Flight on An-2 with parachutists
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Flight on An-2 with parachutists

On a frosty morning, the pilot goes into the cockpit, puts on headphones and contacts the dispatcher, requesting permission to start the engine. Having received a positive answer, he opens the window and shouts "Start the propeller!": apparently, a mechanic is walking around somewhere outside. Then he starts clicking switches, checking the systems. Aircraft.


Here the pilot turns on something and there is a noise – apparently, according to the rules, he is warming up the engine to a temperature of +5°C. Finally, a characteristic sound is heard, the 1000-horsepower engine comes to life! By this time, parachutists appear, who greet the pilot and walk in a disorderly crowd across the field to the airfield.

Taxiing and takeoff


With the pilot's permission, let's go into the cockpit and look at the propeller: the pilot is doing some interesting things with it - changing the pitch. What does this mean? Look closely at the propeller: you can't help but notice that the blades are attached to bushings that rotate in different directions. They can be turned, i.e. the distance between them, the pitch, can be changed. For example, when warming up the engine, it should be minimal, and in flight - depending on the situation and in accordance with the rules.

Flight on An-2 with parachutistsPreparing for takeoff is a routine matter. Photo: youtube.com

The start of movement has its own peculiarities - there is no nose wheel, only the so-called "dutik" under the tail. To take off, you need to accelerate to 110 km / h. And for this "officially" a 400 m long strip is required. However, if necessary, the "maize" can take off from a 150-meter runway at 90 km / h. Everything depends on weather conditions, the weight of the cargo on board.

Already in the sky. Photo: youtube.com

Many people know from movies that when taking off, the pilot "pulls the stick towards himself." But, to my surprise, on the "maize duster," at first everything happens the other way around. The pilot moves the "horns" forward so that the tail leaves the ground. And only then does the control stick move towards himself.

In the sky


And here it is – lift-off! Somehow imperceptibly we “left” the earth – below us already float copses, fields, buildings resembling boxes, and people like ants. However, this is lyricism, and in our cabin there are parachutists. What should be in the plane to ensure successful jumps? Let’s turn to the “holy of holies” – the instructions. And it says that the car must have “equipment” in the form of a pair of fixed cables to hook the parachutists’ carabiners. And also (attention!) a “rubber track” and a “mat”. Well, and also an altimeter in the cabin.

Welcome to the exit! Photo: youtube.com

There are also provisions for emergency situations. For example, you need to have an additional 21 m rope on board, capable of withstanding a “900 kgf load”, as well as a “sandbag” weighing a couple of kilos. You also need a knife. This is in case someone gets stuck outside the plane during a jump, gets caught on it – the poor guy will have to be pulled out. In the meantime, the parachutists are waiting to gain the required altitude, sitting on strange concave seats with holes. Earlier we told, why such an unusual design is needed.

Jumping


But first, another “boring instruction”. The number of parachutists cannot exceed ten – it depends on the fuel taken on board. When performing a jump, the flight speed must be 130 or 140 km/h. This is due to the method of opening the parachute. It can be forced (in the first case) or manual. In the meantime, the An-2 is gaining altitude: let us recall that its maximum is 4 thousand meters. By the way, this is also the “official” limit for parachutists. And now we need to climb to 1500-1800 meters.

Expectation: someone jumping for the first time. Photo: VK Video

The machine does this slowly – at a speed of 3 m/sec. Here the pilot clarifies the drop location with the senior and with a roar launches the plane into a “combat turn”. First, several people jump, then, after a similar maneuver, the second and last group. The last one, when leaving the “maize plant” (apparently, an experienced parachutist), does a “cool trick” – closes the door behind him, already being overboard.

Return


Well, that's it: we're flying back. The pilot puts the machine almost vertically down with the nose, but due to the large sail area of ​​the structure, the descent is still slow. When landing, the pilot reduces the propeller pitch, and releases the flaps at 100 m.

How to jump with a parachute from an An-2

First, the two wheels under the wings touch the strip, then the rear one. Landing on three points at the same time is a sign of mastery! And we landed before the last parachutist landed at the right point.
Have you flown an An-2?
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