All language subtitles for Mega Machines-S01E01

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.

♪♪