Leaving helicopter with engine/rotors running - merged threads
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Interesting post, its an age old question.
Legality or practicality.
The most important thing is protecting your ass! Whatever you do, you have to the able to make that decision being able to justify your actions. (Mainly to the local avaition authority, the boss & the insurance company perhaps). That said, an understanding of the rules, the company ops manual and flight manual may help because how can you argue against the rule if you do not know the rule to start with.
In the australian Civil Aviation Orders (CAO's), Part 95, Section 95.7, paragraph 7.2 it states;
The exemption, "from general requirement for a pilot to be at controls", in relation to a helicopter is subject to the condition that a pilot must, from the time of starting the engine or engines until the time of stopping the engine or engines at the end of the flight, be at the controls of the helicopter unless:
a) the helciopter is fitted with skid type landing gear; and
b) the helicopter is fitted with a serviceable means of locking the cyclic and collective controls; and
d) the pilot considers that his or her abscence from the cockpit is essential to the safety of the helicopter or of the persons on, or in the vicinity of, the helicopter; and
e) the pilot remains in the immediate vicinity of the helicopter.
Now, after all that the real questions are the definitions of "locking the cyclic & collective", "essential to the safety", "vicinity" and "immediate vicinity".
I know of CASA FOI's that have made a statement that "hot refueling" by the pilot is not "essential to safety" so this ruling does not apply (but that's another argument for another day).
But the definition of "essential to the safety", of the helicopter, and while remaining within the "immediate vicinity" to close a door probably is within the terms of the ruling as long as you can justify it.
Another thought; Why don't you brief your pax thoroughly and test them on opening and closing the doors prior to the flight?
Happy pondering.
Legality or practicality.
The most important thing is protecting your ass! Whatever you do, you have to the able to make that decision being able to justify your actions. (Mainly to the local avaition authority, the boss & the insurance company perhaps). That said, an understanding of the rules, the company ops manual and flight manual may help because how can you argue against the rule if you do not know the rule to start with.
In the australian Civil Aviation Orders (CAO's), Part 95, Section 95.7, paragraph 7.2 it states;
The exemption, "from general requirement for a pilot to be at controls", in relation to a helicopter is subject to the condition that a pilot must, from the time of starting the engine or engines until the time of stopping the engine or engines at the end of the flight, be at the controls of the helicopter unless:
a) the helciopter is fitted with skid type landing gear; and
b) the helicopter is fitted with a serviceable means of locking the cyclic and collective controls; and
d) the pilot considers that his or her abscence from the cockpit is essential to the safety of the helicopter or of the persons on, or in the vicinity of, the helicopter; and
e) the pilot remains in the immediate vicinity of the helicopter.
Now, after all that the real questions are the definitions of "locking the cyclic & collective", "essential to the safety", "vicinity" and "immediate vicinity".
I know of CASA FOI's that have made a statement that "hot refueling" by the pilot is not "essential to safety" so this ruling does not apply (but that's another argument for another day).
But the definition of "essential to the safety", of the helicopter, and while remaining within the "immediate vicinity" to close a door probably is within the terms of the ruling as long as you can justify it.
Another thought; Why don't you brief your pax thoroughly and test them on opening and closing the doors prior to the flight?
Happy pondering.
How many million gallons of jet fuel ever been hand pumped...machine pumped into a running helicopter by the pilot during bush operations? Do I know anyone that has had any kind of problem as a result of that...or taking a walk over behind a convenient bush to leave a soil sample for the locals to ponder....or just to geek on a tailboom or shut a door? Not one. I have heard stories...pariticularly with helicopters in snow....especially if they did not have snowshoes on the skids.
Legal? That might be a great argument. Wise....that is another argument. Do it....yes..but now that I am older and wiser....I do it with great trepidation.
You can what if this to death...but the totality of the circumstances are the key to it. If it is getting a bit snowy, sunset is coming, it is -45F outside....shutting down might not be the right answer. Setting on the beach next to the beer stand and lined up double breasted boobie birds....no brainer...shutdown every time. (....and pray to the great Helicopter Wizard that for once the starter will go on strike!)
Legal? That might be a great argument. Wise....that is another argument. Do it....yes..but now that I am older and wiser....I do it with great trepidation.
