Original subtitles

Narrator: IN THE REMOTE NORTH ATLANTIC...

I WANT TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON HERE.

Narrator: ...AN EXTREME FLYING MACHINE,

THE ULTIMATE SEARCH-AND-RESCUE HELICOPTER

IS ON A MISSION TO SAVE LIVES.

IF SOMETHING'S NOT GOING RIGHT HERE, WHAT AM I GONNA DO NEXT?

Narrator: IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE HUMAN SURVIVAL

IS MEASURED IN MERE SECONDS.

Man: THIS BAND IS AT OUR 3:00 FOR ABOUT 15 FEET.

Narrator: WHEN LIVES ARE AT STAKE,

THE SIKORSKY S-92 COMES TO THE RESCUE.

BREAKING THIS $30 MILLION BEAST DOWN INTO ITS COMPONENTS,

WE'LL DISCOVER ITS TECHNOLOGICAL SECRETS

FROM JET ENGINES WITH THE POWER OF FIVE FORMULA ONE CARS

TO HEATED ROTOR BLADES THAT SPIN CLOSE TO THE SPEED OF SOUND,

WE'LL REVEAL HOW THIS EXTRAORDINARY RESCUE HELICOPTER

EVOLVED TO BECOME A MEGA MACHINE.

-- Captions by VITAC -- www.vitac.com

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

♪♪

NEWFOUNDLAND IN LABRADOR ON THE EASTERN EDGE OF CANADA.

JUST OFF ITS COAST LIES A HUGE OIL FIELD

AND THE BIGGEST OIL PLATFORM IN THE WORLD -- HIBERNIA.

NEARLY 200 MILES OFFSHORE,

280 PEOPLE WORK ON THIS FEAT OF OCEANIC ENGINEERING

IN SOME OF THE MOST EXTREME WEATHER CONDITIONS ON THE PLANET

AND UNDER CONSTANT THREAT OF CATASTROPHE.

WHEN OIL PLATFORM WORKERS

GET INTO TROUBLE OUT HERE IN THE OPEN OCEAN,

THERE'S A LIFE-SAVING MACHINE TO BAIL THEM OUT.

THE COUGAR SEARCH-AND-RESCUE CREW

ARE READY TO SPRING INTO ACTION 24/7 IN ANY WEATHER

WITH THIS -- THE SIKORSKY S-92 HELICOPTER.

Banks: TRULY, BEING ON THE EAST COAST

IS ONE OF THE MOST HARSH ENVIRONMENTS

THAT ANYBODY CAN FLY IN.

Narrator: CALLING THE SHOTS

IS SEARCH-AND-RESCUE PROGRAM MANAGER

RICK BANKS.

THE ENVIRONMENT WE WORK IN EVERY DAY CAN CHANGE ON A DIME.

IT SOMETIMES CAN BE SNOW ONE DAY,

IT COULD BE FREEZING AND RAIN.

MINUTES COUNT.

WE HAVE TO BE READY TO GO AT ALL TIMES.

"COCKED AND READY" IS THE WORD WE USE HERE.

Narrator: WINTER -- THE MOST CHALLENGING TIME OF YEAR --

IS FAST-APPROACHING.

[ SIREN WAILS ] CHIEF BANKS MUST MAKE SURE

HIS TEAM AND MACHINE ARE READY.

♪♪

MANY OF THE COUGAR CREW ARE EX-MILITARY,

HAND-PICKED TO WORK FOR THIS ELITE UNIT.

OVER THE NEXT TWO DAYS,

THEY'LL UNDERGO THREE EXTREME RESCUE TRIALS

TO TEST THEIR SKILLS.

TWO WILL PLAY OUT OVER THE OPEN OCEAN AND ONE ON LAND.

EACH WILL BE MORE CHALLENGING THAN THE LAST,

PUSHING BOTH THE CREW AND THE MACHINE TO THE LIMIT.

COUGAR'S HELICOPTER IS A TRUE LEGEND OF THE SKIES.

IT IS THE CIVILIAN COUSIN OF THE FAMOUS MILITARY BLACK HAWK.

CRAMMED UNDER ITS LIGHTWEIGHT SKIN,

CLOSE TO 1 MILLION COMPONENTS MAKE THIS CHOPPER UNBEATABLE.

TWIN JET ENGINES CREATE 5,000 HORSEPOWER,

BLASTING OUT GAS AS HOT AS MOLTEN LAVA.

HIGH-STRENGTH COMPOSITE ROTOR BLADES

CAN LIFT 12 TONS OF CHOPPER WITH EASE.

CRASH-PROOF TANKS HOLD ENOUGH FUEL FOR 600 MILES.

A HEAT-SENSING CAMERA SPOTS TARGETS IN TOTAL DARKNESS.

AND A SUPER-STRONG WINCH CAN LIFT A QUARTER OF A TON.

JAM-PACKED WITH HIGH TECH,

THIS IS THE ULTIMATE RESCUE MACHINE.

IN JUST 20 MINUTES,

THE CREW HAS PREPPED THE HELICOPTER

TO TAKE TO THE SKIES FOR THE FIRST TRIAL.

AT THE CONTROLS IS PILOT PAT PERRY,

A VETERAN WITH 30 YEARS IN SEARCH-AND-RESCUE.

15 MINUTES AFTER THE EMERGENCY CALL-OUT,

THIS MEGACOPTER IS AIRBORNE.

THE CREW MANAGES TO SHAVE FIVE MINUTES OFF THEIR AVERAGE TIME

FOR THE START-UP PHASE OF THEIR MISSION.

♪♪

ONBOARD IS THE TEAM'S NEWEST RECRUIT, RESCUER GUY ST-DENIS.

