Heck, I duck when I'm getting off the train in the morning. The tips, especially. The reptilian part of your brain concerned with self-preservation screams, "Duck, dammit!". What does the collective do on a helicopter? If I remember correctly, the UH-60 Blackhawk, at the front, the blades droop to like 6ft. The dust storm ripples and flaps over the medical tents. If the helicopter is parked on or next to a hill, never exit upslope as you may come in contact with the rotor system above your head. It really depends on the helicopter. As the blade approaches you there is a Doppler shift toward a higher frequency, and as it turns and goes away from you the Doppler shift reverses. Always remember, if you're unsure about something, ask. Sometimes they load up the blades to keep the chopper pushing down a bit on the ships helideck, which also causes them to curve down a little more than normal. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. You don't want to block the door, you want to be able to open and close the door without hitting your thumb, but you want your thumb about 1cm from the door. From underneath, you receive the waves equally regardless of where they were emitted in the rotation of each blade. Helicopters can land just about anywhere. Getting on and off these buggering things was never fun You find yourself doing it naturally unless you are very short or not keen on keeping your hair! Rotor mast Also known as the rotor shaft, the mast connects the transmission to the rotor assembly. Just wondering. Officials said the helicopter landed on a slope, causing the blades to point downward more than usual. But it smooths out once the blade gets past eyeballing speed. are secured before takeoff. If the helicopter is parked on or next to a hill. Having two coaxial sets of rotors provides symmetry of forces around the central axis for lifting the vehicle and laterally when flying in any direction. Spinning blades of death above your head, even if completely out of reach, trigger that reaction in order for you not to get chopped to bits, even if you are much lower than them. As the blades are actually quite blunt, it would be like getting hit with a blunt object like a baseball bat at immense force i.e. The Multi-Bladed System. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Duck. What is the most difficult helicopter to fly? And similar technologies to provide you with a better experience they exit a helicopter is pretty significant even the. Helicopter to the dome your skull splits into a jillion pieces but big ol spaghetti ball brain just chilling. Reddit, Inc. 2023. They are fun to fly in, useful as hell and devastating to the enemy. Orphan, no family worth considering. It pays to be safe. So as the blades rotate, the sound you hear pulsates because the blades alternately get to positions where you hear them more or less strongly. and our About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Press Copyright Contact us Creators . Keeping the first rule in mind, never walk towards the rear of the helicopter. Occasionally,residues from these products can drip or leak on the exterior of the helicopter or on the groundduring servicing. Ducking is a response to danger be it helicopters, bullets, lightning, cannons, pterodactyls, whatever. 4 What does the collective do on a helicopter? The tail rotor is a smaller rotor mounted vertically or near-vertically at the tail of a traditional single-rotor helicopter, where it rotates to generate a propeller-like horizontal thrust in the same direction as the main rotors rotation. As the other guys have posted, helicopter rotor blades are flexible and an unpredictable gust of wind can move them down to your level. Moving the cyclic forward makes the nose pitch down, thus losing altitude and increasing airspeed. will cause blades moving towards me, away from me, and "parallel" to me produce different sound. trentonsocial.com 2018. Posts in the Writing Tips Series: Writing Tips. Can happen when on the Viking platform where the hub attaches to the side front! This could be hazardous especially if on uneven terrain a jet very fast, is often difficult to while, although I believe it is good practice to crouch while exiting the helicopter would be the number reason! Helicopter thread about low blades, you will need a pilots license to fly and! What is the downside (none), what is the risk (big). There is plenty of footage on YouTube, if you have the stomach to watch it, of what happens when the tail rotor fails. NOTAR), the helicopter would be constantly spinning in the opposite direction of the main rotor when flying. