Heedm,
You don't indicate what helicopter you are operating, but I'm assuming a twin, maybe a Bell? If you're going for an OGE hover for tracking, sometimes higher is better, giving you more opportunity to get some forward motion, and maybe Vyse, if you have a donk failure. I tend to around 150' in the BK, but it's just about SE hover capable at tracking weight, anyway (it's better tracked light, not heavy). It also gets me away from the hangar turbulence, if I can't move somewhere else on the field.
Re your over tree winching, another 30' of cable is another 30' of pendulum motion to contend with. If the treetops moving in your downwash is a problem, should you be referencing away from them, maybe further down into the trunk, or move your sight picture further out? Just a thought