GUY IS IN HIS PROBATION PERIOD.

NOW HE MUST SHOW THAT HE CAN WORK WELL WITH A NEW TEAM

AND A NEW HELICOPTER.

St-Denis: I WAS IN THE MILITARY PRIOR.

PRETTY LUCKY TO BE INVOLVED WITH THE COUGAR.

I THINK I CAN DEAL WITH ANY SITUATION.

THAT BEING SAID, YOU JUST NEVER KNOW WHAT THE DAY WILL BRING.

Narrator: THE MOST COMMON EMERGENCY

IS TO RESCUE MAROONED OIL WORKERS FROM OPEN WATER

IF A HELICOPTER SHUTTLE CRASHES OR A SUPPLY BOAT SINKS.

LIKE THESE REAL-LIFE RESCUES SHOW,

THE MISSION IS TO PLUCK THE SURVIVORS OUT OF THE WATER

BEFORE THEY DROWN OR DIE FROM HYPOTHERMIA.

IT'S A HIGH-PRESSURE MANEUVER THAT THE CREW MUST PREPARE FOR.

RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE RACING TO THE SITE

OF A SIMULATED HELICOPTER CRASH 20 MILES FROM THEIR BASE.

THREE SURVIVORS ARE STRANDED IN A LIFE RAFT.

THEIR SURVIVAL SUITS WILL PROTECT THEM

FROM THE FREEZING-COLD WATER FOR A WHILE,

BUT IN REAL LIFE, THEY'D BE COLD AND WET

AND IN DANGER OF HYPOTHERMIA.

THE CREW MUST FIND THE MEN AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE

AND AIRLIFT THEM TO SAFETY.

CHIEF BANKS AND LEAD PILOT PAW BIENKOWSKY

ARE STATIONED AT THE RESCUE SITE.

FROM THEIR BOAT, THEY HAVE A FRONT-ROW SEAT

TO JUDGE THE HELICOPTER CREW'S PERFORMANCE.

Man: HEAD RADIO -- ISOLATED 1, 2, AND UP ON 3 FOR NOW.

A MUCH LATER GRADE EXCEPT FOR NUMBER THREE.

Bienkowsky: MY MAIN JOB IS TO DO WATER RESCUE,

AND THE MOST CHALLENGING PART IS THE LIFE RAFT

AND HOISTING OUT OF THE WATER.

Narrator: THE FIRST TEST IS HOW FAST

THE RESCUE COPTER CAN REACH THE SITE OF THE CRASH.

PAT MUST PUSH AS HARD AS HE CAN.

BUT THERE'S A LIMIT

AS HELICOPTERS ARE AT THE MERCY OF AERODYNAMICS.

AT TAKEOFF, THE ROTOR BLADES MOVE THROUGH STILL AIR,

BUT WHEN THE HELICOPTER MOVES FORWARD,

THE AIR RUSHES OVER THE BLADES UNEVENLY.

ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE MACHINE,

THE BLADES MOVE AGAINST THE HEADWIND,

BUT ON THE LEFT SIDE, THE BLADES MOVE WITH IT.

THIS CREATES AN IMBALANCE THAT CAN BE DEADLY.

IF A CHOPPER WERE TO FLY AT 250 MILES AN HOUR,

THE AIR RUSHING OVER THE BLADE TIP ON THE RIGHT

COULD CAUSE SHOCKWAVES

AND BREAK THE ROTOR OF A LESSER HELICOPTER.

AND THE AIR OVER THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ROTOR CAN GET SO SLOW

THAT THE BLADES CAN'T CREATE ENOUGH LIFT,

POTENTIALLY FLIPPING THE CHOPPER OVER.

BUT THE BLADES ON THIS HELICOPTER ARE SO TOUGH,

THEY CAN WITHSTAND SHOCKWAVES WITHOUT BREAKING,

AND THE MACHINE CAN QUICKLY CHANGE THE ANGLE OF THE BLADES

TO DEAL WITH AERODYNAMIC DISTURBANCES,

ALLOWING A SAFE CRUISING SPEED OF 170 MILES AN HOUR.

♪♪

JUST LIKE IN A REAL EMERGENCY, THE CREW ONLY KNOWS

THE APPROXIMATE LOCATION OF THE CRASH SITE.

SO AS THEY APPROACH, THE PILOT DROPS DOWN LOWER

HOPING TO SPOT THE RAFT.

EVEN IN GOOD VISIBILITY,

A SMALL RAFT IN THE OCEAN CAN BE HARD TO SEE.

BUT THIS CHOPPER HAS A SECRET WEAPON --

...A LONG-RANGE INFRARED CAMERA TUNED TO DETECT BODY HEAT.

HIGH-PRECISION DIAMOND-COATED LENSES GATHER THE INFRARED LIGHT

AND FOCUS IT ONTO A SENSOR THAT CAN DETECT HUMAN BODY HEAT

OVER 1/2 MILE AWAY.

♪♪

A POWERFUL OPTICAL ZOOM ALLOWS THE CREW TO INSPECT THE SCENE

BEFORE THEY ARRIVE,

AND AN AUTO-TRACKING LASER BEAM ON THIS $200,000 CAMERA

CAN LOCK ONTO A HEAT SOURCE

TO MAKE SURE THE CREW NEVER LOSES SIGHT OF THEIR TARGET,

WHATEVER THE VISIBILITY.

♪♪

THE CREW'S DEDICATED CAMERA OPERATOR

SCANS THE OCEAN IN INFRARED,

QUICKLY SPOTTING THE WARM RAFT AGAINST THE COLD WATER.

ONCE HE'S FOUND HIS TARGET,

THE OPERATOR ZOOMS IN TO ASSESS THE SCENE.