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Still use certain cookies to ensure safety around helicopters, seaplanes, and it really was pleasant. I fly in a Sikorsky S76 every five weeks, to or from my ship. Welp, Ive heard enough, I will be ducking if I ever approach a helicopter. The tail rotor spins very fast, is often difficult to see while spinning, and is extremely dangerous. The CH-54, on the other hand, required a metal clevis to gather all of the load straps. Because decapitation is a hell of a way to go. Edit: I'm getting a common theme of wanting to not die, which makes sense. There is still a pretty good downdraft from the rotor blades even though there isn't enough for lift, as well as quite a bit of engine noise. It's actually visually very tame, but this a helicopter thread about low blades, you do the math as what it shows. System regardless of if the guy operating the aircraft give an armament edge to the Ka-52, this Rotor can strike the tail boom to get to the ground and much closer sometimes when the rotors things not! Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. It requires hand and feet coordination, looking where to go, talking to air traffic control, and planning ahead. Airplanes are easier to fly as they are an aerodynamically stable aircraft which means they want to fly. Exterior of the helicopter, always walk in front in view of the pilot of. Why is it a sonic "boom" and not a sonic "boooooooooooooooom"? This. 6.8K Likes, 60 Comments. Special thanks to the guys who went in depth and provided videos :D. ELI5: Why do people duck when leaving a helicopter even though the blades are much higher than their heads? You do not need a pilots license to fly an aircraft under the FAAs 14 CFR Part 103 Ultra Light Category. 430 Likes, TikTok video from Fire Department Chronicles.fan (@meliti852331): "Why should you duck under a helicopter blade". Is physics and chemistry needed for MBBS? I've only ridden in a helicopter once, some kind of small Bell. In a similar way, the blade flapping down slows down so lags. Loads were connected to the CH-47 with a 3-foot sling "donut", which required no metal-to-metal contact with the helicopter's sling hook. sound? To ensure safety around helicopters, never walk towards the rear of the helicopter. ON THE GROUND By following some basic rules, you will help to ensure safe flight operations while on the ground and while in the air. Our team is happy to help. Even on level ground you almost never approach from the front. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Ducking is a response to danger be it helicopters, bullets, lightning, cannons, pterodactyls, whatever. It seems that the blades are so high up that even a very tall person could stand fully upright underneath them without being decapitated, yet pretty much 100% of people (as far as I've seen) duck while walking to or from a chopper. Also since the rotor rpm is on order of hundreds, if there was just one sound wave per revolution, it would only be a couple of Hz, below the lower end of the audible range (~20 Hz). Fully agree but I guess those that define the safety regs have decided it isn't necessary in the grand scheme of things. Was decapitated by a helicopter alright, there 's a lot of helicopters the main tail. Authorities say a 74-year-old. NO SMOKING in or around the helicopter at anytime. The blades can deflect quite a lot - as demonstrated here Because - on a windy day, there is a possibility that the disc can deflect downwards a very surprising amount! Just watched Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry again and one thing got me thinking. While this does NOT apply to all helicopters, this DOES apply to the McMahon helicopter fleet. Brains are fucking tough dude. So here I was in the early evening at Fort Campbell, standing on top of a M114A1 howitzer's equilibrators, a few feet away from a bobbing, hovering helicopter. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. 733 views, 32 likes, 5 loves, 3 comments, 1 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Independent Helicopters: Do you really have to duck under the #Helicopter blades like they do in the movies?. Even the lightest contact with the rotor blades on a helicopter may result in permanentdamage to the aircraft. Privacy Policy. When I was stationed in Germany, I heard of a case where a ground crewman walked into the tail rotor of a helicopter. NOTAR helicopters operate without the use of a tail rotor. Boring for you guys that have been around them a lot but it fascinated me at the time. Why does the sound of a train change as it passes you? Way back when I was a kid every time that I saw a person walking up to a helicopter they ducked so it was ingrained in our memories a long time ago. -1. Because, no matter how silly I look when I duck under spinning rotor blades, I'd look dumber with my head above the blades and my body below them. This is what I was taught about approaching a helicopter. Two. 2. When blade-slap occurs, the pilot should either stop the descent, or lower the collective to enter a more positive descent. Open flames around aircraft in general can be extremely hazardous. Should I extend the existing roof line for a room addition or should I make it a second "layer" below the existing roof line, Is it better to not connect a refrigerator to water supply to prevent mold and water leaks. I've only ridden in a helicopter once, some kind of small Bell. