Question about landing technique

[DHC-1 Jockey]

I've never flown a helicopter but I saw this video in another subforum here on Avcanada:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1EtGMh ... e=youtu.be

Why does the helicopter land with forward momentum, then execute a very tight turn on the ground very close to the edge of the landing pad and then face back the way it landed? Why not just come in and land on the "H" in the hover, or land just short of it and roll a few feet forward to a stop?

I might be naive as a fixed-wing pilot, but it looks like an accident waiting to happen by taxiing directly towards the edge of the landing pad, especially if there were brake issues, pilot distraction, etc. Seems like it could be easy to unintentionally end up in the drink.

[Schooner69A]

I would have to see more than one landing to see if this was just a "long" landing or was the routine.

As for having brake failure, you'll notice that he maintains full power until stopped. If he sensed brake failure, he'd just pull in collective and move into the hover. Then, reposition and maintain position with the cyclic until a chock could be placed under a wheel...

[Heliian]

Interesting, There really is no reason, except to make the landing a little easier than trying to hover over the edge of the pad. Maybe they were originally intending on parking on a spot ahead of them and got directed back to the corner.

[MOAB]

There making an approach to the FATO, then taxi to a parking area to leave room for other aircraft to land.

Also the FATO provides a certain amount of safety area, say an engine quits short final they could make the center of the safety area and not land short or worse in the water.

[Heliian]

There making an approach to the FATO, then taxi to a parking area to leave room for other aircraft to land.

Also the FATO provides a certain amount of safety area, say an engine quits short final they could make the center of the safety area and not land short or worse in the water.

That is correct, the main FATO is centered on the pad. however, there are also east and west DAY fato's that can be used but maybe there is other marine traffic off the side we can't see. It's also possible that it's just helijet SOP's to always go for the middle.

[bcflyer]

I use Helijet regularly for my commute and have landed many times at that pad in the harbour. They always land on the middle pad and taxi to the edge pads to shutdown and unload. I’m assuming it’s their SOP. They do a similar thing at YVR as well. (Land at pad C then taxi to their ramp.) I’ll try to find out why next time I fly with them.

[AngelsSang]

Was that the only questionable thing that you guys saw about that approach and landing? Watch it again, way before the touch down even!

[Schooner69A]

Questionable thing before touchdown?

Didn't see anything untoward...

[MOAB]

I watched it again and I don't see anything odd either.

[AngelsSang]

Guess I just have higher standards for myself.

[MOAB]

Guess I just have higher standards for myself.

In what way? What are they doing wrong to you?

[AngelsSang]

Worst of all was how he was much closer to that ship than he needed to be. But he should have been slower on short final to, so he had more reaction time if needed. It is not a race, saving 20 seconds but sacrificing safety is not a good trade off. But not my company, birds, or pilots, so when they crash, or piss off enough people, it is their reputation that is going to hell. Wonder if the owner(s) have seen this video?

[TT1900]

They operate 15+ aircraft, have been in business for over 30 years, and I couldn’t find any fatal accidents on their record. Let us know when your stats look that good.

Too close to the ship? You can’t be serious.

[AngelsSang]

They operate 15+ aircraft, have been in business for over 30 years, and I couldn’t find any fatal accidents on their record. Let us know when your stats look that good.

Too close to the ship? You can’t be serious.

Especially in a steep descent, he/she wasn't even level when they did that.

Screenshot_20210111-230532_YouTube.jpg (357.11 KiB) Viewed 9655 times

[AngelsSang]

Could have flown out a bit further behind it, no need to go right over the stern.

[AngelsSang]

Oh and glad to know that crashes don't count if nobody actually dies. Helijet has crashed, and did so again very recently. 0 is the amount of times that I've crashed. Even in vehicles, the only accident in my life, was being rear ended, while stopped at a red light, I was the 7th vehicle back, we all stopped fine, then a cop car rear ended me, and pushed me into the Honda Accord in front of me. Cop was found 100% in the wrong. He was on his phone yapping with his wife.

[ahramin]

Could have flown out a bit further behind it, no need to go right over the stern.

The helicopter in the video is nowhere near the boat and does not fly over it.

[Schooner69A]

Ahramin is correct. The chopper arranges his path to skirt the end of the boat, under power, blade loaded up, well under control, and smoothly eases around to an "into wind" landing.

Further, the aircraft is a twin-engine S-76; so... Engine failure?


Angelsang, do you have ANY rotary wing time and, if so, how much? Not trying to be an arse, but your comments sound like someone with FW time only...

[MOAB]

I agree with schooner.

I have many friends who fly or have flown at Helijet and with how much they fly they sure as hell know what they are doing.

[AngelsSang]

We will all just have to agree to disagree! And as a side note, duh its a twin, but still going to lose power and suddenly dip when losing one. And I've flown on helijet, not even 1 of the 4 pilots impressed me at all. Accepting mediocrity, and crashes so long as nobody is killed, is just not my style. I'll keep doing it the way I have been for 3 decades, it works well for me.
Cheers

[TT1900]

We will all just have to agree to disagree!

Yeah.....

[Schooner69A]

"We will all just have to agree to disagree! And as a side note, duh its a twin, but still going to lose power and suddenly dip when losing one. And I've flown on helijet, not even 1 of the 4 pilots impressed me at all. Accepting mediocrity, and crashes so long as nobody is killed, is just not my style. I'll keep doing it the way I have been for 3 decades, it works well for me."

OK, AngelsSang: you've trashed their approach; how would you have accomplished that mission? And you didn't answer my question: are you rotary wing qualified? If so, what types? How many hours?

[2R]

Is that video the norm for their ground ops ? Or is this one off those videos where you are supposed to guess how many things are done for fun in a safety quiz ? I counted 4 on the first watch and six on the second viewing .
It is like watching someone juggling chainsaws at the circus

[PitchLink]

They operate 15+ aircraft, have been in business for over 30 years, and I couldn’t find any fatal accidents on their record. Let us know when your stats look that good.

Too close to the ship? You can’t be serious.

Closer to 20 and 12 S76’s. That’s 1/4 of the flying S76 fleet in Canada.

[twinstar_ca]

flying to FATO in the center of the heliport gives maximum room in all directions. Once down, reducing collective to just what is needed to taxi will reduce downwash that may affect any other a/c on the ground...