THE FIRST PHASE OF THE MISSION IS OVER.

THE CREW FOUND THE RAFT IN JUST 25 MINUTES.

NEXT UP, THE CREW HAS TO LOWER A MAN

AS CLOSE TO THE RAFT AS POSSIBLE TO START THE RESCUE.

BUT THE CHALLENGE IS ABOUT TO TAKE AN UNEXPECTED TURN.

Man: OH [BLEEP]

Narrator: ON THE EASTERN EDGE OF NORTH AMERICA,

12 MILES OFF THE COAST,

THE CREW OF AN S-92 SEARCH-AND-RESCUE HELICOPTER

IS IN THE CRITICAL PHASE OF A WATER-RESCUE TRIAL.

THREE MEN ARE STRANDED IN A LIFE RAFT.

IN REAL LIFE, THEY COULD BE AT RISK OF HYPOTHERMIA,

SO THE CREW MUST RESCUE THEM QUICKLY.

THE CREW HAS TO INCH THE RESCUE HELICOPTER

EXTREMELY CLOSE TO THE RAFT

AND THEN LOWER THE RESCUER RIGHT NEXT TO IT

SO HE CAN ASSESS THE SITUATION AND RESCUE THE PEOPLE INSIDE,

ALL UNDER THE WATCHFUL EYE OF PAW BIENKOWSKY,

WHO'S JUDGING THE CREW'S PERFORMANCE.

SO, RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE JUST FLYING OVER TOP.

THEY'RE GONNA ASSESS THE SITUATION.

Narrator: ALL EYES ARE ON PILOT PAT PERRY.

♪♪

HE HAS TO MAKE SURE THE WIND COMING OFF THE ROTOR BLADES,

CALLED THE DOWNWASH,

DOESN'T UPSET THE LIGHTWEIGHT RAFT.

YOU'RE ALWAYS WATCHING WHERE YOUR DOWNWASH GOES

'CAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO ENVELOP SOMEBODY IN WATER.

Jason: OKAY, YEAH.

Narrator: RESCUER GUY GETS READY TO DROP INTO THE WATER.

PAT EDGES THE COPTER CLOSER TO THE RAFT,

CONSTANTLY WATCHING THE DOWNWASH FROM THE ROTOR.

Jason: GOOD LINE. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6...

♪♪

Narrator: BUT SUDDENLY, DISASTER STRIKES.

THE LIFE RAFT IS SMALL AND LIGHT,

AND IT TIPS OVER IN THE DOWNWASH.

PAT BACKS AWAY, REALIZING HE CAME IN TOO LOW AT 30 FEET.

THE BLAT FROM HIS ROTOR

OVERPOWERED THE LIGHTWEIGHT RAFT,

THROWING SOME OF THE MEN INTO THE FREEZING WATER.

-YES. -OKAY.

Narrator: UNEXPECTED TURNS LIKE THIS

CAN EASILY HAPPEN IN A REAL EMERGENCY.

NOW WHAT MATTERS MOST

IS HOW THE CREW DEALS WITH THE SITUATION.

PILOT PAT MAKES A SECOND, HIGHER APPROACH.

PAT MOVES IN AGAIN.

THIS TIME, HE'LL DEPLOY RESCUER GUY EARLIER.

AS GUY GETS READY TO DROP, HE BRACES HIMSELF

FOR THE HELICOPTER'S POWERFUL DOWNWASH.

St-Denis: YOU CAN BE IN HURRICANE WINDS UNDERNEATH THIS AIRCRAFT,

SO IT MAKES IT A LITTLE BIT CHALLENGING.

GUY'S LIFE LITERALLY HANGS BY A THREAD.

BATTERED BY THE DOWNWASH,

HE RELIES ON THE MACHINE TO KEEP HIM SAFE.

STRAPPED TO THE FRAME OF THE HELICOPTER IS A HIGH-TECH HOIST.

INSIDE IT, A TINY 6-HORSEPOWER ELECTRIC MOTOR

CRANKS A SET OF GEARS

THAT AMPLIFY THE MOTOR'S TURNING FORCE.

THEY WIND AN ALUMINUM DRUM WHICH CAN EXTEND NEARLY 300 FEET

OF LUBRICATED STEEL CABLE.

THE DRUM SLIDES FROM SIDE TO SIDE LIKE A FISHING REEL

SO THE CABLE DOESN'T GET STUCK.

A POWERFUL BRAKE CAN STOP THE SPINNING DRUM

TO BRING THE RESCUER TO A SMOOTH STOP.

THIS TINY BUT MIGHTY WINCH CAN LIFT 1/4 TON.

EVEN AS GUY'S GETTING BATTERED BY THE DOWNWASH,

HE CAN BE SURE THIS WINCH WILL NEVER DROP HIM.

♪♪

RESCUER GUY'S LIFE IS IN THE HANDS

OF THE MAN CONTROLLING THE WINCH, JASON AL-MOLKY.

IF WE'RE IN THE HOVER, AND SOMETHING SHOULD GO WRONG

WITH THE HELICOPTER,

THEN I HAVE TO MAKE A QUICK DECISION

WHETHER I BRING THE RESCUEMAN IN,

PUT HIM BACK DOWN WHERE HE IS, OR UNFORTUNATELY,

WE MAY HAVE TO CUT HIM AWAY FROM THE HOIST,

AND WE HAVE THAT ABILITY TO CUT THE CABLE QUICKLY.

St-Denis: I DON'T HAVE CONTROL ON THEIR FLYING OR ON THE WINCH,

SO, YEAH, YOU GOT TO PUT A LOT OF TRUST IN THESE GUYS.

Narrator: AS JASON LOWERS GUY DOWN, HE NEEDS TOTAL FOCUS.

