Helicopter Aeros & Display Flying
 

Does anybody have any first hand experience of rolling and/or looping helicopters with appropriate rigid rotor heads and blades (i.e. MD-500, Lynx, Apache etc.)?

If so, are there any safety tips or advice which might be passed on those who might be interested in learning how?

Some of those i have spoken to are adamant that rotary wing aircraft should not be flown upside down at ANY time, but i am inquisitve and would like to know more of the theory behind flying helicopters outside of the 'straight and level' flight envelope.

Many thanks...

There are a variety of helicopters that have demonstrated aerobatic manouevers over the years. The most spectacular is the Sikorsky CH-53, can't get much more dramatic than rolling a big ship! I believe the S61 was the first of the Sikorsky products to demonstrate this manoueuver.

In the commercial world, there are a few known inadvertent rolls that have occurred, and the machine succesfully recovered. Many years ago, a logging S61 managed to snag a B206, after both long lines became entwined during an avoidance action. The 206 ended up inverted at the end of its long line and the 206 pilot punched off from his belly hook and recovered!

I also know of a now unemployed pilot who rolled a commercial MD500D. Perhaps the most inane activity was a pilot who demonstrated a roll in a Lama, to impress his passengers. Unfortunately the VIDEO that they shot from inside the helicopter ended up on the Chief Pilot's desk - another unemployed individual!

None of these manoeuvers are permitted in the commercial flight manuals, so the appropriate procedures are not in the public domain. So don't go rolling your R22!

[This message has been edited by Cyclic Hotline (edited 05 January 2001).]

I once rolled an R22 with rather disastrous consequences but managed to mantain positive G throughout and didn't chop my tail boom off. I woke up and spilled my cornflakes!! It had been a heavy night on the town though!

Yes to the above in a Lynx AH-1 and AH-7
With and without TOW Launchers fitted!
Nice machine to do it with but keep within the 'G' limits.
Tends to bit at 85kts backwards though.
You have more cyclic movement available from the right hand seat that the left so when you are teaching the next display pilot the static flip you can run into a bit of grey hair syndrome.

The first helicopter to loop (14 times) was a modified Sikorsky S 52. It happened prior to my joining Sikorsky so it must have been around 1954 or therabouts. The pilot was US Army.

OK, so it wasn't a roll.

Then again the rolling of a B-707 was demonstrated over lake Washington during the powerboat festival.

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The Cat

I've just re-read the email I sent you and realise it didn't really connect to the thread. Anyway - it's from me. I would be delighted to chat about this topic away from this very public arena.

e

I have Video tape from the 1960s of the Lockheed L286 doing loops , rolls and other neat stuff.Very impressive.The Lockheed XH-51A also did some incredible flying , like flying close to 300mph in nap-of earth.
The lockheed test pilots wanted to do
Aerbatics with the AH-65A Cheyenne but the
Army wouldnt allow it.
I also have a video tape of the German pilot by the last name Zimmerman doing things in BO-105 that was simply incredible.
He ended up dying in a crash a few years later.

I beleive the Bell 222 with the 680 rotor did rolls and possibly loops and lots of other interesting Aerobatics.

The CH-53A did loops and rolls but was at a very low gross weight and needed the rotor head and drivetrain repaired/replaced.

I know Sikorsky did some amazing stuff with the S-67 Blackhawk during its testing
until it was crashed at the Paris Airshow in 1973.

The german pilot was Ziggy ( Hoffman I think ) , He died in Pensylvania doing some aerobatics in a 105 for a film with Nick Cage .(The final cut had a 500 as the bogey)
I have a copy of the aerobatics video and it is very impressive .

I knew the German B0-105 pilots name had a Z in it.

So you also have a copy of the tape...
....does yours have the BO-105 flying thru the German forest in nap-of-earth ?

That French machine the 'Tiger'I think its called did a full aerobatics display over Sydney Harbour early last year. The whole thing was displayed on national television. It was here on evaluation for the Australian Army - It was also here that it crashed while doing night ops shortly there after.

