Question about landing technique

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DHC-1 Jockey
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Question about landing technique

Post by 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.
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Schooner69A
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Re: Question about landing technique

Post by 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...
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Heliian
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Re: Question about landing technique

Post by 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.
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MOAB
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Re: Question about landing technique

Post by 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.
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Heliian
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Re: Question about landing technique

Post by Heliian »

MOAB wrote: Thu Jan 23, 2020 11:07 am 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.
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bcflyer
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Re: Question about landing technique

Post by 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.
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AngelsSang
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Re: Question about landing technique

Post by 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!
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Schooner69A
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Re: Question about landing technique

Post by Schooner69A »

Questionable thing before touchdown?

Didn't see anything untoward...
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MOAB
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Re: Question about landing technique

Post by MOAB »

I watched it again and I don't see anything odd either.
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AngelsSang
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Re: Question about landing technique

Post by AngelsSang »

Guess I just have higher standards for myself.
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MOAB
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Re: Question about landing technique

Post by MOAB »

AngelsSang wrote: Mon Jan 11, 2021 7:14 pm Guess I just have higher standards for myself.
In what way? What are they doing wrong to you?
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AngelsSang
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Re: Question about landing technique

Post by 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?
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TT1900
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Re: Question about landing technique

Post by 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.
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AngelsSang
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Re: Question about landing technique

Post by AngelsSang »

TT1900 wrote: Mon Jan 11, 2021 11:09 pm 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
Screenshot_20210111-230532_YouTube.jpg (357.11 KiB) Viewed 7277 times
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AngelsSang
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Re: Question about landing technique

Post by AngelsSang »

Could have flown out a bit further behind it, no need to go right over the stern.
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AngelsSang
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Re: Question about landing technique

Post by 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.
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ahramin
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Re: Question about landing technique

Post by ahramin »

AngelsSang wrote: Tue Jan 12, 2021 12:10 am 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.
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Schooner69A
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Re: Question about landing technique

Post by 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...
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MOAB
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Re: Question about landing technique

Post by 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.
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AngelsSang
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Re: Question about landing technique

Post by 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
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