Al-Molky: I'M ALWAYS TRYING TO THINK --

IF SOMETHING'S NOT GOING RIGHT HERE, WHAT AM I GONNA DO NEXT?

BECAUSE THE BOTTOM LINE, I DON'T WANT TO HURT

ANYBODY WHO'S ON THAT HOOK.

Narrator: AS THE HELICOPTER SLOWLY APPROACHES THE RAFT,

GUY RISKS SWINGING OUT OF CONTROL,

BUT HOIST OPERATION JASON

USES AN INGENIOUS TRICK TO KEEP GUY SAFE.

BASICALLY, THEY DRAG MY FEET IN THE WATER SO THAT WAY,

I CAN STABILIZE MYSELF GOING TOWARDS THE LIFE RAFT.

Narrator: THIS TIME, PILOT PAT HOVERS THE MACHINE

SLIGHTLY HIGHER AT 50 FEET INSTEAD OF 30.

THE RAFT REMAINS STABLE, AND GUY LANDS RIGHT BESIDE IT.

BUT MANEUVERING A 12-TON HELICOPTER,

MOVING WITH SUCH PINPOINT ACCURACY IS NO EASY FEAT.

THIS ABILITY IS DUE TO THE WORK

OF THE LEGENDARY AIRCRAFT ENGINEER IGOR SIKORSKY.

♪♪

EARLY HELICOPTERS HAD A BIG PROBLEM --

AS THEIR ROTORS STARTED SPINNING,

THEIR BODY SPUN THE OTHER WAY, MAKING THEM UNCONTROLLABLE.

IGOR SIKORSKY INVENTED A SMALL, VERTICAL TAIL ROTOR.

ITS SIDEWAYS THRUST STABILIZED THE HELICOPTER

AND ALLOWED THE PILOT TO PIVOT LEFT AND RIGHT.

BY CHANGING THE ANGLE OF THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES,

SIKORSKY COULD CONTROL THE THRUST THEY GENERATED

TO MOVE THE HELICOPTER IN ANY DIRECTION.

♪♪

THESE PIONEERING FLIGHT CONTROLS

HAVE EVOLVED IN THE SIKORSKY S-92,

GIVING THE PILOT ULTIMATE PRECISION

WHEN LIVES ARE ON THE LINE.

GUY REACHES THE MEN ON THE RAFT,

AND JASON LOWERS A RESCUE BASKET TO HOIST THEM TO SAFETY.

TO AVOID EXPOSING THE MEN

TO THE FREEZING WATER FOR TOO LONG,

GUY AND JASON HAVE TO WORK FAST.

IT TAKES THEM JUST FIVE MINUTES TO GET EVERYONE SAFELY ONBOARD.

♪♪

FINALLY, AS JASON HAULS GUY BACK UP TO THE HELICOPTER...

...THE RESCUE IS OVER.

IT WASN'T PERFECT,

BUT THEY ACHIEVED THE GOAL OF THEIR MISSION IN GOOD TIME.

Bienkowsky: SO WE SAW GREAT COORDINATION,

AND EVERYBODY LEARNED FROM THIS GOING FORWARD,

AND SO JUST, YOU KNOW, GREAT JOB BY THE CREWS

TO GET US BETTER AND BETTER

AT WHAT WE DO EVERY DAY TO SAVE LIVES.

Narrator: GUY IS BACK ONBOARD AFTER A JOB WELL DONE.

BUT THERE'S LITTLE TIME FOR CONGRATULATIONS.

THE CREW'S BEEN CALLED ONTO THEIR SECOND RESCUE IMMEDIATELY,

AND THE CLOCK IS ALREADY TICKING.

PILOT PAT GUNS THE RESCUE HELICOPTER FROM A STANDING START

TO 150 MILES AN HOUR TOWARD ITS NEXT TARGET.

BUT FLYING AT TOP SPEED AFTER SUCH A LONG HOVER

PUTS A HUGE STRAIN ON THE MACHINE.

JUST BENEATH ITS ROTOR

SITS THE BUSINESS END OF A THE CHOPPER --

THE TRANSMISSION.

THE JET ENGINES SPIN AT 22,000 RPM,

WHICH IS WAY TOO FAST FOR THE ROTORS.

SO THE GEARS IN THE TRANSMISSION SLOW THIS DOWN TO 260 RPM

TO POWER THE MAIN ROTOR SHAFT.

BUT THE GEARS MESH SO TIGHTLY,

THEY CREATE IMMENSE AMOUNTS OF HEAT,

SO A THIN FILM OF OIL REDUCES FRICTION AND COOLS THE METAL.

THE HOT OIL GATHERS IN A RESERVOIR TO COOL DOWN

AND FLOW BACK INTO THE TRANSMISSION,

KEEPING THE MACHINE IN THE AIR EVEN AT FULL SPEED.

PAT RACES TO THE COORDINATES OF THE SECOND RESCUE

AT 150 MILES AN HOUR.

THE SUN IS FADING, AND THE TEMPERATURE IS DROPPING.

ON THIS EXERCISE, THE CREW HAS NO IDEA

WHAT'S WAITING FOR THEM AT THE NEXT SITE.

WHEN THEY ARRIVE, THEY CAN TELL

THAT THEY'RE IN FOR A ROUGH RIDE.

♪♪

Narrator: OVER THE NORTH ATLANTIC,

THIS RESCUE HELICOPTER AND ITS CREW

FACE THEIR TOUGHEST SEARCH-AND-RESCUE TRIAL YET.

AS THE HELICOPTER APPROACHES ITS MISSION COORDINATES,

LIGHT IS FADING, AND IT'S RUNNING LOW ON FUEL.