His name was Zimmerman - unfortunately I belive he's now rolling and looping at the great heliport in the sky.

He was quite a character

Helimutt -

I had a similar dream last night.

Did it in an R22 HP running on 3 cyls. only.
Didn't have any doors fitted.

Lost my map (again) which I had only just replaced....Don't you just hate it when that happens!

There was a story ( maybe an urban legend) that one of the Westlands pilot tried a roll a lynx too low and ended up putting a permenant bend in the dogbone ( lead lag thingy) . BTW I believe there are 2 pilots in the 105 video.

The rusky mil mi-34 Hermit claims the most aerobatic capabilities. Demos at airshows have been impressive too.
It's mainly used as civ ltwt, 4pax single pilot ops; police, patrol, evac, etc.
cost 300K USD, but can get one much cheaper if you have ties, or better yet family in the mafia (steal for under 10k....) Parts not difficult either, maint is easy and do able with translated manuals.

"Apart from high performance, the Mi-34 differs from western aircraft in economics of operation, maintenance procedures and reliability. In the future the Mi-34 will be operated "on condition", needing no overhauls. Its initial lifetime is set at 5,000 flight hours or 25 years. DOC is about 100USD/fhr."

Does anyone know how many Mi-34s have actually been built ?

Seems like an intersting helicopter.

I've seen a Sikorsky promotional video showing the 76 rolling and pulling through the vertical from level flight. Never been past 120 degrees in one myself though.

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Another day in paradise

Larry,
this is what I know from rusky sources and friends over there: it does run on a radial piston, mounted in rear.
Heli came out for debut in '88 and boasted reliability, low DOC, and esp it's "fully aerobatic" capabilities. Not until 96 was is put into substantial production (well, goals of 50 to be put into service, mostly police work).
"Joint stock company "Mi light helicopters" specialises in development and production of the Mi-34S helicopter and its modifications, as well as sales, maintenance and technical support for Mil aircraft in service, pilot and ground crew training. Production of the MI-34S is set at Arseniev-based Progress factory with a yearly manufacturing capacity of 350 airframes.""

seems like a fun ship! nice looking too.

Does the name Denis Kenyon ring a bell anywhere?

Those of us who have been around the UK rotary world over the last 15 or so yrs will know of this extraordinary man and the even more extraordinary things he can make an standard piston Enstrom do (don't laugh, it's one of the strongest and most agile machines around).

His displays at Helitech are a mind boggling series of impossible low altitude maneuvres that make the military displays look utterly tame.

Aerobatic is, I believe, defined as over 30' roll or pitch which is pretty ornery, the magnificent Whales (bigger and greyer than Sharks) ripped that definition up in a 3 ship formation in the early '80s. DK's displays (solo) go at least 3 times over those parameters, I never saw a military helo pitch to 110' nose down at 200'agl and roll 360' in the vertical before pulling out at zip feet agl to pitch right into a vertical torque turn....up and down...

Aeros in helicopters? You'd better believe it!

I never got anywhere close to those attitudes in Hughes 500 and Gazelle and God knows I tried, at a safe altitde. There are still Giants walking this Earth!!

Pinger
I noticed you have flown both the H-500 and 341 Gazelle.Can you please give me a comparison of the two ? I know both are very manuverable but which do you prefer in regards to flying qualities , power , agility ,vibration ,comfort ,Etc ?
And if you could own one of the two which would you prefer ?

Thanks
Larry

Well for anyone who wants to practise loops in a (civilian) ((gyroplane)) there is at least one firm that builds one sturdy enough to loop if you've got the moxie to loop a GyroPlane -
"Vortex Breaks New Territory for Gyros". Jim Vanek performs world's First Loop in a Vortex gyroplane at the PRA Convention in Mentone, Indiana, Summer 1997.
If you would like to witness this for yourself, tapes showing five loops & more exciting flying footage are available.

hover lover