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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (May 9, 1961)
MEDFORD MAIL TRIBUNE. MEDFORD, OREGON TUESDAY. MAY 9. 1961 A 3 Use of Helicopter in Logging Industry Reviewed at Meeting Mere 'A.fTi Star ' ' ' . s ''. v , , V rS .-'1 4 : ; -I 1 rw jwriiuj! .1 tf,.": ...... jCZ 8B!!S;niitmtmnm...-iit.t7af'. :3 USE IN FOREST This is an artists conception of how the Sikorsky S-64 helicopter could be used in fighting forest fires. Fast action by this type machine could control forest fires before they become major conflagrations. The use ful payload of the S-64 is more than eight tons, which is more than sufficient to satisfy most commcrical or tactical requirements. Sikorsky S-64 Designed as Lifting Unit The Sikorsky S-64 All-Pur- of comparable size. pose Transport helicopter is a $1.75 million machine de signed as a basic lifting unit. " It was developed at the air craft's plant in Stratford, Conn., after recognition of "the fact that the passenger cabin is superfluous - dead weight, and carried no useful purpose when- the convention al helicopter is used for carry ing cargo or equipment. The structural weight of the aircraft ' is reduced by elim inating a floor stressed for cargo loads and a cabin, re sulting in a heavier pay-load than conventional helicopters In the S-64, there is no passenger cabin, and no struc ture within 9V4 feet of the ground, except the cockpit and the landing gear. This permits the helicopter to straddle large loads, which can be fastened directly to attach ment eyes along the bottom of the boom-like fuselage when the helicopter is on the ground. Special purpose "pods" for passengers or; other specific mission work may be similar ly attached. , The S-64 helicopter is read ily adaptable to logging pur poses, since it can fly into position astride the load. It can accept a rectangular load weighing more than eight tons of any reasonable length, 10 feet wide and 8 feet high under the structure with ade quate clearance. Sikorsky officials note that it is not necessary for the helicopter to hover during the time it is being loaded. Snug gling the load close to the fuselage also eliminates oscil lations during flight, allowing greater maneuvering freedom close to the terrain. Glenn Jackson, Medford, who reviewed the Sikorsky for Mom ,rf1llrlt.rJ:i BLUE -WHITE -TWEED DUSK -BROWN Sryl. No. Si. Description Retail 8000 14" Train Case $26.25 8015 16" "Escort" Round Hat Box .... 19.9S 8016 16" "Little Lady" Overnight Case 22.95 8020 20" "Juno" Large Hat and Shoe Case 26.2S 8021 21" Ladies' Weekend Case 26.25 802 1W 21" Ladies' Wardrobe Case 41.95 8024 24" Ladies" Pullman Case 31.50 8027 27" Ladies' Pullman Case 41.95 802 1C 21" Men's Courier Case 26.25 8021 M 21" Men's Weekend Case 26.25 8025-1 25" Men's One-Suiter . 42.95 8025-2 25" Men's Jumbo Two-Suiter .... 44.95 mMaarjUH medford. oreoonJ ' in inimi i ii i S-64 at a meeting of the Paci fic Northwest section, Forest Products Research Society here last night, also reviewed other advantage of the heli copter, especially in relation to logging. Hoisting Winch The S-64 is equipped with a winch capable of hoisting or lowering a load attached to the cargo hook. It can pick up or deposit loads in terrain which would prohibit the heli copter from landing or hover ing sufficiently close to the surface to enable use of an ordinary fixed sling. The technique of hoisting the load may be used while the helicopter is hovering as high as 100 feet above the ground, Jackson pointed out. This is especially useful in selective logging operations in wilderness areas, inaccessible areas, national parks and other areas where aesthetic value is of prime importance. The 15,000-pound capacity hoist is hydraulically power ed. The winch is located about in the center of the helicop ter, and the fuselage attach ment point is chosen to give good aircraft handling qual ities and load behavior. . Fastened By On Man The cargo hook may be fastened to the load by one man, and the load released either automatically upon touchdown or at the pilot's discretion. The integral winch and cargo hook arrangement allows the pilot to hover the helicopter above obstacles and to raise or lower the load as the istuation requires. The pilot's cabin in the S 64 is a capsule suspended from The use of helicopters in the woods operation of the forest industry is almost un limited. A helicopter would be able to remove overripe timber, diseased trees, snags