PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - AS 350: "Hold my beer son and watch this!"
Old 5th Jul 2018, 23:17
  #72 (permalink)  
ShyTorque

Avoid imitations
 
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Wandering the FIR and cyberspace often at highly unsociable times
Posts: 14,573
Received 422 Likes on 222 Posts
Some thirty one years ago, I was an RAF helicopter display pilot. I was allowed and authorised to fly manoeuvres that squadron helicopter pilots were prohibited from flying. The manoeuvres flown in my display were quite extreme, bearing in mind that it was a seven tonne helicopter with a fully articulated rotor head and were classed as semi-aerobatic. I successfully flew my season without mishap but two other pilots subsequently copied the more extreme manoeuvres I had developed and unfortunately damaged the aircraft so the display was discontinued (and hasn't been flown since 1994, although the type remains in squadron service).

Although I have considerable experience of flying the type of helicopter in the video, I would not carry out that short of manoeuvre in those circumstances. Why? Because there was absolutely no need to do it and there was some risk to the aircraft - it was unnecessary showboating during a routine job.
ShyTorque is offline