You can what if this to death...but the totality of the circumstances are the key to it. If it is getting a bit snowy, sunset is coming, it is -45F outside....shutting down might not be the right answer. Setting on the beach next to the beer stand and lined up double breasted boobie birds....no brainer...shutdown every time. (....and pray to the great Helicopter Wizard that for once the starter will go on strike!)
Don't be daft. Roll to idle, friction up, get out and shut the door.
FHM says nothing about this at all. Check your op's manual thou. 407 too knows a thing or two about flying, I would suggest you take his advice over any of the english pilots who have responded.
ie:
"What if there turbine decides to run-way up?"
What is a run-way up? Oh! you mean a highside failure... Not going to happen unless you roll on the throttle and in all the JR hours I have flown and all the JR pilots I have chatted with, I have never heard of this happening.
"What if one of the control servos decides to have a "stroll"
Where would it go? The rotor system will not change its plane of rotation unless acted on by a force on the cyclic. Frictions ON! Some say that you should switch off the HYD but that is a load of bolloks too. Makes no difference. HYD are just power steering like your car and you leave that idling at the shopping mall.
"What if there is a fluky gust of wind. 407 too suggests "flight idle, friction locks on. (wait for rpm to run down)" - Blade sailing is far more pronounced at lower rpm"
This is a Bell not a Sikorsky or Hughes.
As a sidenote, I worked for a tourism operator once upon a time who left the machine running while you escorted your pax around a tourism attraction. I think the total distance was about half a kilometres walk (plus the climb up the hill
) from the machine. It was always interesting to see if it was still there 20mins later. Once in a while the wind would shift and a reassuring whine would float down the hill...
Each to their own.
PS: if you shut down and it won't start. Tap the starter with something solid - axe, piece of wood etc and then try the start, Still nogo? Repeat the above with one of the customers finger on the start button (NOTE: thottle off!) Usually it is the brushes that will cause starter failure.
FHM says nothing about this at all. Check your op's manual thou. 407 too knows a thing or two about flying, I would suggest you take his advice over any of the english pilots who have responded.
ie:
"What if there turbine decides to run-way up?"
What is a run-way up? Oh! you mean a highside failure... Not going to happen unless you roll on the throttle and in all the JR hours I have flown and all the JR pilots I have chatted with, I have never heard of this happening.
"What if one of the control servos decides to have a "stroll"
Where would it go? The rotor system will not change its plane of rotation unless acted on by a force on the cyclic. Frictions ON! Some say that you should switch off the HYD but that is a load of bolloks too. Makes no difference. HYD are just power steering like your car and you leave that idling at the shopping mall.
"What if there is a fluky gust of wind. 407 too suggests "flight idle, friction locks on. (wait for rpm to run down)" - Blade sailing is far more pronounced at lower rpm"
This is a Bell not a Sikorsky or Hughes.
As a sidenote, I worked for a tourism operator once upon a time who left the machine running while you escorted your pax around a tourism attraction. I think the total distance was about half a kilometres walk (plus the climb up the hill
) from the machine. It was always interesting to see if it was still there 20mins later. Once in a while the wind would shift and a reassuring whine would float down the hill...Each to their own.
PS: if you shut down and it won't start. Tap the starter with something solid - axe, piece of wood etc and then try the start, Still nogo? Repeat the above with one of the customers finger on the start button (NOTE: thottle off!) Usually it is the brushes that will cause starter failure.
I'll get me coat......
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When I was in NZ a couple of years ago we did we trip up to the Fox Glacier. After we landed the helicopter was left running while the pilot got out and played tour guide for 10 mins. All legal in NZ too, or at least it was then!
CH
CH
Don't be daft. Roll to idle, friction up, get out and shut the door.
Just beware of the local or operators rules. I know that in Denmark it is illegal to leave the seat while engine is running, but it is not so in many other countries.
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Good God Almighty.
For that to illicit any form of reception gives me courage enough to express opinion. If I am wrong in any way, shape, or form, please inform me as I am not a pilot of many hours.
"Leave the controls."
Not unless they were on fire or were otherwise going to endanger the safety of my aircraft/crew, or passengers.(In that order, by the way.)
Time should never be the pilots' concern. We all hope that we find operators that understand this.
They do exist.
I know.
There will be arguments about FOMs etc, but how could anybody feel happy about leaving a rotary aircraft unattended at idle. FULL STOP.
Dont care if you are bush or not.
