I think you might find the first was Bloo in '84, way before Graham or Ray.

Tam

Hi Tam
I remember Bloo,s displays his biggies were the tuck under with a 360 twist and of course the Bloo Roll;)

Early Loop Manoeuvres
 

Hoffman was looping the MB105 at Farnboro in 1976! Flight International reported the event.

We chatted through the control sequence to help my display routine on the first Farnbro display of the Enstrom 280 Shark.

Dennis K

This photo recently resurfaced on the interweb thingy, but I haven't had much luck with a higher res copy nor a history of the event. Great photo, does anyone have more information, real, Photoshop, when, who?

https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/hphoto...b0&oe=56544FDE

Looked at the other way round;

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g1...psbbkitp0b.png

Cool Pic
 

That's a great picture :)

The backflip from the hover, as opposed to a fully flown "loop" in the Lynx used to be referred to as "The Elphinstone Loop".

It sounds like everyone invented this one!

Not sure you're correct on that one P6. I'm pretty sure the Elphinstone Loop was a very steep wingover which, when looked at from the ground appeared to be a loop. Often carried out in a Gazelle, it was (supposed to be) within the Pitch roll limits. I'm sure more experienced hands than me on this means will be quick to jump in and correct me if I'm wrong!!

cue, TC, SS, Crab, et al....

No, you are spot on handysnaks:ok:

The backflip was developed form a tactical backwards transition (over the shoulder stylee) and just taken further and further.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUYwHXfxLpc




Minute: 1:37 - Elphinstone loop. Although I don't recall hearing this name bandied around.

Minute: 2:50 - close your eyes:D:D


Trouble with looping Gaz pieces is (a)Not allowed (except when no-one was looking) (b) dust and s*it flying everywhere in the cockpit afterwards. (c) CWP lit up like a beleesha beacon. ( and you had to pay off the engineers to keep them quiet!:cool:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5hBq0LNDW4



Minute: 1:10 and 1:20. Enjoy.....................................

Happy to be wrong!
:)

A great series of manoeuvres whatever they are and whoever first flew them.

The first time I saw a backflip was with the Bo105 at the world helicopter championships ,I think at Cranfield .when Dennis had his tail rotor failure.The Lynx came later.

I suppose that the Wildcat will put an end to all that fun?

Scare over San Diego Bay
 

Sometime in early May this year I was sitting on my boat in San Diego Bay enjoying a beer. A bright red and black helicopter appeared over the bay near the USS Midway aircraft carrier at a 1000' or so.

Suddenly started spewing heavy black smoke and went straight up, lost speed, fell over and headed straight down while looking quite unstable. With a LOT of black smoke trailing astern.

I had my cell phone in hand and was dialing 911.

At about 400' recovered, quite abruptly with little grace, and commenced a violent climb with all kinds of strange rotations and gyrations. Looked to be clearly out of control. I have seen dozens of aerobatic displays and this one had none of the grace, style, or even sense of control.

... and so on for 10-minutes. Loops of various kinds.

Smoke went off and the helicopter flew away.

There had been no announcements of a flight display nor any festival or special event planned. Never did hear a word about what the display was about.

That'll be the USBased Red Bull pilot practisingTacoma.....but don't panic he's retiring this year !