Why do choppers fly so low?
 

Recently I was on a chopper out of Grand Canyon to Bar 10 Ranch, AZ. Both choppers (Bell 206) that took our group out flew very low, maybe 30-40 feet AGL. Very exciting. Why do they fly so low?
NB: not a complaint; as a crappy fixed-wing pilot, I know zip about choppers.
Thanks.

That doesn't sound that low :hmm:

BECAUSE IT IS FUN......................:O

IF...you react quickly enough! It doesnt sound like a great plan to me if they are really at 40 ft in the cruise. Thats something we would not even have done in the military. Its not just engine failures to consider - there are plenty of other eventualities which can spoil your day if you are tanking around ultra low-level.
Sounds like a bunch of cowboys to me. (Maybe thats why they were going to the ranch!)

I would doubt that many have had a lot of practice with an auto at low-level.
It is easy to say it is a non-event because the curve says its fine.
Pulling it off over uneven, rugged terrain could be an interesting experience.
Apart from a fear of heights, they fly low because it is cool and creates an experience, not because it is wise to do so.

... is the answer. You paid for a thrill, and the demand was satisfied. Other, less exciting, forms of rotary flight are available.

Errrrr......yes we did....in my military.

It was called "Contour Flying" and was a standard technique done by the US Army.

Ours, too.

actually at times it was lower, like 20 feet.

Yep, they were following the contours.

I am sure that we have all indulged in a bit of low flying at some time. But having had a scare on my very first helicopter flight (in a Bell 47 with no doors on when the pilot put in an unecessary steep banked turn without telling me) I always ask my passengers if they want anything other than a nice, gentle, scenic flight. If one of them looks nervous then I fly carefully. I have heard so many tales from people who tell me horror stories about their first (and only) helicopter flight when they were scared witless by some moron of a pilot showing off when they only took the flight to get a better view of the scenery.

I have no idea why that flight was not conducted at a higher altitude, except, as posted elsewhere, 'it's fun'.
A fair few operators (everybody I've ever worked for) have minimum en route altitudes that vary from 300' to 1000' AGL.
Over the decades of my career, I've asked pilots why they fly low and gotten answers like 'why waste time in a climb?' and 'I want to be low in case of a main gear box emergency.'
Me? I want to see more than you can see flying NOE or contour or whatever you want to call it. My rule of thumb was a hundred feet up for every minute en route.

Maybe I should mention that Whitmore Wash, where we left the Canyon, is about 2000' AMSL, while Bar 10 is I think 4100'. So they do some climbing in this 8-minute trip. Also they do it all the time so they're v familiar with the terrain. They didn't particularly strike me as cowboys, and I've met a few in my time in aviation. But of course I know zip about choppers.

I've met a couple chopper pilots who were affraid of heights, so,...?

Because they are afraid of heights. Every time we do a flight test that involves going up to 10,000+ feet, the pilots are usually taking pictures of the altimeter.