or other select trees from areas inac cessible to conventional log ging equipment. It could improve conserva tion of forest soil by reducing erosion on steep mountain sides. It could be used in fighting forest fires, by transporting men and heavy equipment to sides which would take con ventional equipment several hours. Uses of a powerful helicop ter - the Sikorsky S-64 - were reviewed by Glenn Jackson, Medford, at a meeting of the Pacific Northwest Section, Forest Products Research So ciety, here last night. Plant Formulated ' -' Plans are being formulated to use the Sikorsky S-64 in removing 167 overripe trees in a mapped area of Oregon Caves National monument. Jackson has discussed the proposal with Sen. Wayne Morse, who recently outlined the plan in the Senate. He also has discussed the propos al with forest service officials, who have prepared an ap praisal of logging by helicop ter. The forest service has noted that logging by Sikorsky S-64 helicopter "can be done at costs essentially competitive with conventional logging." Comparative Costs The service noted that con ventional logging costs about $35.47 per thousand board feet at the mill. Helicopter logging, with the department of defense assuming depreci ation on the machine, would cost about $35.57 a thousand based on 1,000 hours of use annually. However, if the helicopter is used 1,500 hours annually, the estimated operating cost is reduced to $32.81 a thou sand with the department of defense assuming depreciation. In its appraisal of helicop ter logging, the forest service made several assumptions. Among them are 1. Merchantable timber is available for logging in a tree selection or partial cutting method from an area where it is unnecessary, uneconomic cal or undesirable to develop the road system that would provide opportunity for con ventional logging methods 2. The average timber stand is assumed to be 25,000 board feet per acre of sawlog and peeler log material. Of this stand, 40 per cent, or 10,000 board feet per acre, is avail able for harvest in the first cut. 3. Servicing the area by. truck, if permitted, would cost $4 per thousand based on the need of one mile of road costing $16,000 per mile for each 160 acres. 4. If the log3ing area is 5,000 feet, about two miles airline distance and 2,000 feet above a log landing or the nearest truck road, at least five miles of truck haul would be required to cover the dis tance. 5. Cutting and bucking cost for helicopter logging would be essentially the same as for the conventional logging. 2.000 Board Ft 6. The S-64 could haul an average of 2,000 board feet of logs per trip, and 12 round trips per hour over the two- mile route. 7. Cost of loading logs onto trucks and of truck 'haul from roadside landing would be the same. The forest service also not ed that logging by helicopter would be limited only when snow became too deep . for cutting, and could be almost year-round operation. This would eliminate cold-decking and increase the average val ue of the log in the winter. 'This higher value is be cause the purchaser would not have to go to the expense of cold decking the logs for win ter mill operation, the lower truck haul rates that are avail able during winter months and the absence of deteriora' tion in logs that normally takes place in stored logs un der even the best conditions," the forest service said. Operating Cost ' The cost of the helicopter based on annual use of 1,000 hours is $369.46 per hour for operation and maintenance. Depreciation cost of $249.90 per hour would be absorbed by the department of defense and not charged against the logging industry, the service noted. However, if the deprecia tion is charged to the logging industry, the $35.57 per thou sand board f e e t for 1,000 hours of helicopter use would increase to $45.98 a thousand. On the basis of 1,500 hours of use, the cost would be $39.75 a thousand if the logging in dustry assumed depreciation. A preliminary agreement has been reached, however, between the department of de fense, the forest service and Sikorsky because the depart ment of defense is interested in the helicopter's use for tac tical purposes. Intangible Values The forest service said there are certain intangible values in logging by helicopter. Among these are: 1. Value of better conditions for timber growth resulting from helicopter selective log ging leaving a partial growing stock on ground. 2. Reforestation costs would be avoided. 