What's the max groundspeed you did with a helicopter? [Archive]

Colonal Mustard

17th Aug 2006, 18:00

I wont say where it was but i remember descending to the immediate right of a motorbike going flat out on a straight stretch of moorland road.....only to gently pull along his right hand side and watch in amusement as he looked across and began to slow down thinking we were "old bill" or something, before we began waving and slowly picking up speed climbing away in laughter.........Damn love to find that biker again and find out what he thought;)

ips

17th Aug 2006, 18:08

400kph Or 220 Kts ,with Strong Monsoon Tail Winds In A Hind (mil 35).....

lup

17th Aug 2006, 18:26

198 kts g/s agusta 109 mkII, 162 kts airspeed straight and level agusta 109 mkII Plus

Fortyodd2

17th Aug 2006, 18:34

212 Kts in a Lynx, (minus TOW Booms), downwind, in a Valley not far from Aviemoor one dark and very windy night in July 1994. Achieved this speed about 2/3rds of the way along the valley and continued to hold in excess of 200 Kts before being spat out of the valley at the far end. My eyes were bigger than my NVG by the time we got out and decided against a repeat performance. :eek: The two following crews also reported ground speeds in excess of 200 Kts.

ron-powell

17th Aug 2006, 19:08

180kts for about 1 minute, indicating 105kts in a AS350B3 eastbound from Arizona to Albuquerque. Most of the flight was between 155-170kts. Alt 11,500'.

SASless

17th Aug 2006, 19:26

Lynx....not so much a wheelie but darn sure raised some eyebrows as the Old Girl thundered by with her chinny chin chin on the ground and her skirt flying in the breeze! Don't know how fast we really got to....but began the rotation after we passed 100kts.

Landings at speeds like that were true Wheelies!

Land Ops pale when compared to water ops!:ok:

Impress to inflate

17th Aug 2006, 19:27

212 knots in a basic Mk1 Super Pumer for most of the inbound leg, not bad for the old girl. :D

rudestuff

17th Aug 2006, 20:00

Windy day, schweizer 300cbi in a dive at Vne (94kts) - GPS said 142kts

Hughes500

17th Aug 2006, 20:26

187kts g/s with an airspeed of 138 kts S & L in a 500D. Still late home, dont know what was worse the wife shouting on the car journey to the theatre or her exceeding 120mph ( most definitly groundspeed)as we were late.

NickLappos

17th Aug 2006, 21:10

265 knots in the XH-59 ABC with a 20 knot tail wind. Wild ride, with 2 jets screaming and the rotor in autorotation. Time from standing still to 2000 feet at 150 knots was about 20 seconds!

John Eacott

17th Aug 2006, 21:51

265 knots in the XH-59 ABC

Oh well, the rest of us will quietly put our 220kts back in the box and think of better days :p

But FWIW, 220kts in a 109 with a little bit of a tailwind, and 201kts once in a BK117: now that was a bit interesting :cool:

Matthew Parsons

17th Aug 2006, 22:30

Nick, lets be fair. That would have been 265kts in an autogyro. Well...at the time.

Matthew.

the coyote

17th Aug 2006, 22:37

213 knots, S76C in the cruise, Bass Strait, Oz. Other guys there have had 226 knots.

tomstheword

17th Aug 2006, 23:57

168 kts in a B206 on descent. Solid 55 kt tail wind, photos to prove.

Jack Carson

18th Aug 2006, 00:23

What Nick didn’t tell you was that it shook like the proverbial out house once above 200 KIAS. In all other respects it provided a pretty good adrenalin rush. Definitely an E ticket ride.

PO dust devil

18th Aug 2006, 01:08

My 210+/- kts by gps was in a Squirrel riding a Katabatic from 3000m plateau to near sea level down the Priestley Glacier (E166 S74) over a relatively short distance... very interesting being spat out at the bottom. It was just as well the aircraft didn't know how fast it was going, as it would have been "peaking" as well...

Reefdog

18th Aug 2006, 04:36

168kts g/s on gps with 100 indicated in 212 in a shalmal( which is a big wind in the gulf)

John Eacott

18th Aug 2006, 04:42

168kts g/s on gps with 100 indicated in 212 in a shalmal( which is a big wind in the gulf)

NFI what G/S we used to get flogging around the Brent Field in 212's, Decca DANAC wasn't up to that sort of accuracy: but we did have ocassion to flog around in winds exceeding 70kts one day, simply because we were out of shut down limits, and it was convenient to keep the bus run going until the wind dropped :rolleyes: . No doubt we would have been well over 170kt g/s at times, just as much as we were certainly down to about 30-40kts going back into wind ;)

Heliharm

18th Aug 2006, 05:47

I did 220 kts GS in a S76B. 145 kts IAS and 75 kts of tailwind.

thelynxeffect

18th Aug 2006, 08:10

Lynx Mk 7, with TOW booms. We managed a sustained 202kts (GSDI and 252)in the downwind leg (IMC) of the Radar pattern at EGUW, as you can imagine it took forever to get down once we had turned onto finals. :ok:

