bussiness the way the were running things. The one guy using rope to pull up the main line was rediculous! Just so many little things. Maybe its just the editing, but I don't think so. Half of them do things very unsafe as well, which I know takes place to a degree, but if it will be televised you would think some of those business owners will come under some heat when some saftey inspectors catch wind of it.

Primitive

[Yuhjn]

There is what I believe is known as a "deadman's zone" where a heli with insufficient altitude and/or airspeed can not auto successfully from.

That's correct, the actual name is the HV curve (deadman's curve) which plots altitude against transitional velocity. The graph made by the two has shaded areas in it. If your aircraft is within that shaded part of the curve and you lose power, you're going to crash. (no autorotation possible).

A logging helicopter spends basically all day inside that curve.

Hovering a couple hundred feet above the ground is a good way to die in a helicopter, and that's what loggers do all day long, hover 50-200 feet up.

Helicopters are very safe by nature (safer than fixed wing)... it's what we do in them that is unsafe.

And I have to disagree that you can land a fixed wing aircraft anywhere you can land a heli... if that was the case helicopters wouldnt exist. They are much more expensive to operate and maintain and the only reason we use them is because they can hover, and take off and land vertically.