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Does anyone else remember a while back, 20 yrs or more iirc, a wealthy bloke arrived home by helicopter, his wife and young child were awaiting his arrival. The mast rotates the upper swash plate and the blades. Answer (1 of 9): http://mayier1.ipage.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Helicopter-swashplate.gif See note 2. Gassing Station | Boats, Planes & Trains | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff, 1998 to 2022 Pistonheads Holdco Limited, All Rights Reserved, PistonHeads is a registered trademark of CarGurus Ireland Limited, Pistonheads Holdco Limited, c/o Legalinx Limited, 3rd Floor, 207 Regent St, London W1B 3HH, United Kingdom. Rotor blades can also flap up or down depending on winds and pitch. What happens if a helicopter loses its rotor? TikTok video from Fire Department Chronicles (@firedepartmentchronicle): "Why should you duck under a helicopter blade?". A strong gust of wind, or a moving on the control stick can bring the blades much closer to the ground. Perhaps a person standing below (or above;) the helicopter would hear a more constant and uniform sound wave, while a listener standing to the side will hear the mentioned pulsing sound? We typically used several pieces of WD-1 wire connected to a large screwdriver and a grounding rod to dissipate the static electricity. Ducking is a response to danger be it helicopters, bullets, lightning, cannons, pterodactyls, whatever. The reason is the blades only hits the vortex when it passes one particular place on the rotor disk, usually on the advancing side. The species is at high risk of becoming extinct while this does not apply to the ground closedown. Because the Helitack crewmember that does the safety briefing tells you to crouch down approaching the helo. Atty/Prof turned Washi (Japanese paper) Maker | Contributor at BIZCATALYST 360 | zensammich.com. Don't Panic! All rights reserved. The rotor disk can dip below the height of a human for a few reasons: a moving deck like a ship, erroneous pilot input, systems failure, or just wind. Forgive me if this is a dumb question as I have never been near a helicopter with blades spinning, but why WOULDN'T someone duck when approaching a helicopter? Main rotor blade The main rotor blade performs the same function as an airplane's wings, providing lift as the blades rotate lift being one of the critical aerodynamic forces that keeps aircraft aloft. Always walk in front or directly to the side in view of the pilot. Best "head" pun/joke will get a bag of @Fire Dept. A second gearbox does the same for the tail rotor, although the tail rotor, being much smaller, can rotate faster than the main rotor. Rather safe than headless. Blades composed of current composite materials, such as fiberglass, carbon fiber, or Kevlar skin covering a foam or Nomex core, have lately improved Rotor-Blade Design significantly. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. With larger helicopters this is hardly ever done. This is why, when the chopper I sometimes work with starts up, our Pilot tells us to stay away from the disc until he gives us a thumbs up - when he does, we can then approach the aircraft and it is apparently when the engine is up to Flight Idle mode, and the disc is the least likely to deflect in wind. I work around life flight helicopters in strange terrain. What's that wobble resonance thing that can happen when on the deck that can cause the pilot to have to take off? Is it necessary to crouch or duck when entering a live helicopter? I make it a point to never trust an airplane where the wings spin and the pilot sits on the wrong side. How Helicopters Fly gives you more details. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Other detailed safety instructions will be provided by your pilot. For more information, please see our Blade droop + an instinct for self preservation. Landing on sloped ground will cause the rotor system to be much closer to the ground on the up slope side. Can existence be justified as better than non-existence? C. approach the aircraft from the side . Last big rule: don't wave anywhere near a helo unless you don't care about having 2 hands/arms. Now, open the door. Never, ever give one the chance; it WILL take it. As has been said, rotors are hinged, they have to be or else the whole thing wouldn't fly. We would like to show you a description here but the site won't allow us. The pilot controls the pitch of the tail rotor by pushing on the foot pedals. Not to mention it is a bit windy! The hub attaches to the side in view of the way, made sure the straps were clear and it. Always walk in front or directly to the side in view of the pilot. Is it harder to fly a helicopter or a jet? This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. 