What's The Highest Altitude A Helo Has Flown To?
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What's The Highest Altitude A Helo Has Flown To?
Hi guys,
Just out of interest, from a non-helo type...
what's the highest official altitude a 1) piston helicopter and 2) turbine helicopter has flown to?
69
Just out of interest, from a non-helo type...
what's the highest official altitude a 1) piston helicopter and 2) turbine helicopter has flown to?
69
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The turbine helo record was set on 21 June 1972, when an Aerospatiale Lama established the helicopter absolute altitude record of 12,440m (40,814ft).
Don't know about pistons. My personal record was 11,000ft in a Schweizer 300C over Nebraska...
Don't know about pistons. My personal record was 11,000ft in a Schweizer 300C over Nebraska...
Weido,
"11,000ft. Did you now?
I am from the the FAA and I am here to help. Did you have oxygen on board, during your record attempt? "
Why?
From FAR 91.211---
\
"§ 91.211 Supplemental oxygen.
(a) General. No person may operate a civil aircraft of U.S. registry—
(1) At cabin pressure altitudes above 12,500 feet (MSL) up to and including 14,000 feet (MSL) unless the required minimum flight crew is provided with and uses supplemental oxygen for that part of the flight at those altitudes that is of more than 30 minutes duration;
(2) At cabin pressure altitudes above 14,000 feet (MSL) unless the required minimum flight crew is provided with and uses supplemental oxygen during the entire flight time at those altitudes; and
(3) At cabin pressure altitudes above 15,000 feet (MSL) unless each occupant of the aircraft is provided with supplemental oxygen."
"11,000ft. Did you now?
I am from the the FAA and I am here to help. Did you have oxygen on board, during your record attempt? "
Why?
From FAR 91.211---
\
"§ 91.211 Supplemental oxygen.
(a) General. No person may operate a civil aircraft of U.S. registry—
(1) At cabin pressure altitudes above 12,500 feet (MSL) up to and including 14,000 feet (MSL) unless the required minimum flight crew is provided with and uses supplemental oxygen for that part of the flight at those altitudes that is of more than 30 minutes duration;
(2) At cabin pressure altitudes above 14,000 feet (MSL) unless the required minimum flight crew is provided with and uses supplemental oxygen during the entire flight time at those altitudes; and
(3) At cabin pressure altitudes above 15,000 feet (MSL) unless each occupant of the aircraft is provided with supplemental oxygen."
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The FAI website will answer all of your questions.
Aviation and Space World Records | Fédération Aéronautique Internationale - FAI
Altitude in horizontal flight : 11 010 m
Date of flight: 04/11/1971
Pilot: James K. CHURCH (USA)
Course/place: Stratford, CT (USA)
Rotorcraft:
Sikorsky CH-54-B
Highest take-off : 8 848 m
Date of flight: 14/05/2005
Pilot: Didier DELSALLE (France)
Course/place: Mount Everest (Nepal)
Rotorcraft:
Eurocopter AS 350 B3
Registered 'FWQEX'
Aviation and Space World Records | Fédération Aéronautique Internationale - FAI
Altitude in horizontal flight : 11 010 m
Date of flight: 04/11/1971
Pilot: James K. CHURCH (USA)
Course/place: Stratford, CT (USA)
Rotorcraft:
Sikorsky CH-54-B
Highest take-off : 8 848 m
Date of flight: 14/05/2005
Pilot: Didier DELSALLE (France)
Course/place: Mount Everest (Nepal)
Rotorcraft:
Eurocopter AS 350 B3
Registered 'FWQEX'
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All official records here:
Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) - Rotorcraft World Records
...the one that Kris already mentioned:
Sub-class : Absolute (Absolute record)
Altitude : 12 442 m (40 820 ft)
Date of flight: 21/06/1972
Pilot: Jean BOULET (France)
Course/place: Aérodrome d'Istres (France)
Rotorcraft:
SA 315 Lama
...for piston helo's:
Piston Helicopter:
Altitude with 1 000 kg payload : 7 465 m (24 491 ft)
Date of flight: 26/03/1960
Pilot: G. ALFIEROV (USSR)
Course/place: Zakharkovo (Russia)
Rotorcraft:
MIL Mi-4
...and more recent:
Highest take-off : 8 848 m (29 028 ft)
Date of flight: 14/05/2005
Pilot: Didier DELSALLE (France)
Course/place: Mount Everest (Nepal)
Rotorcraft:
Eurocopter AS 350 B3
Registered 'FWQEX'
Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) - Rotorcraft World Records
...the one that Kris already mentioned:
Sub-class : Absolute (Absolute record)
Altitude : 12 442 m (40 820 ft)
Date of flight: 21/06/1972
Pilot: Jean BOULET (France)
Course/place: Aérodrome d'Istres (France)
Rotorcraft:
SA 315 Lama
...for piston helo's:
Piston Helicopter:
Altitude with 1 000 kg payload : 7 465 m (24 491 ft)
Date of flight: 26/03/1960
Pilot: G. ALFIEROV (USSR)
Course/place: Zakharkovo (Russia)
Rotorcraft:
MIL Mi-4
...and more recent:
Highest take-off : 8 848 m (29 028 ft)
Date of flight: 14/05/2005
Pilot: Didier DELSALLE (France)
Course/place: Mount Everest (Nepal)
Rotorcraft:
Eurocopter AS 350 B3
Registered 'FWQEX'
Actually a good friend of mine---now deceased, named Wayne Mulgrew had one at 19 480 feet.
