Home › Forums › Safety › The Path of a Helicopter’s Turbulence

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  • August 30, 2021 at 3:59 PM #13702
    Jerome Daoust
    General Member

    A good presentation (unfortunately triggered by a fatality) of the path of turbulence from a helicopter…

    YouTube > Lessons learned: helicopter wake turbulence / a dangerous phenomenon.

    Main lesson. We often consider the downward turbulence when a helicopter is hovering (near stationary), but for helicopters with significant horizontally speed, the path of turbulence is at the same height, drifting with the wind and can last several minutes. We can be at risk when we think the helicopter is far away.

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    I experienced this at Torrey Pines on 2007/10/13, not fun.

    Related discussion on PGF.

    A video example: YouTube > Heli turbulence.

    August 30, 2021 at 8:58 PM #13706
    Jonathan Dietch
    General Member

    Good information! I too have been rotor waked while hang gliding but did not have a severe issue due to my altitude. Let’s not forget what happened to Kevin Williams when he flew into the tip vortex of a fully-loaded fire bomber.
    Pro Tip: If an aircraft flies upwind and you begin to smell kerosene turn away immediately.

    August 30, 2021 at 11:04 PM #13707
    Bille Floyd

    How many pilots here , remember how Bob Wills of WW died ?

     

    Bille

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