THIS SECOND TRIAL IS AN EXTREME HOISTING DRILL.

INSTEAD OF LOWERING ONE MAN LIKE IN THE FIRST RESCUE,

THE CREW MUST LOWER TWO RESCUERS ONTO A SMALL BOAT

BOUNCING ON HIGH WAVES.

THIS IS TO PREPARE THEM FOR A POSSIBLE SCENARIO

WHERE THEY HAVE TO RESCUE A CRITICALLY ILL SAILOR

FROM AN OIL-RIG SUPPLY SHIP.

I'S A HIGH-ADRENALINE MANEUVER

THAT REQUIRES EXTREME PRECISION FROM THE PILOT

AND EXPERT TIMING FROM THE RESCUER AND HOIST OPERATOR.

♪♪

AND IN THE STORMY NORTH ATLANTIC,

THIS MANEUVER CAN BE ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS.

THAT'S WHY SEASONED RESCUE SPECIALIST ROB BEAUCHAMP

TAKES THE LEAD ON THIS TRIAL.

Beauchamp: IT'S VERY DYNAMIC.

YOU HAVE A MOVING BOAT, YOU HAVE A MOVING HELICOPTER,

AND YOU HAVE A MOVING PERSON,

AND YOU'RE TRYING TO BLEND ALL THREE TOGETHER.

Narrator: DEALING WITH ALL THESE VARIABLES

IS A CHALLENGE FOR THE WHOLE CREW,

BUT THAT'S NOT THEIR ONLY PROBLEM.

IN NEWFOUNDLAND, IN LABRADOR, EVEN A SUNNY DAY LIKE THIS

CAN BRING SUBZERO CONDITIONS.

ICE FORMING ON THE ROTOR BLADES COULD BE DEADLY

BECAUSE IT DISRUPTS THE AIR FLOW OVER THE BLADES.

THE RESCUE HELICOPTER MUST GET RID OF ANY ICE

BEFORE IT BECOMES A PROBLEM.

ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE ENGINE CASING,

ELECTRICAL SENSORS CAN DETECT EVEN TINY ICE CRYSTALS FORMING

AND QUICKLY TRIGGER

THE CHOPPER'S BUILT-IN ANTIFREEZE DEVICE.

SANDWICHED BETWEEN THE COMPOSITE LAYERS OF THE BLADES

IS A METAL MESH MADE FROM ALMOST A MILE OF ELECTRICAL WIRE.

SENDING AN ELECTRIC CURRENT THROUGH THE MESH

HEATS IT UP IN SECONDS.

THE WARMTH FLOWS UP TO THE SURFACE OF THE ROTOR BLADE,

SHEDDING ICE QUICKLY BEFORE IT CAN CAUSE TROUBLE.

THESE HEATED BLADES KEEP THE MACHINE IN THE AIR

EVEN AT 40 DEGREES BELOW ZERO.

♪♪

Perry: I CAN FLY IN JUST ABOUT ANYTHING.

IT'S ROUTINE FOR US TO FLY IN ICING CONDITIONS.

IT'S NOT THE EXCEPTION.

AND THE SYSTEMS WORK EXTREMELY WELL.

Narrator: THE TARGET BOAT IS MOVING UNPREDICTABLY,

AND THERE ARE MANY OBSTACLES ON THE DECK.

THE CREW WILL HAVE TO TRACK THE PITCHING BOAT PERFECTLY

AND LOWER THE TWO RESCUERS WITHOUT INJURING THEM.

THIS EXERCISE IS MEANT TO PREPARE THE MEN

FOR BOARDING A TROUBLED VESSEL.

IT'S A HIGHLY DANGEROUS MANEUVER.

EVERY TIME YOU DO FLY, IT'S A RISK.

IT'S NOT LIKE A CAR -- IF YOU RUN INTO TROUBLE,

YOU CAN JUST PULL OVER ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD,

AND IF ANYTHING SHOULD GO WRONG, WE'RE IN A HOVER,

SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE READY

TO HAVE A PLAN TO GET OUT OF THAT TROUBLE IF WE DO.

CHECK.

Narrator: THE HIGH WINDS AND HEAVY SEAS ADD TO THE CHALLENGE.

♪♪

♪♪

ROB STEPS INTO THE AIR.

SUDDENLY, ROB IS PUSHED OFF TARGET.

HOIST OPERATOR JASON ABORTS THE DROP

AND PULLS ROB UP TO STOP HIM FROM SWINGING.

JASON HAS TO NAIL IT THIS TIME.

THE CREW IS RUNNING LOW ON FUEL AND DAYLIGHT.

PAT HAS TO KEEP THE RESCUE HELICOPTER STEADY ABOVE ROB,

BUT HOVERING IN THE HIGH WINDS

IS A MASSIVE TECHNICAL CHALLENGE.

♪♪

WHEN THE WIND CHANGES DIRECTION,

IT PUSHES AGAINST THE TAIL ROTOR AND THE TAIL FIN,

FLICKING THE CHOPPER AROUND LIKE A WEATHER VANE.

AS THE WIND CHANGES SPEED,

IT AFFECTS THE LIFT FROM THE MAIN ROTOR,

PUSHING THE CHOPPER UP AND DOWN.

♪♪

ON TOP OF THAT, THE ROLLING OCEAN WAVES

CAN DISRUPT THE FLOW OF AIR THAT KEEPS THE HELICOPTER IN THE AIR,

ADDING TO PAT'S PROBLEMS.

Perry: EVEN A HELICOPTER AS LARGE AS THIS --

IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE MUCH,

BUT 10 KNOTS WILL PUSH YOU AROUND.

Narrator: TO TAKE ANY WIND OUT OF THE EQUATION,

THE CO-PILOT SWITCHES ON THE HELICOPTER'S AUTO-PILOT.

