Landing in fields with animals
 

I’m looking at some UK get-aways with the family in more unique accommodation and inquiring about landing permissions.

Odd query, but what animals are safe around a helicopters? I’ve found a great place in Wales, but the large open field just adjacent to the bungalow has sheep – are sheep OK around helicopters?

Surely goats are a no-go as they like to chew on stuff. My knowledge of the habits of farmyard animals is scant, so open to any advice.

A helicopter can cause panic in any farm (or other) animal not used to them, especially if it appears suddenly and acts like a predator. Sheep will probably run away and then not be too fussed once you’ve shut down. Cows will come back and try to eat things or scratch themselves against the airframe.....not good! Horses are likely to run through fences if they feel trapped in a corner, so give them an easy escape route and time to find it. I once had my parked Puma damaged by a bolting horse....nothing to do with us, the aircraft had been parked in an Army barracks for some time. A couple of horses got out of their stables and ran through the barracks. One of them snapped our HF radio aerial cable off the side of the tail boom in passing.

Beware of sheep, they will have a nice rub on the helicopter when you are not looking, to the front, to the sides and underneath the helicopter. In the process they will dislodge and break things off. Cattle will lick the helicopter and abraid the paintwork, and if they have a rub you are well and truly finished. Horses will be inquisitive and come over and start to scratch the paintwork and perspex with their teeth. I had an insurance claim on a vehicle because the horse actually reached over the gate and scoured the bodywork and the glass windscreen with its teeth. If you leave a helicopter in a field with any livestock you really must fence it off to stop them getting anywhere near it when you are not there. Farm electric sheep netting is good, but make sure it is properly taken down and moved away before you depart. .... I speak from experience!!

Be prepared to have guards around the aircraft ,day and night....

Back in the 60s CFS (H) had regular tasks winching cadets in the Peak District. We went up as a pair, from memory, GK flying and our USAF exchange Major Ed in the other. Just after arrival a high speed 'front' came through. We were just ahead of it and escaped down the valley. Major Ed got caught in it and put down close to a house, in a heavy snow storm. He was about to get out and noticed they had been surrounded by sheep - he reckoned they were not friendly natives and decided to stay on board until the storm passed!

Hi. I do a lot of horse trekking and walk trekking with my donkey and I use this kit... to keep my friends safely grazing and resting for the night. If ground very dry, use a second wire for return....
https://www.agriloisirs33.com/kit-cl...-equestre.html
It weighs very little and should do the job to keep any farm animals away from the helicopter... apart may be chickens.
If I may give you my advice, get in touch with the breeder (sheeps, goats, horses, pigs as, a few years ago, I had about 12 abortions in my herd of 130 goats close to kidding and it took me two months to get back to my normal daily milk yield... after a Puma (of the noisy, smelly and blowy type, not the big cat!....) landed in the field next to the woods they were grazing in. Five hours to get them back to the shed!

The answer is really simple, land as far away from any animals as possible, the least of your worries might be what they do your helicopter....

Even in the UK someone will want to sue your arse off for sending their animals into a stampede....

Landed in an empty field, only for the farmhands to later release the cattle.
A young calf took a shine to the tennis ball that was tying down the blades, wrapped around the stinger.
Returned to find it thoroughly chewed.
Shooing them off to get airborne was more difficult than it looked - they're not particularly bright and seem bemused by all the waving.

At least it didn't try to chew something important.

Monkeys and baboons, on the otherhand, far more destructive, but possibly less common in Blighty.

As mentioned, they're more of a problem when the rotors are not turning, but based on my own experience with power lines, if it's any help:

With horses, go up, without banking or causing blade slap. Once you are at 200 ft, they shouldn’t move. Cows generally don’t bother, but when they do, prefer you to be as low as possible, because they can’t get their head high enough to see what’s going on. If you have to go around animals, make sure they run towards open ground.

The University of Bristol carried out trials in 1963 and 1964 on their own farm, using a Bell 47 against horses, cows-in-calf, heifers, in-lamb ewes, and chickens and cows inside buildings. Experienced stockmen were used, and observations were also made on the production of milk or eggs. Passes were made by the helicopter at 60 and 35 feet, at speeds up to 25 mph. It was concluded that completely housed farm stock is not affected at all (although you would still be advised to avoid such buildings wherever possible). When out of doors, reactions are very temporary, after a fleeting period of bewilderment when the animals could injure themselves by hitting fences or falling into ditches. Poultry (and ostriches!) out of doors, however, present the most problems, and will react even to the helicopter’s shadow.

But, risk management wise it's best to avoid them anyway.

Horses is stoopid people. They will bolt when they see a fluttering piece of paper, or totally ignore an S76 overhead. Cannot predict them.

Emus are curious and will poke their heads into the cockpit during shutdown if the window is open.

Once left a B-model Huey in a field overnight (nose-mounted pitot) and next day the tube was bent 90 degrees and a cow had a big smile on its face.

About 30 years ago my then company left a 206 overnight on a grass strip, next morning a hole was discovered at the top of windscreen. The remaining pieces of fur ( were added to the incident report :) ) indicated that a sheep climbed on the helicopter.

skadi

I have just sent you a private message since I may have something which appeals to you..

Sheep love to nibble R22 HT leads, had to change a set in the field literally due to a rather large mag drop!!!

Yes, I agree and when it comes to “no win no fee” lawyers, every old nag is a potential Derby winner!

May I respectively suggest you drive instead. You know it makes sense.

buy your own
 

Buy your own unique property and get rid of any animals on your 50 acres. If you can't do that leave your chopper at home and drive instead. Take a 4x4 to add some excitement.;)

There's a very good reason barbed wire was invented: cows are big, strong animals that will push to get what they want. Even if they don't nibble expensive bits of your helicopter, they like to rub themselves against foxed objects or may merely bump your helicopter- the opposite of hangar rash, like the source of damage makes a difference....

Wot Charlie said. Wife has horse disease (I prefer to squander my funds on flying machines). Their defense mechanism is to bolt, and a bit of rubbish in the wind is plenty to set them off. No predictability. With a gross weight more than an R22, they can do some damage. (Heh, just look at the wife’s hospital bills.)

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....ca3e938fd.jpeg
Mooo-ve along, nothing to see here.

I don’t disagree with landing away from the animals, but given livestock are often a farmers asset and main source of income - I think he’d have every right to sue for lost earnings, if your inconsiderate flying adversely affected their livestock...