Interesting ?
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 1,992
Likes: 511
From: UK
Interesting ?
As an incompetent but enthusiastic 'metal-mangler' and a helicopter addict, I quite enjoyed this YT effort. - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2C-RFeb09Ww&ab_channel=C%26CEquipment
Slightly odd that they hadn't come across Paxolin or Bakelite before and I had never, previously come across the S 52 and that aerobatic capability !
Slightly odd that they hadn't come across Paxolin or Bakelite before and I had never, previously come across the S 52 and that aerobatic capability !
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 1,992
Likes: 511
From: UK
Obviously I can see the potential flaws, but the builder , and his team, have a track record of very competent heavy engineering and his approach, thus far, looks to have the right degree of caution.
The eye-catcher, for me, was the revelation of the S52 'loop' - which looked to be complete and included the inverted portion. I would have seen that as impossible (or extraordinarily foolhardy) in an articulated rotor design !
The eye-catcher, for me, was the revelation of the S52 'loop' - which looked to be complete and included the inverted portion. I would have seen that as impossible (or extraordinarily foolhardy) in an articulated rotor design !
Joined: Oct 2006
Aviation Qualifications: A&P
Posts: 1,346
Likes: 270
From: USA
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 880
Likes: 225
From: Australia
Is the manoeuvre really a loop? In the various film views it seems more like a 'torque turn' is performed at the apex? Not sure what name such a manoeuvre has?
The poster briefly seen in the video indicates 'Tommy' performed 10 of these 'loops' on the same day.
PS: Parent company of Sikorsky was still named United Aircraft Corp at the time, not United Technologies. The latter was only from 1975 onwards according to Wikipedia.
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,111
Likes: 118
Yes, the one in film footage has wheel spats fitted, as with the still shot on the ground. The background in the other stills also suggests another location.
Is the manoeuvre really a loop? In the various film views it seems more like a 'torque turn' is performed at the apex? Not sure what name such a manoeuvre has?
The poster briefly seen in the video indicates 'Tommy' performed 10 of these 'loops' on the same day.
PS: Parent company of Sikorsky was still named United Aircraft Corp at the time, not United Technologies. The latter was only from 1975 onwards according to Wikipedia.
Is the manoeuvre really a loop? In the various film views it seems more like a 'torque turn' is performed at the apex? Not sure what name such a manoeuvre has?
The poster briefly seen in the video indicates 'Tommy' performed 10 of these 'loops' on the same day.
PS: Parent company of Sikorsky was still named United Aircraft Corp at the time, not United Technologies. The latter was only from 1975 onwards according to Wikipedia.
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 1,992
Likes: 511
From: UK
Wrench ! - thank you so much for that video. !
'quite extraordinary' goes nowhere near doing justice to what it depicts ! ... and it most certainly wasn't a torque turn !!
What I find remarkable is the almost complete lack of common reference to both the event and the implications. Years after this, Boscombe were making videos of articulated blade behaviour in flight (and in icing) and finding much that was new.
Finally ... the start height and finish height ... the prerogatives of youth ! ! !
'quite extraordinary' goes nowhere near doing justice to what it depicts ! ... and it most certainly wasn't a torque turn !!
What I find remarkable is the almost complete lack of common reference to both the event and the implications. Years after this, Boscombe were making videos of articulated blade behaviour in flight (and in icing) and finding much that was new.
Finally ... the start height and finish height ... the prerogatives of youth ! ! !
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 880
Likes: 225
From: Australia
Joined: Jun 2025
Posts: 16
Likes: 1
From: Pune
So are there any known helicopters in service currently which can exhibit a loop? what would be the height loss after the loop is midway (I would say nose pointing down) till the helicopter stabilises in straight and level flight?
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 187
Likes: 37
From: N/A
BO-105, Tiger, Apache, Lynx, probably some more. Normaly only flown by test pilots, the military and Red Bull.
Joined: Oct 1999
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 7,371
Likes: 926
From: Den Haag
Nose pointing down is 3/4 of a loop - 1/2 a loop is upside down at the top. Height loss is not so great because a helicopter does not need airspeed to generate pitch authority (like a FW). The control authority of the head can pitch the fuselage up. I’ve never done a RW loop but have rolled inverted and pulled through (from below 40 kts) and bunted 90 degrees nose down, rolled 180 and pulled out. In a 5 bladed Eurocopter product.
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 2,018
Likes: 73
From: Pewsey, UK
Have a look at this chap's work ... https://www.youtube.com/@Ben-Dixey/videos
Joined: Oct 2006
Aviation Qualifications: A&P
Posts: 1,346
Likes: 270
From: USA
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 153
Likes: 5
From: Sydney, Oz.
one of the discussion threads on PPRuNE: Aerobatics in a 407
Moderator
Joined: Oct 2022
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 913
Likes: 417
From: NYC
I’ve never done a RW loop but have rolled inverted and pulled through (from below 40 kts) and bunted 90 degrees nose down, rolled 180 and pulled out. In a 5 bladed Eurocopter product.
Helicopters tend to accelerate rather quickly when pointing straight down like something akin to dropping a set of streamlined car keys.
Ever peg the VSI?
Joined: Sep 2023
Aviation Qualifications: CPL
Posts: 219
Likes: 99
From: Montana
A Bell 407 was looped at an airshow in South Africa.
407 looped 2004 (youtube)
one of the discussion threads on PPRuNE: Aerobatics in a 407
407 looped 2004 (youtube)
one of the discussion threads on PPRuNE: Aerobatics in a 407
I have just been through the old thread and it all comes flooding back.Twenty years ago now. How time flies.
The 407 sat idle for several years in a hangar near ours as there was a huge scrap between tho two owners and their insurers that to the best of my knowledge was never resolved.
Sadly the pilot involved took his own life some years after the incident.