Heli Aeros
HELI AEROS
As a CAA approved heli DAE, the subject has to be dear to my heart, since I've been doing air shows and the associated manoeuvres for some thirty years.
So the legality of what we do had to be determined quite a few years ago, since as we all know, most FM's state in loud and clear terms, "no aerobatic manoeuvres"
Before the CAA had a dedicated DA system, I extracted their definition as being.... and I quote from CAA Test Pilot, Ken Reid in the mid 1970's. "any manoeuvre where the roll angle exceeds 90 degrees and the pitch angle 60 degrees." I have never requested a further definition since my insurers have been content to cover my display routines since 1974. (now just passed 1200 practice and actual public displays.) It is interesting to note that a CAA helicopter display authority simply clears the pilot for.... and I quote again.... "flypasts only"
It is further interesting that the FIA approved world helicopter championships are only ever referred to as 'Freestyle Flying' but as our recently published display DVD reveals, virtually all this year's entrants at Rouen flew 360 degree repeating pedal turns, spins and occasionally a full loop.
I only ever refer to the loops as a 270 or 360 degree 'wing-over' manoeuvre. ie a standard steep turn in a vertical plane!!
I'd have to say, heli aeros have been a grey area for as long as I can remember, but I certainly would not want to see such display flying stopped. I can only recall two public accidents in thirty years and while that is certainly two too many, it doesn't point to there being a significant problem.
I believe the CAA DAE system is working, and while the number of rotary DA's is not high, there is still a nil 'civil accident rate' in the UK.
Would like other views.
Dennis K