What was your scariest moment in a helicopter?
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Chilliwack, BC Canada
Posts: 564
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
VeeAny, we're all here to learn, and as Tokoloshe says, this is a difficult one. Without the training and/or good mechanical knowlege of the aircraft, it would be tough to know what to do in that instant when the rpm's start going wild, Nr's going south, noise from the flailing shaft, engine horns, etc, etc.
I don't know of any governing systems that could control an engine through this failure, certainly not the FADEC in my 407, and not the old Bendix (or Ceco) system in the 206.
Well posted Tokoloshe, and flown with excellence!
I don't know of any governing systems that could control an engine through this failure, certainly not the FADEC in my 407, and not the old Bendix (or Ceco) system in the 206.
Well posted Tokoloshe, and flown with excellence!
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Canada
Posts: 579
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Blender Pilot you said "I pulled back on the cyclic so fast and far back that the 206L4 went past vertical, and I just kept pulling the cyclic."
When you went past vertical how did you recover ?Did you complete a 360 about the lateral axis(loop)?
When you went past vertical how did you recover ?Did you complete a 360 about the lateral axis(loop)?
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: N20,W99
Age: 53
Posts: 1,119
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
IHL . . .
No loop here, have you seen those little ribbons people pin on themselves to show support for something? That's what it looked like.
I pulled the cyclic aft and and a little to the right, so when the nose went past vertical the nose was also about 30 degrees to to the right, I just kept the aft pressure until the nose dropped again and kept the back pressure as the airspeed built up quickly and I pulled out now going to the left of my original track, I had indeed a vertical 270 turn to the left I will never forget.
A loop would have been if I had ended up on the same heading, I started the turn to the right and ended up 90 deg. left of my original heading. I remember after it pulling out I was flying parallel to the wires which were now on my left side as I had passed them already.
No loop here, have you seen those little ribbons people pin on themselves to show support for something? That's what it looked like.
I pulled the cyclic aft and and a little to the right, so when the nose went past vertical the nose was also about 30 degrees to to the right, I just kept the aft pressure until the nose dropped again and kept the back pressure as the airspeed built up quickly and I pulled out now going to the left of my original track, I had indeed a vertical 270 turn to the left I will never forget.
A loop would have been if I had ended up on the same heading, I started the turn to the right and ended up 90 deg. left of my original heading. I remember after it pulling out I was flying parallel to the wires which were now on my left side as I had passed them already.
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Andover, Hampshire
Posts: 352
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
In 1979, just out of Middle Wallop and on my first flying tour in Germany, myself, crewman and 2 Pax (Honourable Artillery Company) were carrying out a recce in the Mosel Valley. I totally ignored all that had been drummed into me about flying down valleys and flew down the middle of the valley above the Mosel River. I was distracted by the Pax and was looking away when my crewman shouted "Wires". I did the normal thing and hauled back on the cyclic to just about 90 degrees nose up when he shouted "Down", as I was apparently climbing into the wires. You can imagine the chaos inside the Gazelle going from 90 deg nose up to 90 deg nose down in a nano-second. We missed the wires and very sheepishly returned to the field location. I learned a lot from that incident.
Thankyou Tom for saving my life that day.
Thankyou Tom for saving my life that day.
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Neither Here Nor There
Posts: 125
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
IMHO most emergencies/frights in helos happen so quickly that you only have time to be scared to death after the event........nr misses, nr wirestrikes etc.
I had jammed T/R pedals at the end of a flying display and even that didnt worry me 'til afterwards (I was too busy trying to afford a static display C130)
Scariest moment unsurprisingly was the one that took the longest to recover from:
2500ft AGL, NE Bosnia, Serbian search radar sweeping us...... the firecontrol radar then locked us up, code 'SA2' with associated waring bells and whistles.
Suddenly 2500ft was way too high and despite pumping out chaff through the null (every 180deg) we only broke lock for .5sec or so.
