Helicopter take off from oil rigs
Hi, apologies in advance if this is a silly question but it came up during our coffee break and as you know, coffee breaks are the theorist’s platform to share everything they don't know with confidence.Question was (in very non aviation terminology) Chopper taking off from a helideck offshore, we have watched and sat on thousands of them
1) Increase in power, chopper lifts and hovers at let’s say 5/6 meters above the deck. Totally understand this is to see that everything is good in the gauge and functionality world whilst over a very small dance floor.
2) It shimmy's about and aligns its self for its heading and fly away.
3) And this is the point raised, almost every time, it always seems to drop (slowly) down from the hover height to the point of the rear wheels almost touching the deck again, then it’s up and away..... why does the chopper drop down before lift ? what is the transition at that point ?
4) To clarify, its merely a question, not a complaint, not a criticism only a question........in perspective, yesterdays was why is there a window in your washing machine door but not in your tumble dryer door !! is life shaping stuff lol
Thanks in advance, this could close a chapter