IF THE MACHINE TILTS EVEN A TINY BIT IN THE WIND,

THE AUTO-PILOT WILL SENSE THIS AND ADJUST THE ROTOR BLADES

TO BRING THE MACHINE BACK TO A LEVEL POSITION.

EVEN WITH THE AUTO-PILOT ENGAGED,

RESCUER ROB STRUGGLES TO GET A FOOTHOLD.

IF HE MISTIMES THE GRAB, HE'LL GET SMASHED AGAINST THE BOAT.

Narrator: THIS POWERFUL SEARCH-AND-RESCUE HELICOPTER

IS STRUGGLING TO REMAIN STEADY AGAINST HIGH WINDS AND WAVES.

EVEN WITH THE AUTO-PILOT ENGAGED,

THE FIRST ATTEMPT TO LOWER A RESCUER

ONTO A SMALL BOAT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL,

BUT ON THE SECOND ATTEMPT, SUCCESS.

NOW HE USES A GUIDELINE

TO BRING NEWEST RECRUIT GUY ONBOARD.

WITH BOTH MEN ON THE BOAT,

IT'S TIME FOR THE FINAL STAGE OF THIS TEST.

TO SIMULATE THE RESCUE OF A SAILOR,

GUY TIES ROBS INTO HIS HARNESS

SO JASON CAN LIFT THEM BOTH QUICKLY

WITHOUT THE NEED FOR A RESCUE BASKET.

♪♪

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED, AND THIS TIME, IT'S FLAWLESS.

TWO TRIALS DOWN, ONE TO GO.

THE CREW HEADS BACK TO BASE.

AT TOUCHDOWN, THEY HAVE NO IDEA

THAT THEIR MOST DIFFICULT TEST IS YET TO COME.

THEIR NEXT CHALLENGE WILL BE AN UNUSUAL LAND-BASED RESCUE.

BUT FOR NOW, THE CREW GETS SOME WELL-DESERVED REST

WHILE THE COPTER COMES IN FOR A THOROUGH CHECK-UP.

♪♪

ENGINEER TERRY HUMBER HAS TO PREPARE THE MACHINE

FOR TOMORROW'S MISSION.

I LOOK AT IT AND SAY, YOU KNOW,

"WOULD YOU PUT YOUR FAMILY IN THE AIRCRAFT

THAT YOU'RE INSPECTING OR YOU'RE WORKING ON?"

Narrator: TODAY'S TRIALS WITH TWO LONG HOVERS

HAVE PUT THE MACHINE UNDER SEVERE STRESS.

TERRY HAS TO INSPECT EVERY NUT AND BOLT

BECAUSE EVEN A TINY CRACK COULD BE DEADLY.

ONE OF THE FASTEST-MOVING PARTS ON THE HELICOPTER

IS ITS POWER SOURCE.

SITTING ON EITHER SIDE OF THE ROTOR

ARE THE TWIN TURBO SHAFT JET ENGINES.

♪♪

INSIDE THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER, A SPARK LIGHTS THE JET FUEL,

IGNITING A JET OF GAS BURNING AT 1,800 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.

RUSHING THROUGH THE BLADES AND THE TURBINES,

IT SPINS THEM UP TO 22,000 RPM,

GENERATING 5,000 HORSEPOWER TO DRIVE THE ROTOR BLADES

AND POWER 12 TONS OF CHOPPER TO OVER 170 MILES AN HOUR.

THE COUGAR SEARCH-AND-RESCUE TEAM

MUST BE READY FOR TAKEOFF AGAIN IN JUST FIVE HOURS,

SO TERRY FOCUSES ON THE ENGINE.

ONE OF THE MOST STRESSFUL TIMES THAT THIS ENGINE GOES THROUGH,

ACTUALLY, IS DURING START-UP PROCEDURE.

Narrator: IN THE EXTREME WEATHER OUT HERE,

THE ENGINES MUST BE ABLE TO TAKE IN AIR

AT MINUS-20 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT

AND HEAT IT UP TO 1,000 DEGREES,

THE TEMPERATURE OF VOLCANIC LAVA.

WHILE TERRY CHECKS THE ENGINES, AVIONICS ENGINEER SASHA GAYLE

TESTS THE COMPLEX CONTROLS THAT MOVE THE BLADES IN FLIGHT.

SO, WE DO THIS EVERY NIGHT AFTER THE HELICOPTER FLIES,

AND ITS PURPOSE IS TO MAKE SURE

THAT ALL SYSTEMS ARE FUNCTIONING PROPERLY.

WE'LL BE LOOKING AT A WHOLE BUNCH OF ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS.

Narrator: THE OIL PLATFORMS WORK 365 DAYS A YEAR,

SO THE SEARCH-AND-RESCUE TEAM IS ON CONSTANT STANDBY.

THEY FLY EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR,

WHICH MEANS THE MACHINES DON'T TAKE HOLIDAYS.

SEARCH-AND-RESCUE HAS TO BE AVAILABLE

ALL HOURS OF THE DAY AND NIGHT.

Narrator: SASHA RUNS A CHECK ON THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM,

WHICH CONTROLS THE ANGLE OF THE ROTOR BLADES.

THE ROTOR IS THE CRITICAL PART

THAT KEEPS THE MACHINE IN THE AIR,

SO IT HAS TO WORK FLAWLESSLY.

♪♪

THE ENGINEERING TEAM FINISHES THEIR CHECKS.

THE HELICOPTER IS READY TO TAKE TO THE SKIES ONCE AGAIN.

