A close shave!

[vaqueroaero]

Thought this was an interesting little article.

Deer Hunter Leaps From Tree To Escape Helicopter Tree Trimmer | Field & Stream

[nomorehelosforme]

Not safe!

This looks very unsafe, if a tree or limb that is cut and snags on the blade how would that additional weight affect control of the helicopter?

[OvertHawk]

Been done pretty successful in different places for a long time...

I suppose the design of the blades is such that anything likely to be snagged is going to get sliced before it can snag? Plus - there is always the option for the pilot to dump the load.

OH

[heli1]

Earlier this year a 500 was brought down by a wood chip flying up into the main rotor from one of these saws.

[500guy]

There have been a few of those, and several engine failures while doing this type of work in the past few years. Its very hard on the aircraft. The fact that none of the 6 or 7 accidents I know of were fatal or even (at least most of them) not even serious is a testiment to the 500s crash survivability.

[stilton]

Wasn't one of those in a Bond movie a while back ?

[robin303]

Yup, Messed up his car a tad bit.