A/C does'nt like it, engineers dont like it, whats the problem??
For that to illicit any form of reception gives me courage enough to express opinion. If I am wrong in any way, shape, or form, please inform me as I am not a pilot of many hours.
"Leave the controls."
Not unless they were on fire or were otherwise going to endanger the safety of my aircraft/crew, or passengers.(In that order, by the way.)
Time should never be the pilots' concern. We all hope that we find operators that understand this.
They do exist.
I know.
There will be arguments about FOMs etc, but how could anybody feel happy about leaving a rotary aircraft unattended at idle. FULL STOP.
Dont care if you are bush or not.
A/C does'nt like it, engineers dont like it, whats the problem??
Erchie,
If you are in fact a new pilot....you will be confronted with lots of decsions in your working life that do not fit into the orderly frame work you describe.
You will find that "time" is the very essence of a pilot's life. It may be revenue hours for pay to the contract, to your purse, or for bonus calculation. Time may decide how many lifts you get done in a day and the lifts are paid by tons moved....thus wasted time is expensive. Time counts towards component wear, TBO's, fuel burn....the list is endless. Thus I suggest you consider what these "Bush" pilots are telling you. They have all been out there doing the job and know too well what "time" means to a pilot.
Your point is well taken...."time" alone should not dictate safety standards but one has to balance "time" against the risks as you balance other issues including revenue earned and costs incurred over "time".
It is not as simple as it appears. One of the requirements of being a safe, professional pilot is being able to strike that balance so it all works out.
If you are in fact a new pilot....you will be confronted with lots of decsions in your working life that do not fit into the orderly frame work you describe.
You will find that "time" is the very essence of a pilot's life. It may be revenue hours for pay to the contract, to your purse, or for bonus calculation. Time may decide how many lifts you get done in a day and the lifts are paid by tons moved....thus wasted time is expensive. Time counts towards component wear, TBO's, fuel burn....the list is endless. Thus I suggest you consider what these "Bush" pilots are telling you. They have all been out there doing the job and know too well what "time" means to a pilot.
Your point is well taken...."time" alone should not dictate safety standards but one has to balance "time" against the risks as you balance other issues including revenue earned and costs incurred over "time".
It is not as simple as it appears. One of the requirements of being a safe, professional pilot is being able to strike that balance so it all works out.
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Many years ago two military students of mine were briefed on how to swap seats at the half way point of a first night mutual at a relatively busy joint-user airfield during the business hour rush:
collective lock on,
throttle flight idle,
cyclic friction on,
force trim on,
right hand seat occupied last then first.
All understood?
Yessir, do we do this on the Duty Runway?
GAGS
E86
PS with students don't leave any stone unturned!
collective lock on,
throttle flight idle,
cyclic friction on,
force trim on,
right hand seat occupied last then first.
All understood?
Yessir, do we do this on the Duty Runway?
GAGS
E86
PS with students don't leave any stone unturned!
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Ask the pilot of G-WKRD , it is not that simple chaps and things can and do go horribly wrong. The easy answer is don't do it, the Engineers answer is that the machine is in it's best state of equilibrium whilst at flight idle and applying full frictions should suffice. please don't think that and SAS/Autopilot will prevent lifting/inputting just leave it as you would if you were sat on the ground at flight idle awaiting your pax.
As Capt H says, normal for the pilots on the Glaciers in NZ to be away from the helicopter, and doing the tour-guide bit. In 30+ years I don't think anyone has ever had a problem.
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Hollywood
Read the CAO's. I think you will find a reference in there about leaving an aircraft with the engine still running. Part 100'ish.
How about fire bombing you guys. You can't run an aircraft for 8 hours straight and not need to pee!
Friction it up properly and should be OK.
Read the CAO's. I think you will find a reference in there about leaving an aircraft with the engine still running. Part 100'ish.
How about fire bombing you guys. You can't run an aircraft for 8 hours straight and not need to pee!
Friction it up properly and should be OK.
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The other side of the coin is "Why not shut down?"
If you are not trained and have not done an idling dismount, then do not learn the trick when you are already a bit embarassed and flumuxed with an off site landing/door unlatched incident. Those extra distractors are the signs that you must now watch yourself very carefully. A real pro learns the way to tell himself NO as he sees these tiny hairs rise on his neck. Unusual things are to be carefully watched, and corners that you get jammed into are dangerous corners, indeed.