Altitude without payload : 5 937 m
Date of flight: 04/03/1989
Pilot: Wayne H. MULGREW (USA)
Course/place: Redding, CA (USA)
Rotorcraft:
Robinson R22 (1 Lycoming / Continental and Licensees O-320, 160 hp)
Registered 'N8398A'
Database ID 713
Links to other records set by Wayne H. MULGREW
Links to other records set with the R22
And for Weido---YES he did have supplemental oxygen..
Altitude without payload : 5 937 m
Date of flight: 04/03/1989
Pilot: Wayne H. MULGREW (USA)
Course/place: Redding, CA (USA)
Rotorcraft:
Robinson R22 (1 Lycoming / Continental and Licensees O-320, 160 hp)
Registered 'N8398A'
Database ID 713
Links to other records set by Wayne H. MULGREW
Links to other records set with the R22
And for Weido---YES he did have supplemental oxygen..
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I did ~ > 12,500 AMSL in an R22 in Johannesburg as part of flight training.....
(that's less than 9,000' above ground required safety margin for auto's (which took a long time down, btw
))
Airfield elevation ~ 5200'.
I didn't pay too much attention to the specific altitude at the time as I thought it was a standard training exercise...
Feels like the only flying I did there > 500 ft above ground
(that's less than 9,000' above ground required safety margin for auto's (which took a long time down, btw
))Airfield elevation ~ 5200'.
I didn't pay too much attention to the specific altitude at the time as I thought it was a standard training exercise...
Feels like the only flying I did there > 500 ft above ground
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An AS350B2 was used for a record attempt in Cape Town, South Africa a few years ago. I don't know if it was officially recognized and I may be wrong with the exact figure but I seem to recall 42000 feet being mentioned!
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To cut a long story short, I was one of half a dozen on board a Bell 214 B, which climbed to 18,300 ft on an Airtest in mid 1990s Salalah Sultanate of Oman.
No Oxygen on board.
The 214 B was quite a beast and lifting was the name of its game.
john
No Oxygen on board.
The 214 B was quite a beast and lifting was the name of its game.
john
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As for a 350B3 on Everest hahahahaha. It seems dubious as to a Squirrel ever landing on Everest. Eurocopter refused to get the necessary permission's from CAAN also denying Guinness Book of records to be there to confirm the event. Was only announced 1 month after the event??? Hmmmm. If it were true it would be an awesome marketing angle but it was more likely a PR stunt. If one wants to achieve a world record then why not do it openly, honestly with all paper work correctly in place..... unless of course you have something to hide ??? That is the opinion of many Indian & Nepali Pilots here that it was a good bed time fairy story 
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jab, you are correct. It officially reached 42000ft and unofficially I think 44000ft. The aircraft hadto repeat the attempt in Europe for it to be confirmed(do not know why). Unfortunately she as far as I know crashed in Nigeria on her ferry flight. Details sketchy but either weather or fatigue I thind was the speculation.
If you wanna question the B3 landing on Everest, answer the rescue done by Pakistan(I think) B3 with 2 British tourist at something like 5800metres/6000metres and that was not a record attempt but a true life rescue! Personally I do not put anythin passed a Squirrel!
If you wanna question the B3 landing on Everest, answer the rescue done by Pakistan(I think) B3 with 2 British tourist at something like 5800metres/6000metres and that was not a record attempt but a true life rescue! Personally I do not put anythin passed a Squirrel!
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VP
Thanks for the confirmation. I also flew that particular machine a few times and she met her end in the Atlas mountains of Morocco. Friend of mine had an engine failure in very rough terrain and broke his back in the crash, the helicopter burnt out. He is flying again so it's not all bad news. 42000, I don't think I want to be that high in a helicopter!
Thanks for the confirmation. I also flew that particular machine a few times and she met her end in the Atlas mountains of Morocco. Friend of mine had an engine failure in very rough terrain and broke his back in the crash, the helicopter burnt out. He is flying again so it's not all bad news. 42000, I don't think I want to be that high in a helicopter!