Captain Howdy

So far this seems like the convoluted combination of every aviation disaster film I've seen.

If the pilots are down and the passengers are civilian? Say what? Almost would have to be a foreign national Herc. Then I can't see chutes, etc., on board. And if you're just talking pilots it's either a L-100 model or a J model.

If U.S. Herc, a civilian Herc. Again no chutes. A U.S. military Herc, then passengers are probably retired military or military dependents.

Safety valve is located aft rear left of cargo door. Maybe 8" diameter with a butterfly valve. Safety prevents over pressurization. Opens with pressurization exceeds a certain limits, 15.8" hg if I remember correctly. Also, depressurizing opens the valve once you go to A/C no pressurization or emergency depressurization.

Three overhead hatches. But I don't think anyone wants to be sticking any body part out an open hatch while in flight.

Liferaft in wings, near wing root. Definitely need someone flying the plane if these are deployed. Possibility of one hanging up on the horizontal stabilizer.

Maybe a little more Herc research needs to be down before you think about using a Herc.

Thanks again for getting back in touch - and thanks for the tech info, you've been a great help.

I don't blame you for thinking it seems a little convoluted, I've drip-fed only fragments of information here concerning the plot (I didn't wish to start boring you all with unnecessary detail) but I assure you the screenplay is very original and in good shape (if I may so bold!). Even better now that I've enjoyed the kind assistance of everyone here who took the trouble to respond.

I should point out, in case I haven't been clear, that the film isn't about the Herc - the Herc is merely the aircraft the protagonists find themselves in - at no point is the name Herc even mentioned. This means there's a fair bit of creative license likely to be involved in the interests of dramatic storytelling. I promise you, if I were making a documentary about Hercs for the Discovery Channel I'd do a great deal more research!

Again, thank you for your input, you've been incredibly helpful.

I sure hope we all get to see this film!!!!!!!!!

Me too! Obviously we're a long way off yet but it's called 'The Berserkers' and, all being well, we'll be shooting end of the year/beginning of 2015.

Capt. Howdy (great name),

If the mission were a tactical one (going over enemy lines, etc.) then the crewmembers would wear a survival vest, which has an emergency radio in it. Being in the Navy IF we flew those types of missions we would wear the SV-2 vest (pictured below without the inflatable bladder) but typical of overland C-130 tactical missions. I’m not sure what the Air Force wears. But, the point is that if the mission is tactical they will wear some kind of survival vest that have a couple of things in it to grab someone’s attention. 1) Radio (PRC-90 or PRC-112), 2) a signal mirror (good for getting a tailing fighter pilot’s attention) and 3) a rescue strobe light with IR lens attachment to be seen by people wearing night vision goggles.

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Which radio you use depends on the era your filming.

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PRC-90-1 & 2 (this radio goes back to the Vietnam era and up through late nineties (maybe):

• Frequencies –

o Voice 121.5 and 282.8 and the

o Emergency beacon 121.5 also

o Button for Morse code

PRC-112 - is the most current

• Frequencies used were combined UHF/VHF

• Later models had GPS that could transmit encrypted information about the position

• Two-way communication through satellites

Anyway, if I were in a bad situation like that, that's what I would do. FredG

Fred, you've been incredibly helpful, thank you so much - just what I needed!

And just a heads up Captain..... In the 7th SOS, Howdy was a term brodcast over the intercomm when someone passed gas.

Ha! I love it, I had no idea! Actually Captain Howdy is taken from one of my favourite films; The Exorcist. I like the name even more now!

If the bad guys had eardrums, any dinking with the pressure, flux or depressurize ,would tip them off somebody was playing games. I suggest dumping fuel. Pull the T handle and deploy a life raft (hoping it won't hang on the horz. or vertical stab). That would tell the F-16 guys they were in distress or stupid. Ha Ha Bill

Actually I have the pilots depressurizing the cabin earlier on in the movie - great minds think alike! The life raft could be a good idea (maybe not for their communications problem but something else comes to mind!) - where would that be found on the aircraft?

This is an interesting thread! I agree with GACGuy: who's flying the plane? Also agree with Podboy: there are a ton of ways to keep from being shot down, but along about here my wife would tell me: "It's just a movie"! One thing did come to mind. Back in the real old days of 1963, 1964 and 1965 E models there was a flare "port" built into the apparatus the navigator used for his sextant readings. The flare gun and flares were an item on the pre flight check list. One of the things I noticed when I visited with my old bird (#877) a couple years ago is that that complete assembly had been removed and plain flat panel installed. If Captain Howdy were to use something like a flare signal we all could assume that the airplane is an old "E" !

Thanks for joining in the conversation, I really appreciate your ideas. I guess I should probably mention, these guys need to do more than just not be shot down - they need to warn of a greater threat happening on the ground, there's more at stake than just their survival - so they need to do more than just signal the F16s, they need to make contact with the authorities urgently.