212man

18th Aug 2006, 14:19

I'm sure the 225 and (when it arrives in the SNS) the 155 boys will have some interesting figures by this winter's end. With 160 kts TAS easily achieveable straight and level, and 170-175 in a descent, it won't be long before a 70 kt tail wind takes someone over the 240 kt G/S mark :ok:

I once did Bristol to Benson in 16 minutes in a 155, which I thought was pretty neat!

biggles99

18th Aug 2006, 21:29

blimy,
so my 200 mph - on the skyforce gps - in a r22 is pretty extreme then.
(i remember changing the setting from knots to mph coz i wanted to see "200" on the display)
that was in a decent from 4,000ft, and i never exceeded vne (102kts)
the take off was very interesting, of course.

tomstheword

19th Aug 2006, 01:18

gulliBell

19th Aug 2006, 03:13

213 knots, S76C in the cruise, Bass Strait, Oz. Other guys there have had 226 knots.

I beat you (not that it is a competition mind you!); according to the Trimble GPS 218 knots, same aircraft cruising straight and level. I didn't know someone had since beaten me! Was also hovering with 70 knots on the clock that day, 50+ ft waves well above the cellar deck to boot. Got 240 knots out of the 412 but they were adjusting the timining of the LORAN ground stations then so can't really claim that one!

XT244

21st Aug 2006, 10:12

Ups, only 118 kts with my B47-G3B1 ... :{

http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/8913/gpsgj4.th.jpg (http://img207.imageshack.us/my.php?image=gpsgj4.jpg)

Helipolarbear

21st Aug 2006, 10:41

270K in an X-15...Mother Rucker..1984........:) Then there was that trip in the Agusta Grand......................now thats fast.........nearly keeps up wth a Hawk......168 Vne straight & level. Just like every Hawk pilot has done....193KIAS Vne....................sucking all the power at a 15 degree pitch down att. from about 5000'..... Had only Doppler ref for GS, which is not very reliable at a transmitted angle other that the plain.:}

cl12pv2s

21st Aug 2006, 10:52

But we might have to go to arbitration on this one, was it legal.
Does it not state in the flight manual of the R22 that one is not allowed to fly in wind of more than or winds forcast to exceed 15 kts (not sure of the exact number).

No actually:

The only wind limitations in the R22 flight manual refer to pilots with less than 200 hours in helicopters and / or less than 50 hours in the R22. And even then, the 15kts you remember refers to the gust spread.

See the extract below from the AD 95-26-04 .

cl12pv2s

LIMITATIONS SECTION

The following limitations (1-3) are to be observed unless the pilot manipulating the controls has logged 200 or more flight hours in helicopters, at least 50 of which must be in the RHC Model R22 helicopter, and has completed the awareness training specified in Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) No. 73, issued February 27, 1995.
(1) Flight when surface winds exceed 25 knots, including gusts, is prohibited.
(2) Flight when surface wind gust spreads exceed 15 knots is prohibited.
(3) Continued flight in moderate, severe, or extreme turbulence is prohibited.

Adjust forward airspeed to between 60 knots indicated airspeed (KIAS) and 0.7 Vne, but no lower than 57 KIAS, upon inadvertently encountering moderate, severe, or extreme turbulence.

Note: Moderate turbulence is turbulence that causes: (1) changes in altitude or attitude; (2) variations in indicated airspeed; and (3) aircraft occupants to feel definite strains against seat belts.

Agaricus bisporus

21st Aug 2006, 11:08

65Kts in a Chinook coming back from the Brent. Went to Sumburgh instead...
Don't recall the outbound speed, wind had picked up en route.

Once saw a Fiesler Storch (almost an honourary helicopter) appear tail-first over a hangar at about 100' and fly across the apron backwards at walking pace. Mind you, he wasn't trying to go forwards! It did look odd when he put the power on though.

tomstheword

21st Aug 2006, 11:11

It must have been the 25 kts I was refering to but Im just filthy a R22 went 173 kts.

CYHeli

21st Aug 2006, 11:54

I had been for a flight in a H500 (Vne 156 kt) and afterwards jumped into my four wheel drive with the wife. I had taken my hand held Garmin with me in the '500 and the wife was later playing with the GPS in the car. What's this 320 km/h max speed on the GPS? She asks. How? What have you been up to?

It still took her a little while to settle down after I explained it had been in the '500 and with a tail wind. A 320 km/h Nissan Patrol, I'd like to see that!
:O

Steve76

21st Aug 2006, 12:13

28 April 2004
Myself and Capt. Pearce - SW Ontario at 2am in the morning.
S76A @ 234kt GS in a shallow decent at VNE.

That plus a couple of other notable efforts with Capt. Galapagos :)

AirWon

21st Aug 2006, 20:49

212kts, 500' agl, SK76A++, Maui, with about a 50kt+ tailwind.

Heli-Ice

21st Aug 2006, 22:58

120 kts in a Scwheizer 300C.

It was an interesting ride

John Eacott

21st Aug 2006, 23:03

I had taken my hand held Garmin with me in the '500 and the wife was later playing with the GPS in the car. What's this 320 km/h max speed on the GPS? She asks. How? What have you been up to?