Odds were that they were very unlikely to launch at us..... just trying to p!ss us off, but for 45secs it was like someone holding a loaded gun to your head.
Concur with SASless.......having watched my T/R, vertical fin and about 3 feet of tail-boom pass in front of me I remember thinking "******".
Somehow like a car crash you always think you'll get away without too much damage..........Never the case in reality!
I had jammed T/R pedals at the end of a flying display and even that didnt worry me 'til afterwards (I was too busy trying to afford a static display C130)
Scariest moment unsurprisingly was the one that took the longest to recover from:
2500ft AGL, NE Bosnia, Serbian search radar sweeping us...... the firecontrol radar then locked us up, code 'SA2' with associated waring bells and whistles.
Suddenly 2500ft was way too high and despite pumping out chaff through the null (every 180deg) we only broke lock for .5sec or so.
Odds were that they were very unlikely to launch at us..... just trying to p!ss us off, but for 45secs it was like someone holding a loaded gun to your head.
Concur with SASless.......having watched my T/R, vertical fin and about 3 feet of tail-boom pass in front of me I remember thinking "******".
Somehow like a car crash you always think you'll get away without too much damage..........Never the case in reality!
Last edited by Felix Lighter; 23rd Jan 2004 at 16:32.
Casual day fishing in a OH58, on approach to confined area just below the tree line at 40% TQ, go to pull in more pitch to find a spot to land on the rocks and collective jammed, there's a bit of flex in those collective levers, wasn't until I lowered the lever and pulled it up again that it came free and resumed a normal landing with the exception of a higher than normal heart rate.
Military seat belt anchor jammed between the knurled nut on the copilot collective and the seat back.
One of those things to make you feel like an idiot and realize the elements when you think you're on top of things.
Make sure your pax lap belt is tight when you've got the duals in a kiowa with military seat belts.
BF
Military seat belt anchor jammed between the knurled nut on the copilot collective and the seat back.
One of those things to make you feel like an idiot and realize the elements when you think you're on top of things.
Make sure your pax lap belt is tight when you've got the duals in a kiowa with military seat belts.
BF
Early start - wx crap, so find a cup of coffee, read the paper. Look at the wx, decide it's improved enough to have a go. Take off - it's actually pants - so land again at departure point. Hobbs hasn't moved.
An hour later - decide it's improved enough. Get far enough away from the airfield to be unable to see it, down to 300' AGL, in and (mostly, thankfully) out of the bottoms of cloud. Go head up after looking inside at something - GPS, I think (!) - and think "****, I know there are wires round here somewhere".
Find wires - fly over the top of a pylon, and thinking "This is really silly". A few minutes later I'm in a field, safe and sound if a bit shaken, ringing the boss to say I'm going to be late.
Made the decision to land FAR too late - should have waited the 40 minutes it took for the weather to clear through and do it in one hop.
An hour later - decide it's improved enough. Get far enough away from the airfield to be unable to see it, down to 300' AGL, in and (mostly, thankfully) out of the bottoms of cloud. Go head up after looking inside at something - GPS, I think (!) - and think "****, I know there are wires round here somewhere".
Find wires - fly over the top of a pylon, and thinking "This is really silly". A few minutes later I'm in a field, safe and sound if a bit shaken, ringing the boss to say I'm going to be late.
Made the decision to land FAR too late - should have waited the 40 minutes it took for the weather to clear through and do it in one hop.
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Harwich
Age: 65
Posts: 777
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
(This is nothing, I know.) First flight in a 206. First flight at the controls of any helo at all, in fact - like a learner driver taking lesson #1 in a 911 rather than a Ford Escort. It's SAS-equipped as well, so even the hovering is flattering; then we go for a circuit. Gentle pressures forward on the cyclic and up on the collective, ground plummets away. 3-400 ft, the gearbox noise changes a little, as though it's settling on its bearings. Instinctively I looked up and back toward the MRGB - and the instructor did as well.
