Helicopter Flight Information
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Helicopter Flight Information |
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The Altitude Above youAttitude is your friend, it is like money in the bank. No matter how you think of it, you need as much as you can get when something goes wrong. If you were flying low, you are in serious trouble. You are going to be just as dead if you fall from 200 feet as you will if you fall from 5000 feet, so why not be a little higher. It is normal to fly low (500-feet) in helicopters, but the risk is elevated when you do. While flight planning, do not fail to consider emergency landing options. Consider your glide distance should you experience engine problems. Very few helicopters have a glide distance of more than about 1/4 mile per 1,000 feet of altitude. Actually the glide is a little better than that, but I would not stress that as it could lead a pilot/student to attempt to glide farther than is realistic. It is far better to make a good autorotation to bad place closer to you, than to make a bad autorotation trying to get to a landing area just out of reach. Remember that when you enter an autorotation in a helicopter, your descent rate will be 1500 to 1800 fpm. This means that if you were flying at 500 feet AGL, and experienced an engine problem, you will be on the ground in less than 20 seconds, so your actions better be right. Also keep in mind that engine problems are extremely rare, however they do occur. Read our accident statistic data found here. In a helicopter, when you lose your engine, what you see off the toes of your shoes is your dinner, kind of what you see is what you get. I don't know about you, but I prefer a grassy field to a stand of trees, or a rock pile. It is better to be at a higher altitude to increase your options should something go wrong. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER attempt an engine restart in a helicopter if you experience a failure at 1,000 feet or less altitude, there just is not time, and you had better be focused on a good autorotation. The runway behind youWhen you execute a take-off, it is better to have some clear terrain below you. Unfortunately, in helicopter aviation, we operate in remote areas, and often at low altitudes. We just don't have that much going for us if something goes wrong. But that is life, and sometimes death. It is the risks we take for flying helicopters. isn't it great!! On the other hand, we should, when possible, operate with a safety buffer. Why take off over trees if there is a clearer area available. Why execute a vertical climb if there is sufficient room to execute an airport take off profile. 10 seconds ago10 seconds ago your engine was running, or you had a couple of drops of fuel in the tank. Always do the right thing, if something is wrong get the aircraft on the ground while it is still reasonably safe. Don't crowd the margin of safety trying to make it a little farther, it is not likely to get you there.
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