admin (Simon W) Posted July 11, 2017 Share Posted July 11, 2017 This is what it looks like from the inside of a helicopter when 50 - 100ft into cloud. I have seen a few pics and videos around on the tinternet where people are fly into or around the edge of cloud. This should help you to understand why it's a) illegal and b) stupid. SW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neilzy Posted July 11, 2017 Share Posted July 11, 2017 Fuuuuuuuuuck that's scarey shit ya wouldn't stand a chance. I was wincing as he went through the cloud thinking that's insane totally blind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
admin (Simon W) Posted July 11, 2017 Author Share Posted July 11, 2017 Imagine if he lost his artificial horizon SW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted July 11, 2017 Share Posted July 11, 2017 1 hour ago, admin (Simon W) said: Imagine if he lost his artificial horizon SW Losing the real one does it for me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
admin (Simon W) Posted July 11, 2017 Author Share Posted July 11, 2017 lolol SW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerlord Posted July 11, 2017 Share Posted July 11, 2017 I've been 'caught' in cloud a few times. Once PGing over Babadag - got sucked into some life and before I knew it I was in a cloud. All I could do was keep flying and hope I came out it. You really do lose all idea of direction. The last time was in Glencoe - cloud base was about 200 feet above the top of the Anoach Eager ridge, and it was all fairly benign flying around 2000 feet along the glen, then it just sucked me up into it. I was now in cloud and new that there was a good chance if I tried to come down from it I'd have lost direction enough to hit the side of the mountain. frankly, I was shitting myself - I flew IFR basically via my GPS (PPGps) andjust headed out into somewhere I knew there should be no mountains (loch leven). I've never been so glad to see land again. On 'tother hand, flying AROUND cloud, and maybe whipping though the odd little edge of it has gave me some of the best flights I've ever had.. so it's all about reading the conditions I suppose. and one where I was a bit of a dick for balance - there was cut here - but it was another one that just came in so quick and I found myself above the clouds, with no where to go - I had to just hope the GPS was accurate and slowly descend into what i hoped was a valley - again heart in mouth and no fun at all. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Jackson Posted July 12, 2017 Share Posted July 12, 2017 Yes, I'm rebellious and have occasionally played above (and around) the mashed potato... its just so much damn fun! And in all honesty flying through a cloud isn't a disaster for us pendulum types - as long as there isn't anything else in there with you (i.e. in the air or connected to the ground). Not that I've done it more than a couple of times. Obviously it is also wise to also know exactly where you are and what is beneath and in front of you. So on the record - 'tut tut, don't do it' Off the record - 'woop woop... but don't tell my mum' The start of this basic vid was last Tuesday after work. Cloud base at 6,900ft Feel free to delete my comment if its too naughty Simon! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted July 12, 2017 Share Posted July 12, 2017 Lee, you are so out there. Very proud of you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Jackson Posted July 12, 2017 Share Posted July 12, 2017 ... thanks Steve. As ever I'm prostate in your presence! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldFart Posted July 17, 2017 Share Posted July 17, 2017 (edited) A helicopter is the very worse type of aircraft to get into cloud with no gyro instruments, because it is inherently unstable. It will not fly "hands off" for more than a few minutes at the most. In a conventional fixed-wing you can safely descend through unbroken cloud (so long as not too turbulent) without gyro instruments if you trim everything for a straight descent on a Southerly heading (in Northern hemisphere) while above cloud and then take your hands completely off the controls, using the compass to detect the start of any turn and correcting with small *rudder* inputs. On a Southerly heading the compass will lead the turn, making it more sensitive to turns so you correct promptly. In the Southern hemisphere you should fly North. I was once flying a helicopter with no gyro instruments except a DI when low cloud formed beneath me incredibly fast - with its base on the ground in may places (i.e. fog). I spotted a hole over a field where the base appeared to be about 250 feet and descended through it in a slow, tight turn, but the hole was closing and I ended up IMC for about 10 very anxious seconds. Even after that brief time, I exited the cloud in an unexpected attitude. Another few seconds and I suspect I would have got into an extreme position that would not have been recoverable. The forecast had predicted an increasing difference between temperature and dewpoint throughout the morning, but they got it wrong, and quite a few pilots were caught out (my home airport had became fogged-in, but fortunately a field landing in a helicopter is a non-event, so I landed and waited for it to burn off, which it did after about an hour). I have as yet no experience of paramotors, but I would have thought that so long as you ensure you are not going to fly into cumulo-granite, a decent without instruments should be fairly easily possible with no loss of control due to the inherent stability, but I stand to be corrected. Edited July 17, 2017 by OldFart Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
admin (Simon W) Posted July 17, 2017 Author Share Posted July 17, 2017 This post was not about 'loss of control' this post was about what a heli pilot 'can't ' see while in cloud. 'It's to show that they can not see you!! SW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyB Posted July 17, 2017 Share Posted July 17, 2017 All my helis will not fly for more than a few seconds without active control....................minutes would put it in the ground! The heli vid to me shows all the more why we (PPG) should not be in cloud because the pilot HAS to be looking at the instruments pretty much 100% of the time. He will NOT be looking out the window to see if a PPG is there.......just a quick occasional glance out to see if he can now see through the cloud! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldFart Posted July 18, 2017 Share Posted July 18, 2017 Depends on exactly where you are and what sort of clouds. Playing in & out of the tops of isolated cumulous can be done safely if you make frequent checks for traffic from a good vantage point out of cloud. Flying around the "mountains" and "valleys" of cumulous is good fun. The video stopped for me after a minute or so (copyright issues I think), so I did not get to see the point it was illustrating. As far as "hands off" on a helicopter - the time you can get away with it depends on the size. I would not let go of the controls of an R22, but a Jetranger is fairly stable in forward flight for a reasonable time - it can be trimmed far better than the smaller machines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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