It was nothing. That's what both of us said, anyway. Afterwards.
It was nothing. That's what both of us said, anyway. Afterwards.
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Alderney or Lancashire UK
Posts: 570
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
While my own aircraft was in for it's annual, I rented a rather knackered replacement and took a rather plump relative for a quick jolly around my local area. Hot day. Lots of fuel on board. My usual landing site is a rather confined area over a fence and up a slope. My usual technique is to establish a hover at the bottom of the slope, check the Ts & Ps and power in reserve and hop up the slope and land. On this occasion there was not quite enough power and as I hopped up the slope with the throttle wide open the RPM gradually, slowly drooped. The descent was stopped as the skids came to rest on top of the fence which took enough weight to allow the RPM to recover for attempt 2, which was successful.
'You make that look so easy' said the passenger.
'You make that look so easy' said the passenger.
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: UK
Posts: 65
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Parachute Brake
Augusta Bell 205 (Huey) deployment flight, 5000 feet, 48 degree summer, Saudi/Oman border (80's). Plonker Squadron Boss thinks it great idea to use old green military parachutes instead of cam nets (save money etc) to conceal aircraft on border ops.
Only me and one engineer in the aircraft, full of deployment stores in the main cabin. [Engineer in the LHS, he needed the practice!]. Happy Huey does its usual trick - cabin door unlatches with the vibes in flight and slides back slowly onto it's locking lug, fully open. Engineering spares dribble out of door bit by bit.
Suddenly 110 KIAS becomes 35 KIAS with large sinking/deceleration feeling, both of us hanging on our straps! Look out right door to see huge horrible green bleeding parachute FULLY SET under the rotor disc, harness conveniently attached to the cabin door locking lug!
Remedy: Quick spiral descent at 35 Knots (to right, of course), followed by most impressive run-on landing alongside a convenient 5-foot thorn tree, which removed offending item as we passed [and still retains it to this day]!
Subsequent actions:Squadron Boss told he was a complete and utter w****r and parachute use for camouflage netting thereby abandoned forever and ever, Amen!
The moral of this tale is: Don't carry bloody parachutes unless they are either strapped to someone or are in a sealed, secure container, whatever anyone else thinks is a 'good idea'!!!
(And I didn't even have my brown corduroy trousers on!).
Only me and one engineer in the aircraft, full of deployment stores in the main cabin. [Engineer in the LHS, he needed the practice!]. Happy Huey does its usual trick - cabin door unlatches with the vibes in flight and slides back slowly onto it's locking lug, fully open. Engineering spares dribble out of door bit by bit.
Suddenly 110 KIAS becomes 35 KIAS with large sinking/deceleration feeling, both of us hanging on our straps! Look out right door to see huge horrible green bleeding parachute FULLY SET under the rotor disc, harness conveniently attached to the cabin door locking lug!
Remedy: Quick spiral descent at 35 Knots (to right, of course), followed by most impressive run-on landing alongside a convenient 5-foot thorn tree, which removed offending item as we passed [and still retains it to this day]!
Subsequent actions:Squadron Boss told he was a complete and utter w****r and parachute use for camouflage netting thereby abandoned forever and ever, Amen!
The moral of this tale is: Don't carry bloody parachutes unless they are either strapped to someone or are in a sealed, secure container, whatever anyone else thinks is a 'good idea'!!!
(And I didn't even have my brown corduroy trousers on!).
Join Date: May 2006
Location: TQ496634
Age: 52
Posts: 56
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Not as good as the rest of these - great thread by the way!
During solo Nav ex as part of PPL, yours truley is beginning to relax and stop worrying. Approaching second stop (airfield in north east kent) from the south, call up on frequency, give postion - south of airfield - and get given reply, .."join downwind LH for 34". With the benefit of now having completed the Advanced Hindsight course it is obvious I should have asked for a "straight in" However, being very green brain could not compute what was required so did the next best thing! Ending up joining down wind RH!