3. There also would be pre mium value of better water shed and aesthetic conditions. "The landowner," the for est service said, "could recog nize and compensate for some such values resulting from helicopter logging by making a reduction in the asked stumpage price, if necessary to do so, to secure this spe cialized method." The forest service noted that its estimates may be In error, but if its assumptions are correct, logging with the S-64 "can be done at coils essentially competitive with, conventional operations; pre vided, depreciation of machine) is not charged to the logging.' HOTEL PRESIDENT Portland -0IPD- Asa J. Am. berg, Portland, was elected president of the Oregon Hotel Association here Saturday. Counsel With ... Mr. Insurance Fred Brennan L. W I 3 out of 1 0 homeowners have not Increased their insurance in 5 yean. With, higher replacement values J and fires taking a bigger toll, it's time to "update" your coverages. Call Fred R. Brennan, C.I.A. MEDFORD INSURANCE Agency PHONE SP 3-7343 . 27 North Holly Street "For me, the way of life in the West has always included Hermitage. When you grow: up 4 1 i in the ; jkv l I ; : West you ; npfl 0 1 If! tjtji ""' muni ttzzzzmi 'V '! &-lf& 11 HI i KIimiCKT I vlfM'fim ill 0 HCRMIIAGE DISTILLERY COMPANY, LOUISVILLE, KY. 86 PROOF R WHT A Superb Straight Kentucky Bourbon ' m mm m . M ... Aged io renecuon $95 Pint $AS0 Wqt. the front of the long fuse lage boom. It contains seats for a pilot and co-pilot, dual flight controls, instruments and a rear-facing seat with auxiliary flight controls for use of the pilot during loading and hoisting operations. There are large transparent panels in the rear of the pilot's cabin to provide rear ward visibility from the rear- facing seat. This gives the pilot a clear view of theh un derside of the fuselage and the hoist during loading mis sions. The S-64, a twin turbine powered helicopter, was de veloped from a prototype, Sikorsky's S-60 flying crane. The S-60 proved that a heli copter built in the form of a basic lifting device offered a positive approach to mission versatility. A six-bladed main rotor u driven by two turbine en gines mounted just below and forward of the main rotor system. Inputs from the tur bine engines are on each side of the main gear box, which has a rating of 5,400 horse power for both engine inputs, or 4.050 horsepower from each input. Further development is scheduled to raise the main gear box rating to 6,000 horse power. Prototype Pod Prototype pods for trans porting passengers, mounting special purpose military gear and for conventional commer cial uses were designed, de veloped and tested. A large variety of helicopter missions, both military and commercial. were successfully performed with the S-60, thus leading to the development of the S-64. The S-64 has available to it automatic stabilization equipment, to provide pitch, roll, yaw and altitude stabili zation, which is especially valuable during pick up and deposit of loads. The ASE when used by the pilot in a rear-facing position, gives the optimum In accurate tonlrol and safety durlna the most critical periods of cargo op erations. Sikorsky officials said that with the development of the S-fU came the first true all- purpose transport, which, with optimum economy and ellic iency, can serve as passenger transport, high density troop carrier, flying crane, cargo carrier or a military vehicle whose tactical versatility cov ers almost the entire range of vertical takeoff and landing requirements. SO MUCH THAI WJ BE COPIED Left face it: bucket seats alone do not a sport car make. Even when they're as cozy as oan are. You also happen to want (and darned well wed, if you're after a fun-type car) things like efficiently eager steering. Steering like you get with Corvair's rear-engine design. (Engin weight's over the rear wheels, so there's less weight on the steering wheels. Logical?) You want traction that keeps your car firmly attached to the road all the time around corners, through mudholes, everywhere. You want superlatively balanced braking. You want an amiably smooth, supple ride like Corvair's full independent suspension gives you. As you might have guessed, you simply can't get these happy advantages In any other U.S. car. Only Corvair and, in their finest flower, in the Corvair, Monza. Anything that jjm you less is just another social climber. ' - CORVAIR MONZA See the new Corvair at your local authorized Chevrolet deakri COURTESY CHEVROLET 9th at Bartlett MEDFORD Phone SP 2-6115
