Originally Posted by
Jhieminga
My apologies for starting down this road. I was looking for thoughts on where hovering at 100' over a crowd in an urban setting fits in your risk model? These are twin-engined helos, but what are your options if you lose one engine in such a situation? As someone said, ya gotta do what you gotta do, but where would you draw the line, from a helicopter performance and risk standpoint?
This Lakota should have fly-away capability after the loss of a single engine. But again, think it terms of other catastrophes. Things like, main and tail rotor impacts, projectile damage, wire strikes, obstacle collisions, downwash blowing items into rotors, etc.
The FAR for minimum safe altitude has a subtle distinction. For an airplane, 91.119 references an emergency landing without undue hazard to persons/property on the surface after a power unit failure. However, for a helicopter, it simply states, the operation must be conducted without hazard to persons/property on the surface.
As for the risk/reward, to employ the aircraft in a similar manner I would need an imminent and significant life saving requirement. Protecting property or shooing rioters doesn’t cut it.
FWIW, as a retired LE pilot, I have been here in both smaller and larger helicopters.