Much cursing from the airfield but fortunately no one else in the circuit.... what a 
!
During solo Nav ex as part of PPL, yours truley is beginning to relax and stop worrying. Approaching second stop (airfield in north east kent) from the south, call up on frequency, give postion - south of airfield - and get given reply, .."join downwind LH for 34". With the benefit of now having completed the Advanced Hindsight course it is obvious I should have asked for a "straight in" However, being very green brain could not compute what was required so did the next best thing! Ending up joining down wind RH!
Much cursing from the airfield but fortunately no one else in the circuit.... what a !
Stupid Helicopter Tricks
Ferry flight of a Bell 205 in 1985 to Burbank CA from Montreal – the chief pilot was going to do it but Xmas was fast approaching and the weather in the USA was awful so yours truly and an engineer get nominated for the job.
No xponder so the avionics guy makes up a portable one battery powered. The only other navaid is an ADF
After fighting wx we make it to Syracuse NY and do the customs thing.
Filed a flight plan to Youngstown Ohio and pressed on in good VFR.
While still a considerable distance from Youngstown it starts to get dark as I had screwed up the calculation for sunset in Youngstown. Time zone change ECT ECT.
Not to worry – even though I do not have a helicopter night rating nor a helicopter IFR rating. Got a fixed wing night rating and the mandatory20 hrs of IFR training FW in 1973 so what is to worry about.
Just after it gets too dark to land anywhere but an airport Youngstown tells me that the WX has just gone to 2 miles in snow then to ½ mile in snow showers. He then states that he is starting to lose my transponder (batteries are low). He asks me my intentions.
I tell him that I will continue inbound. The only ther choice being to find a place to land out in the booonies and a quick check with the landing light reveals nothing but big snowflakes.
At this very moment my ADI decides to crap out so I have to fly using the one on the co-pilot’s side.
Just as things look dynamic the controller calls and says: “There is an Ohio National Guard unit here on the field and there are here doing training this evening. Would you like to do a practice GCA for them?”
“Why I would love to! Anything to help the boys!” Says I.
What follows is the scariest 15 minutes of my career.
When the GCA controller calls mins and asks if I have the airfield in sight I got nothing- just big white snowflakes and a pressing need for a bathroom.
He then just says “For practice purposes continue your approach” and keeps calling heading changes and rates of descent.
Finally a joyful scream from the engineer and there are the approach lights.
I land on the button.
The controller asks if I can see the terminal. All I can see is 3 runway lights. They send a Follow Me truck to get us.
I paid a lot of drinks for both the National Guard and that controller that evening.
No xponder so the avionics guy makes up a portable one battery powered. The only other navaid is an ADF
After fighting wx we make it to Syracuse NY and do the customs thing.
Filed a flight plan to Youngstown Ohio and pressed on in good VFR.
While still a considerable distance from Youngstown it starts to get dark as I had screwed up the calculation for sunset in Youngstown. Time zone change ECT ECT.
Not to worry – even though I do not have a helicopter night rating nor a helicopter IFR rating. Got a fixed wing night rating and the mandatory20 hrs of IFR training FW in 1973 so what is to worry about.
Just after it gets too dark to land anywhere but an airport Youngstown tells me that the WX has just gone to 2 miles in snow then to ½ mile in snow showers. He then states that he is starting to lose my transponder (batteries are low). He asks me my intentions.
I tell him that I will continue inbound. The only ther choice being to find a place to land out in the booonies and a quick check with the landing light reveals nothing but big snowflakes.
At this very moment my ADI decides to crap out so I have to fly using the one on the co-pilot’s side.
Just as things look dynamic the controller calls and says: “There is an Ohio National Guard unit here on the field and there are here doing training this evening. Would you like to do a practice GCA for them?”
“Why I would love to! Anything to help the boys!” Says I.
