Does Fantasy have a space where a helicopter can land??

[Uncleromulus]

Just curious.


This last cruise we were diverted to Miami so they could evacuate a man who had become ill--it was a Fireboat that came and took him off.

Fortunately we weren't that far away so they had some time to do that.

But in one of the Ports I saw a RCL ship that had a designated helipad right near the bow-but I don't believe Fantasy has such a pad??

Could be an emergency comes up with the ship well out to sea and too far from a Port--

 

[MickeyEarrings]

I'm not sure, but I don't think it does. I've read in trip reports of the Coast Guard sending a basket and a rescue swimmer to retrieve a patient.

 

[eskimoinparadise]

Helicopters rarely, if ever, actually land on a cruise ship - even on those that have a designated pad. When we were on RCL's Enchantment (no helicopter pad), they cleared and closed the main pool deck and the HC hovered over that to pick up a passenger due to a medical emergency. I would imagine Disney has a similar process in place for their ships.

 

[jlemieu1]

Maybe on Dream or Fantasy it could land here. Crew sun deck. http://land.allears.net/blogs/debwills/disneydreamdeckc.jpg

 

[clten]

Disney ships do not have a space that could be used as a helipad. If they are in open ocean, they would be unlikely to try to land on the ship even if they had a helipad due to the risks. We were on a Magic cruise (EBTA a few years ago) when they diverted us so we would be closer to South Carolina, then a Coast Guard helicopter came in to pick up the individual that had to be evacuated. They lowered the rescue swimmer who came onboard and prepared the individual in the basket and they raised the basket then maneuvered back to pick up their rescue swimmer. If I remember correctly, the evacuation took place from the crew pool area so there was room for the helicopter to hover above when it needed to raise/lower and could still maneuver a small distance away while waiting for the patient to be prepared for the lift.

There was video of this from the Coast Guards perspective on YouTube somewhere.

 

[Quellman]

Here is a video LINK of an exctraction.

 

[truck1]

None of DCLs ships have a helo pad. A few lines have dedicated spaces for a line hoist, which is typically whats done. Most ships will use the center of the top deck for hoists which is normally the most open place onboard, or have a designated location. The main issue of landing a helo on a moving target is practice. The helo piltos typically have a lot of practice, landing on military ships, and the crews that receive them, have a lot of practice landing them. Cruise ships, not so much. Another issue is altering the balance of a ship. If a ship is already rolling, and you land a 21000 pound helo to a moving deck, 1 of 2 things might happen. The helo may go for an unexpected ride, or the ship may roll even further with the extra weight on top. This is also assuming that a ship has a space that is weight rated for that type of helo, and a crew that can handle it onboard.

 

[mmouse37]

We were on the Fantasy when they had to airlift a guest. These were taken from our forward porthole cabin. Sorry the quality is not that great.





MJ

 

[Capt_BJ]

I commanded two Coast Guard Cutters with flight decks and can say I'm a bit familiar with CG flight operations at sea, from the ship perspective. Most of what has been mentioned here is accurate. There ARE also a few cruise ships with REAL 'helo pads' but for far as the USCG, you won;t see many landings ... there are ALWAYS exceptions ... but in general, the pilots I worked with would avoid this .... doing a hoist is almost always safer than landing on an unfamiliar moving target.


- as mentioned the military vessels that land helos (or fixed wing airplanes) practice this ALOT. Standard procedure is KEY ... in signals, communications and most importantly what will happen if something goes wrong. I've NEVER seen the CG practice landings with a cruise ship .... we practice a lot, and have a standardization inspection regularly .... everything is inspected from procedure to equipment and even the paint on the flight deck (condition of the "non skid" coating, and measuring the flight deck markings to insure they are correct to within less than an inch)

- a helo sitting on the deck of a ship with the blades spinning is an unstable object. Tying down the helo quickly is important ... this is something that is practiced practiced practiced on CG Cutters .... ditto the never seen practice comment above

- when a (CG) helo lands ... there are a million things that can go 'wrong' and ground the helo until the thing gets fixed. Cutters carry mechanics and parts .... what we really don't want is to have a helo land on a cruise ship THEN get a warning light! If the same warning light comes on during a hoist aka 'in flight', 99 times of 100 the procedure is abort mission & (try to) fly home

This applies to USCG helos only of course but that is about the only helo you're likely to see on a typical Carib' cruise. I've NEVER heard of a commercial air ambulance doing an evacuation from a cruise ship and only a few done by police/fire helos ... rare but they do occur and they have their own rules. My local sheriff dept has helos and just recently announced they now have the ability to hoist a person from the water in a rescue .... If over near UK or the Med .... different story and I dunno.

 

[MickeyEarrings]

That's an amazing reply, Captain - thanks for the firsthand information.

I have to wonder why the OP is curious about this, asking specifically about the Fantasy ... if you're traveling with someone whose health is so fragile you need to know how they will get him off the ship, he probably shouldn't sail.

 

[FigmentSpark]

That's an amazing reply, Captain - thanks for the firsthand information.

I have to wonder why the OP is curious about this, asking specifically about the Fantasy ... if you're traveling with someone whose health is so fragile you need to know how they will get him off the ship, he probably shouldn't sail.

Could be as simple as 'why pay for helicopter evacuation in insurance if it's not possible.' Could just be interested in emergency operations. Could have a child who loved helicopters and wondered if there's a chance child would see one, or at least where one can land. Could be writing a book that takes place on a ship. Could be settling a bet with an ornery co-worker.