I may end up taking a few small liberties with what's available on this particular aircraft so heads up; I have a feeling this may be one of the movies where your wife may get a little annoyed with you!

I think it was Executive Decision. They used the fax machine in Air Force One.

I like the safety valve. You'd have to climb all the way up on the ramp, but maybe instead of a flare, just use a flashlight or feed out a white flag. The F-16s might get the wrong message from a flare being shot in their direction.

Any idea how big a safety valve is? Or even better - could you describe what it looks like or forward a link to an image? That would be great - a safety valve opens up other possibilities within the film, not just their attempts at communication.

Fire the flares out of the Safety Valve in the back. The hatches are too much to deal with. QUESTION: If these guys have NO C-130 knowledge..... who is flying the plane?

Okay, so a bit more information; the pilots are down and the plane is on auto, the civilian passengers intend to parachute down to safety but first they need to communicate with the F16 pilots - they have been identified as a terrorist threat and are over sea so there's an increasing risk of them being shot down. None of the men on board are familiar with aviation/military protocol so dipping the wings isn't something that will have occurred to them.

What's the safety valve? I haven't heard of that - what is its purpose?

Considering how many radios the Herc had when I flew (2 UHF, VHF, FM, 2 HF), I can only imagine that they have even more now. But that being said, if they carry parachutes, there's a possibility that there are emergency radios with the chutes, etc. Hell, for that matter beat the crap out of the ELT in hopes that it goes off.

Radios with the chutes - that could well be the answer! Fantastic idea, thanks so much!

How about firing flares out of one of the exits i.e. overhead escape or paratroop door. Flares are a maritime indicator of distress.

I like the idea of firing off a flare but these guys need to do more than just send a distress signal - they need to open a line of communication somehow. I didn't know there was an overhead escape though - that could be useful!

Maybe this can give you some ideas-

http://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/atpubs/aim/aim0603.html

Wow, there's a ton of useful info in that - thanks so much! The problem I might still face though is that these guys are civilians and won't have access to those procedures or knowledge of the C-130 or its comms - they're as clueless as me!

Apologies for the double posting - I'm a total newbie!

Didn't they do that in Air Force One?

I think you're right. Or was it Executive Decision? I can't remember. But it's definitely been done.

Thanks for joining in the conversation guys!

Not many places to hide in a Herc. Might want to consider it being an airborne communications model with a capsule inside. Tons of extra communications and a couple rooms. Narrow passageways around it and up on top as well. As to the standard comms, others will help.

Thanks for adding your thoughts. I like your thinking but for this story it works better that these guys are exposed and vulnerable - having nowhere to hide adds to the tension (I didn't mention it before but they're not alone up there!)

Considering there are several radios spanning A LOT of frequencies pretty hard to lose all communications but its a movie so OK.... Sent you a message send some of the details so I know if this guy has a Swiss Army Knife and a roll of duct tape.

Only just saw this reply, just responded to your private message but didn't mention anything about the extra kit on board. Yeah, I think it's pretty easy to work in duct tape and a Swiss Army Knife - I'm intrigued! Do please tell.

Thanks for adding your thoughts. I like your thinking but for this story it works better that these guys are exposed and vulnerable - having nowhere to hide adds to the tension (I didn't mention it before but they're not alone up there!)

I think you're right. Or was it Executive Decision? I can't remember. But it's definitely been done.

Thanks for joining in the conversation guys!

Only just saw this reply, just responded to your private message but didn't mention anything about the extra kit on board. Yeah, I think it's pretty easy to work in duct tape and a Swiss Army Knife - I'm intrigued! Do please tell.

Hi everyone,

I'm hoping someone might be able to help me with a slightly unusual request. I'm a screenplay writer based in London and I'm currently putting the finishing touches to a script where all the action takes place inside a C130. The problem is, I have absolutely no knowledge of aviation whatsoever and have written myself into a bit of a corner so I'm desperately hoping someone might be able to help me out of it!

The film is a real-time thriller, set entirely in flight (I'll spare you details unless you really want to hear them!) and our hero needs to communicate with the ground - the problem is, communications have been compromised due to gunfire on board (I had read somewhere that some C130 models had dual antenna; one for transmitting, one for receiving - our guys can hear but they can't speak)

No mobile phones are on board and if our guys can't speak with the ground soon then two F16s are going to take them out - can anyone think of a clever way for these guys to get some kind of comms up and running? I should point out that they're civilians (but one of them could conveniently be a communications engineer!)

Although I wouldn't want to offend C130 purists, this is just a movie so not all suggestions need be 100% logical to the technology available on current models.

Any ideas at all would be greatly appreciated - and for what it's worth I'm more than happy to give consultant credits on the film when we get into production.

Many thanks and regards,

Kevin