As long as the helo has been starting OK, just land, shut down, close the door (and look around at the whole helo, too) then climb in, restart and fly away. If you have regularly operated to idle and dismount, have a ball.
If you are not trained and have not done an idling dismount, then do not learn the trick when you are already a bit embarassed and flumuxed with an off site landing/door unlatched incident. Those extra distractors are the signs that you must now watch yourself very carefully. A real pro learns the way to tell himself NO as he sees these tiny hairs rise on his neck. Unusual things are to be carefully watched, and corners that you get jammed into are dangerous corners, indeed.
As long as the helo has been starting OK, just land, shut down, close the door (and look around at the whole helo, too) then climb in, restart and fly away. If you have regularly operated to idle and dismount, have a ball.
Golden advice Nick.....it never hurts to stop...take the time to smell the Roses then get back after it. If you are getting "pushed"...and making "small" mistakes....break the chain and start over before you make a "big" mistake.
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Originally Posted by Teefor Gage
If only life was simple.........
407 too's second post talks of the difference between legality and practicality. You try explaining that the accident happend "cos you only left the controls unmanned for a few seconds while you did whatever" and see how far it gets you in court.......
407 too's second post talks of the difference between legality and practicality. You try explaining that the accident happend "cos you only left the controls unmanned for a few seconds while you did whatever" and see how far it gets you in court.......
I have seen a UH-1 with just one on board hot refuel with the machine at flight idle during fire fighting ops. He parked at an unmanned heliport next to the bowser, locked the controls at idle, then jumped out and hot-refuelled himself. Aslo saw a BK-117 do it at the same place for the same fire.
It seems the bigger the machine, the more inclined you are to leave the controls at idle. I don't know anyone who would do it in an R22 (even with an occy strap over the collective), but it seems safer in 206's and up. I guess the only time you wish you didn't do it was when the machine goes haywire, rolls over and blows up - all whilst you're standing in the bushes with your slug in your hand, now wishing you'd held on!
SFU
Helicopter pilots are such a bunch of worrywarts. Good grief, sometimes I wonder how some of you actually leave the house, so paranoid you seem about Bad Things happening. Do any of you actually fly? I mean in the real world, in real helicopters, not the kind generated by FS2004.
In my 10,000 hours...that's right, 10,000 hours in which much of that time was spent sitting between revenue flights at ground-idle, I cannot ever...that's right, ever remember a time when the idling engine suddenly accellerated itself. I can't ever remember a hydraulic servo "running away." (In fact, hydraulic hard-overs in 206's are just about unheard of.) I can't ever remember having the idling rotor disk do anything strange, even when larger helicopter landed right next to me. Oh, I'd grab the controls and "be ready," of course, and sometimes my helicopter has yawed a little, but I've never, that's right never had to pull the stick one way or the other to counter this fictitious and imaginary "blade sailing."
Yet we worry. We worry that our ship, which sat perfectly well on the dolly in the hangar before our flight, will now somehow tip over backwards simply because it's running without the weight of the pilot in the seat. We worry that haunted throttles will suddenly go to "full" or collectives with their own minds will raise or errant cyclics will clunk to a stop...or the machine will catch on fire (somehow spontaneously combust?). I guess we just like to worry.
Then again, there are the terminably stupid. I've known pilots who've gotten out of running helicopters without ensuring that their cyclics were properly frictioned (with predictably expensive results). I've known pilots who shut the engine down and then leapt like a Gazelle from the machine (not an SA-341, in this case) without ensuring that the throttle was completely closed and the fire had indeed gone all the way out...oops! And of course there is the true story of the hapless S-76 pilot in Los Angeles who got out to check a door but inexplicably left his ship running at full rpm (now there was a genius!). We are left to wonder whether he was actually surprised when it took off - or attempted to - without him. (We are also left to wonder why an S-76, ostensibly at flat pitch would lift off the ground? Perhaps someone with Sikorksy experience could explain that little malfunction. In every Sikorsky I've ever flown, if you left the collective friction or stick trim off the pole would fall to the floor like a dropped sledgehammer. So that's curious.)