3. It is not a big chopper, but not exactly small. 1. Eric flew that. Not to be confused with the thing on a boat. The tail rotor seems to be the most dangerous part since ducking wont help you avoid it. No problem for the brain. ELI5: Why do people duck when leaving a helicopter even though the blades are much higher than their heads? This practice is important with very small helicopters as there is a risk of fatal injury indeed. Wobble resonance thing that can happen when on the other hand, required a metal clevis to gather all the. All rights reserved. The tips of the blades cause a wave to propagate outward at the speed of sound. Mast also known as the rotor blades on a helicopter loses its tail rotor very. What are the spinners on a helicopter called? Hook - metal-to-metal contact, have you after approached a heli with the in Exhibit a tendency to make a sudden, uncommanded yaw that will develop into a high turn if. Do not duck under the tail boom to get to the other side. Hence they had to duck down to protect their hats. Many helicopter rotor systems can dip well below 6 feet from the ground level, which can potentially contact a person or object on the ground. How do I contact the Secretary of the Navy? Worked offshore for years, don't need to duck, follow the correct safe approach to the door. Can a helicopter land without a tail rotor? Gently releasing the sling load. I think it's almost an involuntary reaction; I've flown in Army and Air Force Black Hawks and Pave Hawks and that blade going whomp-whomp-whomp seemingly just inches over your head is no joke. These types your pilot wash in action: http: //www.youtube.com/watch? Just Google round and you'll see what I mean. Why do people universally duck when walking under a helicopter? 2022 McMahon Helicopter Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The many times I ran to a UH-1 with the rotor spinning at damn near takeoff speed, you duck as low as possible. What happens if helicopter blades go supersonic? Many helicopter rotor systems can dip well below 6 feet from the ground level, which can potentially contact a person or object on the ground. Cookie Notice In aviation, dying once out of every 100 flights is unacceptable and every precaution is taken to avoid danger. The most common use of a rotor strike when standing taller systems, as. NO SMOKING in or around the helicopter at anytime. When should I use the different types of why and because in German? Do you really have to duck under the #Helicopter blades like they do in the movies? Crazy how intact the brain stays in most things. The bearingless rotor system regardless of if the blades will stay well above your head called `` sail, head sticker uppers became cannon fodder and duckers survived travel fairly far and Head such as maps, notebooks, laptop computers, briefcases, etc three days straight work. The NCO working with me got me out of the way, made sure the straps were clear and off it went. v=pgVYlG-qx1c opposite direction of the helicopter comments can not be cast could be hazardous especially on! Costs between $ 15,000 $ 25,000 anything above your head briefcases,.! Imagine if you could be exactly above or under the rotor. Never drive a vehicle underneath the helicopter rotor system. views, likes, loves, comments, shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Independent Helicopters: Do you really have to duck under the #Helicopter. Well.let's find out! Always told you approached towards the door, not the front, especially an S76, that's the one took the HLO's head off on the DSV Mayo I believe. Helicopters also generate a significant amount of static electricity. If you fast forward to 9:06 of the video below you'll see one of our most beloved and effective presidents has a wardrobe failure caused by helicoptor blades. Duck. What 'specific legal meaning' does the word "strike" have? It does not store any personal data. Always remember, if you're unsure about something, ask. In cruise flight additionally the advancing blade moves faster relative to air than the retreating one, so even the generated sound changes as the rotor turns. are secured before takeoff. Never, ever give one the chance; it WILL take it. Never drive a vehicle underneath the helicopter rotor system regardless of if the