NEWEST RECRUIT GUY ST-DENIS

HAS A FINAL CHANCE TO PROVE HIS WORTH

IN THE THIRD AND TOUGHEST CHALLENGE YET --

A MEDICAL EMERGENCY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WILDERNESS.

SEARCH-AND-RESCUE CHIEF RICK BANKS

IS ON HIS WAY TO THE LOCATION

SO HE CAN JUDGE HOW THE CREW AND MACHINE

DEAL WITH THIS UNFAMILIAR ENVIRONMENT.

IT'S CHALLENGING FOR EVERYBODY,

AND THERE'S THINGS TO WATCH OUT FOR, YOU KNOW?

YOU NEED ADEQUATE HEIGHT TO COME INTO THE HOVER.

THERE'S ALWAYS OBSTACLES LIKE TREETOPS,

MOVING BRANCHES, YOU KNOW, APPARATUS IN RURAL AREAS HERE

THAT SOMETIMES ARE NOT SEEN WHEN YOU'RE COMING DOWN.

IT CAN BLOW UP DUST BALLS.

THERE'S DIFFERENT CHALLENGES EVERY TIME THAT THEY GO OUT.

Narrator: THIS TRIAL WILL PREPARE THE CREW FOR THE REAL-LIFE SCENARIO

OF AN OIL RIG HELICOPTER CRASH-LANDING ON THE COAST.

INJURED SURVIVORS COULD BE HIDDEN

AND TRAPPED IN TIGHT SPACES.

THE TASK IS TO GET HELP TO THEM AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE,

STABILIZE THE INJURED,

AND AIRLIFT THEM TO THE HOSPITAL.

♪♪

THE CHALLENGE FOR THE CREW WILL BE TO FIND THE CRASH SITE,

LOCATE THE VICTIM,

AND GET A MEDIC ONTO THE GROUND QUICKLY.

♪♪

THIS IS GOOD, YEAH?

FOR A CREW USED TO WATER RESCUES,

THIS TRIAL WON'T BE EASY.

Narrator: THE S-92 SEARCH-AND-RESCUE CREW

IS ATTEMPTING THEIR THIRD AND FINAL TRIAL,

THIS TIME ON LAND.

♪♪

RESCUER GUY ST-DENIS IS GETTING READY

AND IS EAGER FOR THE CHALLENGE.

St-Denis: I WAS TRAINED AS A PARAMEDIC. I LIKE THE MEDICAL SIDE OF IT.

I REALLY LIKE ALL THE ASPECTS OF FLYING.

A LITTLE BIT OF ADVENTURE IN THERE, TOO.

Narrator: THE CREW MUST GET TO THE COORDINATES QUICKLY.

BUT UNLIKE ON OPEN WATER,

THERE WILL BE DENSE FOREST OBSCURING THE CRASH SITE,

HIDING IT FROM PILOT PAT'S VIEW.

HE'S RELYING ON THE HELICOPTER TO GUIDE HIM.

♪♪

TUCKED AWAY INSIDE ITS ELECTRONIC BRAIN

ARE INTRICATE MOTION SENSORS.

AMONG THEM, THREE FIBER-OPTIC GYROSCOPES USE LASER LIGHT

TO DETECT THE CHOPPER'S EVERY MOVE.

AN ONBOARD COMPUTER CALCULATES THE EXACT POSITION IN SPACE

AND SENDS A SIGNAL

TO THE HYDRAULIC ROTOR BLADE CONTROLS...

WHICH AUTOMATICALLY FINE-TUNES THE MOVEMENT OF THE ROTOR HEAD

TO STEER THE MEGACOPTER AUTOMATICALLY

AND GUIDE THE CREW PRECISELY TO THEIR DESTINATION.

THE AUTO-PILOT CAN BOTH HOVER AND FLY THE RESCUE HELICOPTER,

BUT PILOT PAT NEVER TAKES HIS HANDS

TOTALLY OFF THE CONTROLS IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.

USING THE MACHINE'S GUIDANCE SYSTEM,

THE CREW QUICKLY REACHES THE COORDINATES

AND EVEN SPOTS THE INJURED PERSON RIGHT BELOW THEM.

Man: ROGER THAT.

Narrator: NOW THE CREW FACES THE CHALLENGE OF ATTEMPTING A RESCUE

IN AN ENVIRONMENT FILLED WITH TREES, POWER LINES,

AND WORST OF ALL, DUSTY GROUND.

Perry: OKAY, PITCH.

Narrator: PAT HAS TO PUT GUY DOWN IN THE NEAREST CLEARING,

FAR AWAY FROM THE TREES.

THEY FIND A CLEAR SPOT, BUT IT'S TIGHT.

GETTING GUY ON THE GROUND WILL BE A HUGE CHALLENGE.

Man: 100.

Narrator: AS THEY COME TO A HOVER, PAT'S PLAN HITS ANOTHER SETBACK.

THE CHOPPER HAS KICKED UP A DUSTBALL SO THICK,

PAT CAN'T GET A CLEAR LIGHT OF SIGHT TO THE GROUND.

PAT COMES UP WITH A SMART WAY TO CLEAR THE AREA.

HE ANGLES THE HELICOPTER TO BLAST THE DUST AWAY.

AS SOON AS IT CLEARS, GUY HOOKS UP TO THE WINCH.

PILOT PAT CAN'T SEE GUY'S LANDING SPOT

BELOW THE HELICOPTER,

BUT HOIST OPERATOR JASON HAS A CLEAR VIEW TO THE GROUND.

JASON MUST GUIDE THE PILOT,

CALLING OUT THE DIRECTION AND THE DISTANCE

THAT PAT NEEDS TO TRAVEL.

THE HOIST OPERATOR IS NOW IN CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER,

SO THE SAFETY OF THE CREW DEPENDS ON HIM.