Eons ago, in my capacity as a lineboy, I used to refuel a particular traffic-watch Bell 47 that regularly stopped in. The pilot was always in a hurry, and fueling operations began before the rotor even stopped (no brakes, remember), with me crouching under the whirling stabilizer bar. The bloke always wanted it topped-off, and you know those old saddle-tanks, no matter how careful I was being, petrol would inevitably slosh out, into the scupper and onto the hot engine with a loud PSSSSSSST!. This used to happen and I'd think to meself, "Is today the day I get blowed up to the high heavens?" Apparently not, for I am still here. Continued repetition of unsafe acts without accident does not render them safe of course, and I no longer engage in such foolishness. No, I let others refuel 47's right after they've shut down, thank you very much. Avgas? Egad!
Back to the point: Be safe, take the right precautions, and if your helicopter has never before done anything hinky at idle there is no reason to believe it will this time when you need to get out for two seconds to secure a door, take a leak, throw on a few extra gallons or whatever.
But worry on, mates, if fretting over the trivial makes you feel better.
In my 10,000 hours...that's right, 10,000 hours in which much of that time was spent sitting between revenue flights at ground-idle, I cannot ever...that's right, ever remember a time when the idling engine suddenly accellerated itself. I can't ever remember a hydraulic servo "running away." (In fact, hydraulic hard-overs in 206's are just about unheard of.) I can't ever remember having the idling rotor disk do anything strange, even when larger helicopter landed right next to me. Oh, I'd grab the controls and "be ready," of course, and sometimes my helicopter has yawed a little, but I've never, that's right never had to pull the stick one way or the other to counter this fictitious and imaginary "blade sailing."
Yet we worry. We worry that our ship, which sat perfectly well on the dolly in the hangar before our flight, will now somehow tip over backwards simply because it's running without the weight of the pilot in the seat. We worry that haunted throttles will suddenly go to "full" or collectives with their own minds will raise or errant cyclics will clunk to a stop...or the machine will catch on fire (somehow spontaneously combust?). I guess we just like to worry.
Then again, there are the terminably stupid. I've known pilots who've gotten out of running helicopters without ensuring that their cyclics were properly frictioned (with predictably expensive results). I've known pilots who shut the engine down and then leapt like a Gazelle from the machine (not an SA-341, in this case) without ensuring that the throttle was completely closed and the fire had indeed gone all the way out...oops! And of course there is the true story of the hapless S-76 pilot in Los Angeles who got out to check a door but inexplicably left his ship running at full rpm (now there was a genius!). We are left to wonder whether he was actually surprised when it took off - or attempted to - without him. (We are also left to wonder why an S-76, ostensibly at flat pitch would lift off the ground? Perhaps someone with Sikorksy experience could explain that little malfunction. In every Sikorsky I've ever flown, if you left the collective friction or stick trim off the pole would fall to the floor like a dropped sledgehammer. So that's curious.)
Eons ago, in my capacity as a lineboy, I used to refuel a particular traffic-watch Bell 47 that regularly stopped in. The pilot was always in a hurry, and fueling operations began before the rotor even stopped (no brakes, remember), with me crouching under the whirling stabilizer bar. The bloke always wanted it topped-off, and you know those old saddle-tanks, no matter how careful I was being, petrol would inevitably slosh out, into the scupper and onto the hot engine with a loud PSSSSSSST!. This used to happen and I'd think to meself, "Is today the day I get blowed up to the high heavens?" Apparently not, for I am still here. Continued repetition of unsafe acts without accident does not render them safe of course, and I no longer engage in such foolishness. No, I let others refuel 47's right after they've shut down, thank you very much. Avgas? Egad!
Back to the point: Be safe, take the right precautions, and if your helicopter has never before done anything hinky at idle there is no reason to believe it will this time when you need to get out for two seconds to secure a door, take a leak, throw on a few extra gallons or whatever.
But worry on, mates, if fretting over the trivial makes you feel better.
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Most people have a skeleton in a closet somewhere, and I have a couple too.
I once dismounted from a big Bell whilst it was running and walked around the nose to check the positioning of the left hand skid prior to shutting down…and the machine ‘moved on me’. I had just reached the nose of the helicopter when it started to pivot around the back of the left skid. The rocky terrain, the C of G shift when I got out, and probably a small gust of wind, were enough to start the whole sequence that ended up with the machine leaving its landing gear and squatting on its belly, in some unpleasant countryside hundreds of kilometers from anywhere.
