Helicopter Display Flying

[eurocopter beans]

Hi all,

I have to perform a solo display at an upcoming airshow however i find a lot of solo heli display tedious .... there are only so many torque turns a man can do!!

We can't compete with the fast movers for 'ooohs' and 'aaahs from the crowd and I'm prohibited from performing aerobatic maneouvres like the Red Bull guys. Has anyone any ideas for an interesting (and safe) routine? or can anyone point me in the right direction for online information on heli display flying (finding it tricky sourcing good info).

EB

[heliboy999]

Hi There!

I have seen a routine from "Otto" the helicopter in the USA which is quite different. Does a lot of the backwards flying stuff but he also does a routine which demonstrates the controls and what they do. It put a different spin on things so you might be able to do something along those lines.

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HB999

[eurocopter beans]

Ha Ha, that was excellent, love the guy in the airplane... the heli pilot was excellent too... he managed to convey everything you need for a CPL H in the space of 9 minutes, great gift of the gab!!!

Its nice to see a different type of display, I will be in a EC135 for the display, very maneouverable, not as maneouverable as his heli though.

Thanks for that

[500 Fan]

I don't know if this is any good to you but it's an amazing piece of smooth flying.

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500 Fan.

[Hell Man]

You need to be creative and a little brave or else people will just get bored.

Don't mind sharing a couple of moves with you from my display days (mainly in Hu500 but also with B412 and A109MKII):

Rear Start Opening
Carry out a backwards (cockpit facing away from crowd and traveling in direction towards crowd) take off (after checking all clear). Gradually increase height and speed. Gain maxium allowable rearward flight speed. Push nose forward and initiate 'tail climb'. At top of tail climb, vertically align aircraft, as aircraft begins to fall initiate right or left cyclic turn while in vertical dive and pull up to enter the display facing the crowd head on. Execute left or right turn to run parallel to crowd to start display sequence. :D :D

Corkscrew Climb and Humpback Bunt
At some point during display build in a high speed run and enter a vertical climb. As soon as aircraft is vertically aligned begin high rate cyclic roll while remaining in vertical climb. As vertical momentum slows align aircraft to desired position in relation to crowd and introduce gradual collective while at the same time instigating forward cyclic. This will raise the tail, cause the aircraft to become level and allow the tail to keep rising (humpback). Reduce collective (marginally) and maintain forward cyclic until aircraft enters a vertical bunt (facing the ground). Conduct one or more cyclic rolls during vertical bunt to bring the aircraft out in desired direction. :D:D:D

Twist Away
Depending on how much power the 135 has available, consider a 'Twist Away' finish to the performance. Maximum rate collective climb from hover with simultaneous maximum rate pedal turn. After reaching target height gradually reduce collective then pedal and either dive or roll aircraft away in desired direction. :D:D

HM

[eurocopter beans]

5oo fan,; That was very smooth flying alright and some nice maneouvres, thanks

Hell man: Thanks, some really good stuff to work off there. Are there any dangers entailed with high speed rearward flight? I cant find any aircraft specific data however whenever i pick up any decent pace rearward this nose / tail seems to fishtail significantly (due to large fenestron??). Are there any specific considerations for wind direction in your moves? Also, I dont suppose you have any video footage of your performances do you? Do ye reckon there is such thing as display plagiarism? If so... I reckon i'm heavily guilty!!

[Arm out the window]

Possible compressor stall due too much wind up the choof could be a factor with fast rearwards flight with some types.

Also I would be cautious of flap-forward followed by a massive bunt as the elevator cops lots of airflow from underneath.

[Floater AAC]

Have a look on you tube for the Blue Eagles Lynx display for the Red Bull air race in London 2007. The display pilot was an Army Warrant Officer called Barry Jones aka BJ. In my opinion the best display pilot we have had in the last couple of decades. He developed the routine and added new manoeuvres that had never been done in the aircraft. It was a spectacle that kept everyone from the newest aviation observer to people with many hours on the aircraft type, on the edge of their seats without causing the fear of witnessing an impending disaster.

Whatever you end up doing, good luck and fly safe. :ok:

[puntosaurus]

We did a little two helicopter display to music in Redhill a few years back. Great fun to put together, not sure what the audience thought.

Some of the moves were the ferris wheel where the helicopters circle over each other whilst facing the audience, the planetary gear, where they rotate around a circle whilst spinning on their axes, the challenge where the helicopters depart backwards then reverse to pass while banked, the pistons where they go up and down in opposition, and the falling leaves where they descend whilst spinning.

I think the two (or more) helicopter show is the best way to display helis, as you say it's rather dull just doing one (unless it's a Bolkow !)

[eurocopter beans]

That blue eagles display was excellent alright, however I think my boss will have a fit if he sees me doing inverted maneouvres!

Ideally the display would be a two ship....more going on at any time and generally more intesesting... however we are limited to a solo display.

Is there any source material for this type of thing or is it generally a 'go up and see what works' affair??

[RVDT]

EB,

In the 135 don't forget the hover turn limitation of 60 deg/sec! :=

[birrddog]

Cant you do something to demonstrate the agility/precision control of the machine, like open a soda bottle with the skids (or time opening a row of soda bottles)

You could also do that treasure hunt (?) auto into a circle of balloons :ok:

[SilsoeSid]

In the 135 don't forget the hover turn limitation of 60 deg/sec!

