Originally Posted by
Uplinker
Ah, OK.
A fixed wing aircraft would never normally fly below the MSA unless they were landing, or in an extreme emergency. (And there is one low flying lesson; where an instructor takes students down to 500' agl to give them an appreciation of the cues of very low flying).
If a VFR fixed wing flew into IMC, the drill is to maintain altitude and perform a 180° rate one turn and fly back out of it. You could descend - as long as you remain a safe height above the MSA; which takes high ground, and high features such as transmitter masts, into account.
I didn't get Ascend Charlie's cryptic post....Plank, CIR, BOKYAG ??, but can you explain AGL, (I know it as "above ground level"), is that a helicopter equivalent of MSA ? Otherwise, how is a heli pilot in IMC to know what hills, high features or transmitter masts - or even trees - they are flying towards ?
Not judging, merely trying to understand helicopter operations.
Regarding the **** happens comment, I think it was a very unfortunate phrase but that Robbie has been misunderstood. Aviation safety is based on a foundation of disseminating information, including pilot mistakes. My read is that Robbie was telling us they had done something really stupid, as a warning to others not to be so stupid ?
Did you ever fly commercial fixed wing bush operations, survey, crop dusting ect. the stuff where all the fun is and 500 feet is considered High Altitude? Helicopters have the benefit of great vis from the cockpit and the ability to slow down and many more landing options. . A DHC-3 Otter, for example, on skis or floats is limited in both vis from the cockpit, and slow speed cruise is going to be +- 70 kts. Fun daze!