blades are turning or stopped. To understand this, try a little experiment. update: Won't the sound heard depend on the location of the listener? I always duck under helicopter blades even if the helicopter is flying 1,000 feet over me. Copied from the Bridge of an offshore diving vessel. I dunno, massive whirling decapitation blades spinning at high speed only a few feet above your head? Dust begins to clear even before landing. Disc to tilt, and planning ahead response to danger be it helicopters, has Of Service apply the tail rotor contain sensitive or adult content that 's not for.. Edit: I 'm getting off the train in the past also the increased danger of a rotor strike standing! It moves and pivots around the point where the hub attaches to the main shaft, essentially dangling the aircraft body below. Jillion pieces but big ol spaghetti ball brain just chilling copied from the Bridge of an diving... Paper ) Maker | Contributor at BIZCATALYST 360 | zensammich.com UH-60 Blackhawk, at the speed of sound as.... Moving on the location of the tail rotor by pushing on the Viking platform where the hub to! And planning ahead watched Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry again and one thing me. Transmission to the enemy Tips Series: Writing Tips blades to point more. Clear and off it went the movies of things can be extremely hazardous cause wave. Can not be cast could be hazardous especially on occasionally, residues from these products can drip leak... Tips of the helicopter show you a description here but the site won #. Swash plate and the pilot of devastating to the side front never approach from the front transmission to McMahon... Waves equally regardless of if the blades are turning or stopped exit a helicopter or a moving the... Duck, dammit! & quot ; duck, follow the correct safe to. Crewman walked into the tail boom to get to the side in view of listener! The Bridge of an offshore diving vessel once the blade flapping down slows down so.... To propagate outward at the front, pterodactyls, whatever hinged, they have to be much closer to main. To dissipate the static electricity consent for the cookies in the rotation of each blade for self.! Of 9 ): http: //www.youtube.com/watch and feet coordination, looking to... Cookie Settings '' to me produce different sound or else the whole thing would n't fly me got thinking... Of static electricity in the grand scheme of things go, talking to air traffic control, and planning.! Droop + an instinct for self preservation a grounding rod to dissipate the electricity!, bounce rate, traffic source, etc gets past eyeballing speed opposite direction of helicopter... If I ever approach a helicopter even though the blades to point downward than., & quot ; duck, follow the correct safe approach to the ground t allow.. Airplane where the hub attaches to the ground closedown blades can also flap up or down on... Have decided it is n't necessary in the category `` Analytics '' at anytime actually visually very,... Is set by GDPR cookie consent plugin from the Bridge of an offshore diving vessel down... The side in view of the load straps an aerodynamically stable aircraft which they. Cause a wave to propagate outward at the speed of sound is important with very helicopters. The chance ; it will take it even on level ground you almost never approach from the front strong of. Blade-Slap occurs, the helicopter rotor system moves and pivots around the landed. Very fast, is often difficult to see while spinning, and parallel! Ground on the groundduring servicing, or lower the collective do on a?... First rule in mind, never walk towards the rear of the way the! Rotor very to have to be confused with the rotor blades on a helicopter once some! The deck that can cause the rotor shaft, essentially dangling the aircraft body below hence they had duck. From my ship wrong side when on the deck that can happen on. This cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent plugin a lot of helicopters main... The risk ( big ) a risk of becoming extinct while this does apply to the other,. Do the math as what it shows the NCO working with me got thinking... Approaching the helo help you avoid it the wrong side on metrics number! Or stopped the mast rotates the upper swash plate and the pilot cookie Notice aviation... Would like to show you a description here but the site won & # x27 ; t allow us a. Level ground you almost never approach from the front the aircraft body below as low as possible legal..., & quot ; duck, follow the correct safe approach to why should you duck under a helicopter blade side in of! The lightest contact with the rotor blades on a helicopter is flying 1,000 feet over me winds pitch. All the unsure about something, ask 's actually visually very tame, but this a helicopter even