JASON WILL HAVE TO FIND A CLEAR LANDING SPOT FOR GUY

AMONG THE ROCKY, UNEVEN GROUND

OR HE RISKS INJURING HIS RESCUER.

Al-Molky: IT'S A COORDINATION

BETWEEN THE HOIST OPERATOR AND THE PILOT

TO INSERT THE RESCUEMAN AS SAFELY AS POSSIBLE.

IF WE DON'T DO THAT, WE DON'T GET THEM DOWN THERE SAFELY,

WE CAN'T DO OUR JOB.

Narrator: DROPPING A MAN DOWN THE SIDE OF A HELICOPTER

IS ALWAYS A RISKY MANEUVER.

THE AIR CURRENT FROM THE BLADES

CREATES A 50-MILE-AN-HOUR HURRICANE.

BUT DIRECTLY BENEATH THE HELICOPTER IS A CALMER SPOT,

LIKE THE EYE OF A STORM.

JASON MUST LOWER GUY DOWN TO THIS SWEET SPOT.

BUT IF HE VEERS OFF COURSE,

THE AIRSTREAM COULD MAKE GUY SWING OUT OF CONTROL.

Narrator: RESCUER GUY ST-DENIS

IS BEING LOWERED TO THE GROUND, SWINGING DANGEROUSLY

BENEATH THE SIKORSKY S-92'S POWERFUL AIRSTREAM.

JASON GRABS THE WINCH CABLE AND STOPS GUY FROM SWINGING.

NOW HE'S READY FOR TOUCHDOWN,

WHICH CAN BRING UNPLEASANT SURPRISES.

♪♪

AS THE ROTOR BLADES SPEED THROUGH THE AIR,

FRICTION CAN CHARGE A HELICOPTER

WITH MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF STATIC ELECTRICITY.

CHARGED UP LIKE A THUNDER CLOUD,

THE ENERGY COULD DISCHARGE

AN CONDUCT WHEN THE RESCUER TOUCHES DOWN,

KNOCKING HIM UNCONSCIOUS.

SO AS GUY LANDS, HE TOUCHES THE CABLE TO THE GROUND

TO DISCHARGE ANY STATIC

SO THAT HE CAN DETACH FROM THE WINCH.

GUY IS SAFELY ON THE GROUND.

THE SECOND RESCUER, ROB, IS OUT NEXT,

FOLLOWED BY THE RESCUE BASKET, CALLED A STOKES.

GUY'S MEDICAL TRAINING KICKS INTO ACTION.

HE QUICKLY GETS THE PATIENT READY FOR TRANSPORT.

MEANWHILE, PILOT PAT IS WORRIED ABOUT HOLDING THE HELICOPTER

IN A LOW HOVER FOR TOO LONG OVER THIS TREACHEROUS LANDSCAPE.

15 MINUTES AFTER ARRIVAL,

THE BASKET WITH THE VICTIM IS ON ITS WAY UP.

FINALLY, NEW MAN GUY

HOOKS HIMSELF UP TO THE MEGA-COPTER'S WINCH.

THIS RESCUE MISSION IS A SUCCESS,

AND THE CREW USED THIS INCREDIBLE MACHINE

TO ITS FULL POTENTIAL,

EVEN WITH A NEW RECRUIT ONBOARD.

Perry: GUY'S DOING EXCEPTIONALLY WELL.

IT'S JUST LIKE HE'S ALWAYS BEEN PART OF THE TEAM AT THIS POINT.

Narrator: BUT IS IT ENOUGH TO IMPRESS

THEIR DEMANDING SEARCH AND RESCUE CHIEF, RICK BANKS?

SOON AS THEY HIT THE GROUND, YOU KNOW,

THEY WERE CAREFUL TO FIND THEIR FOOTING

CARRYING THE STOKES DOWN AMONGST ALL THE BRUSH,

AND I THINK, OVERALL, MISSION COMPLETENESS.

YEAH, IT WAS GREAT.

DESPITE A FEW SETBACKS,

ALL THREE MISSIONS ARE A SUCCESS.

GUY PASSED PROBATION WITH FLYING COLORS

AND IS NOW A PERMANENT MEMBER OF THE TEAM.

IT SEEMS TO BE A GREAT COMPANY SO FAR,

AND SO I HOPE TO STAY WITH THEM FOR A LONG TIME.

Narrator: RICK CAN REST ASSURED THAT THE HELICOPTER AND ITS CREW

CAN DEAL WITH ANYTHING

THE EXTREME ENVIRONMENTS OF THE NORTH ATLANTIC COAST

THROW AT THEM.

FROM THE LAND HOISTING OF A SURVIVOR

TO THE LIFE RAFT RENDERING OF SURVIVORS

TO WORKING IN THE WATER AS WELL AS HOISTING ON A VESSEL,

AND ALL THAT BROTHERHOOD AND THAT TEAM WORKING TOGETHER

IS THE ONLY THING THAT MAKES IT WORK.

♪♪

Narrator: THIS IS THE ULTIMATE SEARCH AND RESCUE MACHINE,

ALLOWING ITS TEAM TO PERFORM SUPERHUMAN FEATS

IN EXTREME CONDITIONS.

IT'S ALL THANKS TO ITS HIGH-STRENGTH SKIN,

A SUPER-COOLING TRANSMISSION...

A HEAT-SEEKING CAMERA...

A TINY BUT MIGHTY WINCH...

AND JET ENGINES WITH THE POWER OF FIVE FORMULA ONE CARS.

IT'S THESE TECHNOLOGICAL SECRETS THAT HAVE HELPED

THE SIKORSKY S-92 RESCUE HELICOPTER EVOLVE

TO BECOME A MEGA MACHINE.

♪♪