I'm sure, though not positive from here, that despite EC Beans saying "I'm prohibited from performing aerobatic maneouvres like the Red Bull guys", that I've read the 135 FLM saying, 'Aerobatic manoeuvres are prohibited'.
May I suggest, if it applies, that you get a clear definition of 'Aerobatic Manoeuvres', because if the insurance folk need to get involved, it could get a bit me$$y.

Anyway, don't forget to read CAP 403 (http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP403.PDF) or equivelant, and always remember the 15th Commandment;

"Prepare and plan for the conditions at the time of the display and don't 'Do a Dennis", for thou shall be slated!"

[eurocopter beans]

RVDT: Thanks for that... must make sure i dis-arm High NR too..!!

SilsoeSid: The FLM does prohibit aerobatic maneouvres. My employers detail maneouvres in excess of 90 degree angle of bank or pitch to be aerobatic.

Can anyone PM me contact details of someone in ECD who can offer their sage advice?

[elro]

The 135 at the ec175 launch event did some high speed rearward flight at 1m 52s.
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[Bravo73]

The 135 at the ec175 launch event did some high speed rearward flight at 1m 52s.

Ah, but the EC225 performed a full loop at the same event. I would suggest that you don't try the same with your boss's EC225! ;)

[MightyGem]

There's always this display:

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[Stuck_in_an_ATR]

How about borrowing some maneouvers from this guy? :E

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[Savoia]

.
Its been said before on Rotorheads (most recently in the comments following the tragic loss of Guenter Zimmer last August in Belarus) but it might be worth saying again .. that we'd rather see display pilots perform a fraction higher and live-on to tell the tale than to be 'thrilled' by a few feet of extra proximity to the ground which ends in disaster.

The boys from the SAAF in this year's Durban Airshow a few days ago got away with it (see clip below) but .. only just. Another half second (perhaps less) and the story may have been different.

An extra 20 feet really doesn't make that much difference to the crowd but it can to those onboard the display aircraft.

Herewith are the driver's comments on his performance:


Please allow me to inform all critics what actually happened on my second to last wing-over where several members seem to think that we "crapped" our pants. Firstly, to those who have no Oryx flying experience, this is an extremely powerful machine, at the day of the airshow we were light on fuel due to the opening para drop and flypast which was not part of my planning. The whole sequance was flown at approx 60%(11-13CP) torque to keep it nice and tight. The airframe has limitations and to remain within these limitations one has to sacrifice power available(CP) to perform steep turns and tight manoeuvres.

If you look at the clip on YouTube, you will notice once I went level the nose yawed left, this was the first time I felt the need to increase power.

Yes, I did not intend to recover so low as this was not how we practised, but please rest assured, at no stage was any member of the crew "crapping" their pants.

Certain manoeuvres like the wingover are meant to be entered from a downwind position, there are obvious reasons for this, to please the crowd and to put on a show to be enjoyed by all members present, we pilots take calculated risks to achieve our objectives.

My humble request to display pilots is .. please give yourselves ample height for your performances. If you can't do it for the Rotorheads community then do it for your families.

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[arismount]

I find a little alarming the trend this thread is taking. The OP seems to be a working commercial pilot in an EC135 without any aero or airshow experience. Under those circumstances I'd advise caution and strong resistance to any tendency to do anything out of the ordinary.

Most folks don't get to see helicopters fly that much, and the "ordinary" things they do are pretty entertaining when compared to the airplane.

Keep it short and simple, something like a takeoff and 360 clearing turn, then vertical climb to 300' or so, OGE hover, then a very mild bunt into max speed flight with a mild RTT turn, another high speed pass with an "aggressive" decel back to OGE in front of the crowd. Descend vertically to IGE, demonstrate rearward and sideward flight, then hover along a ground track doing 360s. Come up to 100' or so, face the crowd and "bow" the helicopter, then steep approach back to the parking spot and shut down.

Some "routine" like this will tax neither the helicopter or the pilot and will provide fun for the crowd and most important, a great margin of SAFETY. Leave the aero for the folks who've been trained to do it and have the financial backing to do it.

[grumpytroll]

Arismount, you have hit the nail on the head. If you haven't recieved formal aerobatic training, please don't try to do an airshow full of tricks. I have witnessed army pilots doing dog and pony shows and botching them badly. I've seen howitzers dragged on the ground, chalks overrun each other, rapellers go out the door before the aircraft is stopped and in position, and just generally ugly performances from otherwise excellent pilots. Mainly, they want to give a good show but shows aren't what they were trained to do. As Arismount stated, helicopters are unique and just doing normal things turns heads. When discussing a show with fellow pilots I always make one point above all others: anything you do, do it slower and higher than you normally would. The adrenaline will be present and the extra time and space will come in handy. I was at a school where we had a repelling team fastrope and then did a static display. When departing I told my copilot to do a max performance takeoff. Shockingly he pulled the thing into the red immediately. I pushed down on the collective and asked him what the hell he was doing. He said, " well, you told me to do a max performance takeoff so I thought you meant pull everything its got." (As many of you know, a max performance takeoff is a well written and understood maneuver with a specific torque setting above hover power performed at every checkride.) This is an example of what I am talking about. For some reason when in front of an audience, strange thoughts creep in. Experienced airshow performers have the training and practice to perform their maneuvers without much regard for the crowd or outflying each other.
I hope that anything you want to try that is out of the ordinary, you practice and get some great advice and training from a professional. I'm off to annual ground school for the 145. Cheers