A wife who knows how to work a GPS? I'd like to see that ;) :p

scooter boy

21st Aug 2006, 23:10

Hey Biggles99 - When you clocked 200mph in the R22 was the aircraft pointing directly downwards at the ground at the time?
Was this speed encountered during a Michael Fish style unpredicted weather phenomenon?
My little R22 used to get overtaken by cars on the motorway most days.
Are you sure you weren't looking at kph?

SB

Stan Switek

22nd Aug 2006, 04:08

190 mph indicated at about 50' agl near Mono Lake in a SA341 Gazelle.

arkright

22nd Aug 2006, 09:40

can't blow wind up to many backsides but thought 210 knots gs in a as350ba complete with dart skibasket with a good katabatic blowing and indicating 110 knots was a good effort at time(antartica 6-7 yrs ago).

arkright

22nd Aug 2006, 09:44

just read p o dust devils on previous page and had a feeling of deja vu,thats was where above took place,must be the spot for speed.

PO dust devil

22nd Aug 2006, 09:54

Down toward that black ridge and a quick dart toward TNB.....ahhhhh that Italian tucker.......bellisimo

arkright

22nd Aug 2006, 09:57

3 cheers forpepe and antonio,hnz don't know how many pilots went back for the good food and fine?wine

PO dust devil

22nd Aug 2006, 10:03

Little off topic but non c'e problemo......Just spent several weeks with Benny Mangione and Aldo (the paramedic/ cleaner). Antonio cooking in Napoli and Ischia (sp?)

DD

biggles99

22nd Aug 2006, 17:18

ShyTorque

22nd Aug 2006, 19:59

223 kts in a S-76C, chased home by an incoming Typhoon.

Mind you, the groundspeed outbound was only about 80kts. We "civvies" were asked by an embarrassed RAF Sqn Cdr if we could pick up some "observers" from a very small rocky island in the S. China Sea asap. They had previously placed the men out there and the typhoon changed course towards the island - meanwhile their only remaining Wessex had just gone u/s.....oops!

On arrival at the island I couldn't get the aircraft on the ground for a while due to extremely strong updraughting - our S-76 was hovering at about 5 feet with the collective fully down and the Nr kept going to the top limit in the very strong turbulence over the only possible landing place, on an into wind rock slab. As soon as the aircraft wheels touched, three very grateful soldiers did the quickest embarkation ever and we were up and away!

Whirlygig

22nd Aug 2006, 20:03

223 kts in a S-76C, chased home by an incoming Typhoon.
What, you mean the Eurofighter? That wasn't very sporting of them!

Cheers

Whirls

ShyTorque

22nd Aug 2006, 22:55

What, you mean the Eurofighter? That wasn't very sporting of them!

Cheers

Whirls

Methinks you know exactly what I meant, m'dear! :)

This was back in the days when Eurofighter hadn't even been christened the "Type Hoon"

bladepitch

22nd Aug 2006, 23:15

in a 44 astro with fixed floats. 135 kts. our current astro (in awesome condition, treated well by the japs who owned it last) will bust that by about 15 kts with half decent bum wind. in case anyone is wondering VNE for 44 with fixed floats at SL is 120.

SASless

23rd Aug 2006, 00:27

Nick can appreciate this one...

ILS into West Palm Beach...S-76...

Approach...Delta 451 (Boeing 727)....can you increase speed...following traffic overtaking you.

Delta....Roger Approach.....we'll speed up a bit.

A minute later...Delta could you speed up some more...traffic still overtaking.

Delta....Roger Approach...we'll give you all we can.

A minute later...Delta can you give us some more...traffic still overtaking.

Silence....then Approach....what kind of traffic is it that is overtaking us?

Approach....A helicopter is behind you on the approach and overtaking you.

A long silence....Approach did you say "helicopter"....?

Approach....Yes, it is a Sikorsky...a very fast Sikorsky.

Me....Approach, 76GT visual with the jet....we'll slow down and follow him in.

Aser

23rd Aug 2006, 21:51

AB-139,
200kts level flight, wind 40kts , sadly limited by VNE
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h263/aser_martinez/26-05-06.jpg
On the ILS limited by FM to 140 IAS :{

Davey Emcee

23rd Aug 2006, 23:10

I was overtaken by a pickfords truck on the M3 when flying a Bell 47 if that's any good

212man

24th Aug 2006, 09:33

"200kts level flight, wind 40kts , sadly limited by VNE"

and vibration levels by the look of it.....;)

delta3

24th Aug 2006, 09:43

Fastest 169 knts GS, (145 knts 2 hrs average)
Mind you also managed frustrating 40 knts GS over some mountain ranges in turbulent conditions.
Conditions : Mistral winds southern alps.

Surely not as fast as Sasless story, but on one approach to LFML (Marseille Provence) in descent to Robbie really smoothly wanted to maintain 130+ knts IAS without any excessive power, and I had the feeling I was overtaking a 737 on final, but that probably is a boys perspective (dont know approach speed of 737, and the 737 was not asked to speed up). At least it gave a good feeling ...

d3