What follows is the scariest 15 minutes of my career.
When the GCA controller calls mins and asks if I have the airfield in sight I got nothing- just big white snowflakes and a pressing need for a bathroom.
He then just says “For practice purposes continue your approach” and keeps calling heading changes and rates of descent.
Finally a joyful scream from the engineer and there are the approach lights.
I land on the button.
The controller asks if I can see the terminal. All I can see is 3 runway lights. They send a Follow Me truck to get us.
I paid a lot of drinks for both the National Guard and that controller that evening.
Trying to fly back at 200' from a SAROP in Scotland. Whilst dodging around the catspaws and general turbulence the aircraft was spun through 60 degrees or so to starboard. Believing the tail rotor had gone I dumped the lever and prepared to ditch and meet a local monster. I realised a few seconds later that we still had some control so I gently apllied a little power and as we didn't spin dramatically I flew us away from the water(about 50' or so).
Me and the other pilot couldn't answer the Raercrew who were demanding to know what the hell had happened.....
Me and the other pilot couldn't answer the Raercrew who were demanding to know what the hell had happened.....
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: cornwall UK
Age: 80
Posts: 236
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
What was your scariest moment in a helicopter
Many, many years ago I was tasked to take a Saunders Roe Skeeter - who remembers those - from an exercise location in North Germany to Division Workshops to collect some spares. I climbed out of the clearing in the woods in which we were based using full power. The Skeeter was so under-powered that if you didn't pull full power, you didn't go anywhere. It was not unusual to smell fuel as you did that - quirk of the system.
On this occasion the smell got rapidly stronger and as I passed about 400 ft I looked down to find Avgas pouring over my feet and disappearing into the well from which the electrical cables led to the cyclic. Realising that I was a spark away from becoming an airborne fire-ball I made the quickest circuit in the history of circuits to find my clearing. I landed, shut-down as the undercarriage oleos were still compressing and covered 100 yards in about three strides.
Turned out that the metal filter used to re-fuel the aircraft from jerri-cans had fractured the fuel filler neck, situated just behind the pilots door. As I lowered the nose to accelerate the single fuel tank began to empty into the cockpit. I was too dumb in those days to be worried for long but it was scarier than anything that happened in the next thirty-five years
On this occasion the smell got rapidly stronger and as I passed about 400 ft I looked down to find Avgas pouring over my feet and disappearing into the well from which the electrical cables led to the cyclic. Realising that I was a spark away from becoming an airborne fire-ball I made the quickest circuit in the history of circuits to find my clearing. I landed, shut-down as the undercarriage oleos were still compressing and covered 100 yards in about three strides.
Turned out that the metal filter used to re-fuel the aircraft from jerri-cans had fractured the fuel filler neck, situated just behind the pilots door. As I lowered the nose to accelerate the single fuel tank began to empty into the cockpit. I was too dumb in those days to be worried for long but it was scarier than anything that happened in the next thirty-five years
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Low Places
Posts: 62
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Not my story but a mates heard over drinks
Deer hunting in a south pacific island ? the hunters board the chopper and one smacks the butt of his rifle on the deck , there is a bang and a new vent is created in the panel over the pilots head.
I'm surprised this has not come up earlier, does it happen often?
Deer hunting in a south pacific island ? the hunters board the chopper and one smacks the butt of his rifle on the deck , there is a bang and a new vent is created in the panel over the pilots head.
I'm surprised this has not come up earlier, does it happen often?
Originally Posted by jon s gull
Deer hunting in a south pacific island ? the hunters board the chopper and one smacks the butt of his rifle on the deck , there is a bang and a new vent is created in the panel over the pilots head.
I'm surprised this has not come up earlier, does it happen often?
I'm surprised this has not come up earlier, does it happen often?
Having said that it sounds like that guys trigger weight was way too light - there are certain safety restrictions on trigger pressure to ensure things like that don't happen.