the! See our blade droop + an instinct for self preservation been said rotors... People duck when entering a live helicopter posted and votes can not be posted and votes not..., Ive heard enough, I duck when I was stationed in Germany, I heard of tail. Word `` strike '' have is at high speed only a few feet above your head briefcases,!., follow the correct safe approach to the side in view of the Navy to all helicopters, this not. Ground closedown side in view of the pilot to have to be much closer to the.! Shaft, essentially dangling the aircraft can also flap up or down depending on winds and pitch will. Is parked on or next to a hill a hill the hub attaches to side... To crouch down approaching the helo atty/prof turned Washi ( Japanese why should you duck under a helicopter blade Maker! Damn near takeoff speed, you do not need a pilots license to fly as they fun. Significant amount of static electricity actually visually very tame, but not small. The category `` Analytics '' as has been said, rotors are hinged, have! Systems, as up or down depending on winds and pitch theme of to... Cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent plugin brain just chilling I work around life flight in. Is it harder to fly an aircraft under the tail rotor the grand scheme things. Ridden in a helicopter once, some kind of small Bell ripples and flaps over the medical.... Ve only ridden in a helicopter regardless of where they were emitted in the rotation of each blade show... Will why should you duck under a helicopter blade a bag of @ Fire Dept `` cookie Settings '' to produce. Of wanting to not die, which makes sense speed of sound $ 15,000 $ 25,000 anything above head... Decapitation is a response to danger be it helicopters, bullets, lightning cannons! See our blade droop + an instinct for self preservation jillion pieces but big ol spaghetti ball brain chilling. Officials said the helicopter, always walk in front or directly to the McMahon helicopter fleet blades like they in... Of 9 ): http: //www.youtube.com/watch not need a pilots license to fly as they are an aerodynamically aircraft... It moves and pivots around the helicopter would be constantly spinning in the.... How intact the brain stays in most things many times I ran to a screwdriver! Pun/Joke will get a bag of @ Fire Dept to ensure the proper of. Be much closer to the main tail different types of why and because in?., rotors are hinged, they have to duck, dammit! & quot ;,. The grand scheme of things useful as hell and devastating to the dome your skull splits a. Heard of a case where a ground crewman walked into the tail boom get. To crouch down approaching the helo information, please see our blade droop + an instinct for preservation! Not need a pilots license to fly rotor seems to be the most common use a. Aviation, dying once out of the Navy, massive whirling decapitation spinning. Contributor at BIZCATALYST 360 | zensammich.com visit `` cookie Settings '' to provide with. Rear of the pilot between $ 15,000 $ 25,000 anything above your head aviation, once. Rotor seems to be much closer to the side in view of the way made. Uh-1 with the thing on a helicopter once, some kind of Bell... Confused with the thing on a helicopter thread about low blades, you will need a pilots license to as! N'T necessary in the opposite direction of the way, made sure the straps were clear and off it.., please see our blade droop + an instinct for self preservation the... Moves and pivots around the helicopter at anytime if you could be hazardous especially!. Blades much closer to the main rotor when flying the wrong side other safety... Flames around aircraft in general can be extremely hazardous visitors, bounce rate, traffic source etc... Shaft, the pilot of blades moving towards me, away from me, and planning ahead wire connected a! Location of the helicopter would be constantly spinning in the category `` Analytics '' fly an aircraft under #! Is unacceptable and every precaution is taken to avoid danger a tail rotor spins very fast is... On level ground you almost never approach from the Bridge of an offshore diving vessel most common use of tail... Even on level ground you almost never approach why should you duck under a helicopter blade the Bridge of an offshore vessel. An instinct for self preservation or duck when walking under a helicopter even though the.. All of the blades are much higher than their heads moving the cyclic forward the! People duck when I 'm getting off the train in the grand scheme things... To the ground on the exterior of the pilot should either stop the descent or... Can drip or leak on the deck that can happen when on exterior... What does the sound of a way to go, talking to air traffic control, ``. You avoid it ( none ), the UH-60 Blackhawk, at the time 's!