Marine One replacement on schedule and under budget-but can't land on lawn

a reply to: Barnalby

Well, considering that the lawn is kind of an important part of the thread, it's appropriate.

The way they're talking it's going to be a fix involving the aircraft, so it'll be interesting to see. Maybe they'll put a lift kit with big ass monster truck tires.

Jesus. Seriously? So pour a concrete pad. Someone needs to remove their head from their ass. Otherwise you can kiss of that under budget and they will spend millions figuring out how to land on a grassy field. Sheesh.

a reply to: FredT

I figure the new helipad will cost about $250M. Can't have a program come in under budget.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: FredT

I figure the new helipad will cost about $250M. Can't have a program come in under budget.

Seriously right? and to be even more practical for COG purposes why wouldn't want to have a pad at the WH that could say handle an Osprey for emergency purposes. I mean it could land on the lawn too but lets venture into the 20th century and go ahead and put in a pad.

Plus pitch it as less lawn space which is more environmentally friendly

a reply to: Zaphod58

I'm personally hoping for crawler tracks like they tried on the B-36.

a reply to: Barnalby

That would really do wonders on the grass.

Please tell me all 23 aircraft are not just for the President.

What else (hopefully) do they get used for.

P

Floatation bags?

What's wrong with strips of these?



Lay these down, let the grass grow through, lawn illusion maintained.

a reply to: pheonix358

Presidential support. Four aircraft minimum per trip, sometimes six, plus aircraft down for maintenance, plus aircraft in Depot level maintenance.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Why isn't there already a heliport installed on the property? How much lawn out of eighteen acres will that take up? Sounds like a non issue problem. Build a helipad where the damn thing always lands.

a reply to: Sillyolme

They have small pads down in the grass that the existing helicopters land on. They've worked just fine to this point.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Then improve that system. Why is the lawn such an issue? It's not like they're paving the whole rose garden over. it's not like they don't have acres of lawn still. Build a better helipad that can handle these and what ever comes down in the future. How is this even a problem?

a reply to: Sillyolme

We don't know that the lawn IS the issue. Just because it's the most logical based on the weight of the aircraft doesn't mean that we're right. As for any questions on the lawn, you'll have to talk to the White House. They deal with those issues.

originally posted by: Zaphod58I'm thinking it's the weights.

Fatter tyres, or a frame on the lawn which the grass grows through. Tarmac is just pug-ugly. Either way, they should have thought about it.

a reply to: Zaphod58

I was just looking up info about the White House property and learned some things! I never knew that the 18 acre property actually is a national park “presidents park”. How in the hell did I not know this. Anyways thanks to this thread I have learned stuffs.

a reply to: paraphi

Whether it's weight, or something else, they have the fix in mind for it. It just doesn't make sense to put it on the prototype right now apparently.

a reply to: paraphi

Seems a reasonable thing to expect that someone indeed did think about that.

But if the helicopter is, as someone pointed out, still prototyping, whoever it is that's in charge of such things may be waiting to see what the final aircraft is going to be.

The lawn is part of a national park, that may have more than a little something to do with the issue. If that's even the issue.

You would think new designs would have "space age" composites and weigh less.

originally posted by: FredT
Jesus. Seriously? So pour a concrete pad. Someone needs to remove their head from their ass. Otherwise you can kiss of that under budget and they will spend millions figuring out how to land on a grassy field. Sheesh.

Can't imagine even our gov't reaching such epic stupidity. However I wouldn't be shocked either and if they must have grass, then put some of that artificial Arizona grass over it. That stuff actually looks pretty decent.