 

[MickeyEarrings]

Could be as simple as 'why pay for helicopter evacuation in insurance if it's not possible.' Could just be interested in emergency operations. Could have a child who loved helicopters and wondered if there's a chance child would see one, or at least where one can land. Could be writing a book that takes place on a ship. Could be settling a bet with an ornery co-worker.

It COULD be!!!

 

[Krissy22222]

I think OP was just curious, as mentioned in the original post.

 

[Uncleromulus]

Yep--just curious after I saw the RCL ship WITH a helipad and Fantasy with apparently none!!

And it was a topic of conversation in the adult pool that day as several other folks noticed the same thing----

And this after we saw an evacuation by a Miami Fireboat a few days before---

 

[Markonefive]

Canadian navy ships have a "bearclaw" system where a line is lowered from the belly of the helicopter to an attachment point in the middle of the helipad. The line is kept with enough tension to be slightly more than lift of the helicopter, including adjusting for up and down motion of the ship, which allows the helicopter to be safety brought to the deck and secured at the same time, in very rough seas. Was part of the old Sea Kings, I don't know if it is in place for the newer ones replacing them. Of course, wouldn't be used on a cruise ship, just naval vessels. \\Excellent explanation by the Coast Guard caption as to why a basket lift is safer all around than landing on the cruise ship.

 

[Capt_BJ]

And this after we saw an evacuation by a Miami Fireboat a few days before---

not every medical situation warrants evacuation by helo .... let's assume an event near the US ...

in a 'situation' the cruise ship contacts a Coast Guard Rescue Coordination Center (RCC) and in medical evacuation cases a flight surgeon is brought on line for consultation. Several factors are now considered including

- Seriousness and need for 'speed' in getting the subject to a care facility
- Risk to the patient .... will the helo hoist aid or compound the problem! (imagine being afraid to fly and being told you are going to be hoisted into a helo while strapped down .... OMG)
- is a helo even available? How long will it take to get there and return? Is fuel / range an issue?
- is it in the best interest of the subject to allow the entire GROUP to get off?

fortunately when you do this kind of thing every day there is a checklist to follow and the decisions get made very fast ....

**********
for the post that mentioned "bearclaw" on Canadian Naval Vessels.... The USCG uses TALON on the MEC and HEC classes of cutters. here there is a grid of holes in the 'target' area of the flight deck and on the bottom of the helo is a probe. When the helo settles on deck the pilot activates the probe and it "shoots" down and engages one of the holes, then retracts effectively coupling the helo to the ship. Like any system this has a certain failure rate tho, so manual tie down is practiced CONSTANLY. I've seen TALON installed on yachts with private helos!

 

[Uncleromulus]

All of which leaves me wondering why the RCL ship even had a helipad----

 

[Capt_BJ]

I have to admit I wonder the same thing ... and if you are going to build one why on the front of the ship? If I was flying the helo having the ship running towards me would not be MY first choice ... my flight deck was always in the back so the helo chases the ship for landing and on take off they can go straight up and the ship leaves from under them ... But the helo pad DOES provide a nice clear space to do a hoist from ....

 

[truck1]

I commanded two Coast Guard Cutters with flight decks and can say I'm a bit familiar with CG flight operations at sea, from the ship perspective. Most of what has been mentioned here is accurate. There ARE also a few cruise ships with REAL 'helo pads' but for far as the USCG, you won;t see many landings ... there are ALWAYS exceptions ... but in general, the pilots I worked with would avoid this .... doing a hoist is almost always safer than landing on an unfamiliar moving target.


- as mentioned the military vessels that land helos (or fixed wing airplanes) practice this ALOT. Standard procedure is KEY ... in signals, communications and most importantly what will happen if something goes wrong. I've NEVER seen the CG practice landings with a cruise ship .... we practice a lot, and have a standardization inspection regularly .... everything is inspected from procedure to equipment and even the paint on the flight deck (condition of the "non skid" coating, and measuring the flight deck markings to insure they are correct to within less than an inch)

- a helo sitting on the deck of a ship with the blades spinning is an unstable object. Tying down the helo quickly is important ... this is something that is practiced practiced practiced on CG Cutters .... ditto the never seen practice comment above

- when a (CG) helo lands ... there are a million things that can go 'wrong' and ground the helo until the thing gets fixed. Cutters carry mechanics and parts .... what we really don't want is to have a helo land on a cruise ship THEN get a warning light! If the same warning light comes on during a hoist aka 'in flight', 99 times of 100 the procedure is abort mission & (try to) fly home

This applies to USCG helos only of course but that is about the only helo you're likely to see on a typical Carib' cruise. I've NEVER heard of a commercial air ambulance doing an evacuation from a cruise ship and only a few done by police/fire helos ... rare but they do occur and they have their own rules. My local sheriff dept has helos and just recently announced they now have the ability to hoist a person from the water in a rescue .... If over near UK or the Med .... different story and I dunno.

I was looking at pictures of one of Carnivals ships that was being replenished with helos from the Ronald Reagan when she broke down in the Pacific. One of the fire team persons, was lying down on deck, in full gear. not exactly at the ready if something happened, or they had to relocate quickly.

 

[Capt_BJ]

I'll certainly not comment on my sister service and how they perform their mission, especially without seeing the picture. I will say that the 'stand by' attitude of crew does not always reflect the many many hours of special and often dangerous training required just to be standing there .... AND as a CO there are "ah sh*T" moments you stumble upon every day! MOST are not captured on camera and posted on youtube ....