Genghis
I’m probably one of the, no sense no feeling dudes that Shy refers to.
You are right flying anywhere near lightning is just plain daft.
Flying R22sin light rain we also discounted a stupid when we noticed that the clutch light just kept on and on and on and well what about belt tension? Bugger that eh!
Heavy rain erodes hell out of the rotating parts and any helicopter equipped with grease nipples, well the good old clay based grease that we still HAVE to use turns into what looks like good cutting compound. Then you land and do a regrease and curse yourself for getting caught in rain.
Sitting it out when there is no option in widespread sudden downpours and lightning is very frightening. One’s mind dwells on the good old physics laws where electrical charges will stay on the outside of a metal container, but what would happen if - if this plexi / fibreglass structure with no doors took a hit. Well you could get out and sit under a tree or in the open???
Flying without stabilisation is not an issue, they don’t need the assistance, you can either fly one or you shouldn’t have a license.
Turbulence is usually not an issue. Say you’re in a throttled back C182 at 80 knots and you encounter a wind pocket travelling at say 40 knots – big bump.
In things rotary the blades will be at say 400 knots and encountering the same gust has much less effect.
I’ve always been most frightened in a small F/W, especially when I’m all alone with myself miles from anywhere.
I’ve yet to encounter a severe micro downdraft but always figured that the helicopter unlike the F/W would have enough room to stay afloat just above the ground where the air must flatten out.
We usually figure that if you're out in the bush and you know there are no wires around, then what your VFR rules says is best, 'as low and slow as you need to be.'
At least you can see what is going on by observing the trees.
As long as the CB storm cell is not accompanied by lots of widespread rain you can land or loiter somewhere aways quite easily. Usually they transit areas in about 25 minutes, well in the tropics anyway, that’s not long.
The tail will flick around just the same as in severe mechanical turbulence, that’s 2/3 days out of every 4/5 days here in our winter.
Always stay further away from the lead of a storm cell, say ten miles, than anywhere else around it - five miles.
TET