That was many years ago. Every now and again, whenever I want to ‘beat myself up’, I take out the pictures to revisit the scene of the crime.
Have I ever dismounted rotors turning since then? You bet! Sometimes, after very careful consideration and with all things are considered (at least twice), I have decided it to be by far the best option… sometimes there is just no other viable option. However I am resigned to the fact that this is only as long as nothing goes wrong!! Otherwise it will be the worst decision I have ever made, as the company and the regulators will always determine that there was a better way.
If you can, shut down. If you can’t, look for a better place to land, move to somewhere where you can shutdown.
If, in your opinion, it is essential to dismount whilst the rotors are still turning be prepared to face the consequences, as it can go horribly wrong!!!
I once dismounted from a big Bell whilst it was running and walked around the nose to check the positioning of the left hand skid prior to shutting down…and the machine ‘moved on me’. I had just reached the nose of the helicopter when it started to pivot around the back of the left skid. The rocky terrain, the C of G shift when I got out, and probably a small gust of wind, were enough to start the whole sequence that ended up with the machine leaving its landing gear and squatting on its belly, in some unpleasant countryside hundreds of kilometers from anywhere.
That was many years ago. Every now and again, whenever I want to ‘beat myself up’, I take out the pictures to revisit the scene of the crime.
Have I ever dismounted rotors turning since then? You bet! Sometimes, after very careful consideration and with all things are considered (at least twice), I have decided it to be by far the best option… sometimes there is just no other viable option. However I am resigned to the fact that this is only as long as nothing goes wrong!! Otherwise it will be the worst decision I have ever made, as the company and the regulators will always determine that there was a better way.
If you can, shut down. If you can’t, look for a better place to land, move to somewhere where you can shutdown.
If, in your opinion, it is essential to dismount whilst the rotors are still turning be prepared to face the consequences, as it can go horribly wrong!!!
TFS,
First, you will get as many replies as there are national aviation authorities! Australia is quite easy, go to casa.gov.au and look at CAO 95.7.
EXEMPTION FROM GENERAL REQUIREMENT FOR PILOT TO BE AT CONTROLS
7.1 If the condition set out in paragraph 7.2 is complied with, a helicopter is exempt from compliance with subregulation 225 (1) (but not subregulation 225 (2)) and subregulation 230 (2) of the regulations.
7.2 The exemption given by paragraph 7.1, in relation to a helicopter, is subject to the condition that a pilot must, from the time of starting the engine or engines until the time of stopping the engine or engines at the end of the flight, be at the controls of the helicopter unless:
(a) the helicopter is fitted with skid type landing gear; and
(b) the helicopter is fitted with a serviceable means of locking the cyclic and collective controls; and
(c) if a passenger occupies a control seat fitted with fully or partially functioning controls or is seated in a position where he or she is able to interfere with such controls, the controls are locked and the pilot is satisfied that the passenger will not interfere with the controls; and
(d) the pilot considers that his or her absence from the cockpit is essential to the safety of the helicopter or of the persons on, or in the vicinity of, the helicopter; and
(e) the pilot remains in the immediate vicinity of the helicopter.
OK?
First, you will get as many replies as there are national aviation authorities! Australia is quite easy, go to casa.gov.au and look at CAO 95.7.
EXEMPTION FROM GENERAL REQUIREMENT FOR PILOT TO BE AT CONTROLS
7.1 If the condition set out in paragraph 7.2 is complied with, a helicopter is exempt from compliance with subregulation 225 (1) (but not subregulation 225 (2)) and subregulation 230 (2) of the regulations.
7.2 The exemption given by paragraph 7.1, in relation to a helicopter, is subject to the condition that a pilot must, from the time of starting the engine or engines until the time of stopping the engine or engines at the end of the flight, be at the controls of the helicopter unless:
(a) the helicopter is fitted with skid type landing gear; and
(b) the helicopter is fitted with a serviceable means of locking the cyclic and collective controls; and
(c) if a passenger occupies a control seat fitted with fully or partially functioning controls or is seated in a position where he or she is able to interfere with such controls, the controls are locked and the pilot is satisfied that the passenger will not interfere with the controls; and
(d) the pilot considers that his or her absence from the cockpit is essential to the safety of the helicopter or of the persons on, or in the vicinity of, the helicopter; and
(e) the pilot remains in the immediate vicinity of the helicopter.
OK?