Helicopter to work?

[pre med 2014]

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True regarding the IFR comment. Exactly the problem with having to commute. Los Angeles does seem like a place where a semi retired person could work something like that out. There is an airpark near the Tejon pass called Agua Dulce or something like that. One could fly there to Torrance/Zamperini, or Fullerton, or Longbeach, and drive to a nearby hospital.

Regarding the safety issue raised by the previous poster: A light single engine airplane that has lost power makes a very disappointing glider. The helicopter has less options, it is true, but it isn't as bad a picture as you describe. Google autorotation if you are curious.

yes I have heard a helicopter engine failure does not result in a free fall. Actually I have heard something strange that the pilot can dip the nose down and the increase in speed rotates the blades and you resume some lift.

You could always wear a parachute while flying, that mitigates most risk. Skydivers have jumped out of cessna caravans in nose dive free fall. I bet jumping out of a failed helicopter is much easier. Actually in the particular accident report it explained how the pilot happened to be wearing a parachute as well and made it out himself at like 1000' that must have been so extreme

EDIT: I just googled autorotation I guess it doesn't make much sense to parachute out of a failing helicopter...

 

[thefritz]

Yah I have a commercial pilot's too and I was the inspiration for top gun

So, that's a no. Continue hating then.

 

[thefritz]

Regarding the safety issue raised by the previous poster: A light single engine airplane that has lost power makes a very disappointing glider. The helicopter has less options, it is true, but it isn't as bad a picture as you describe. Google autorotation if you are curious.

A 152 can glide for quite a while and give you some time to find a good option. A caravan, ok maybe it's a little tougher. Regarding autorotation, yes, hence my comment about the samaras. I'd still pick the caravan.

 

[studentp0x]

Interesting question, what are the odds of parachute failure following engine failure 🙂

 

[thefritz]

Interesting question, what are the odds of parachute failure following engine failure 🙂

I would choose to stay in the fixed wing at best glide vs. jumping out as would almost every pilot. Most fixed wing single engine failures aren't going to happen at jump height.

 

[Bryan O’Blivion]

Kind of counterintuitive, but compared to the 152, the caravan has a better glide ratio, likely because you can feather the prop. However, the cheapest used one I have seen was about $800K. Makes the little helicopter look economical.

As far as the published glide ratios go, I have found Cessna flight manuals to be sort of optimistic in their numbers. If you were to accept their fuel burn numbers as hard truth, you might have the opportunity to test out their published glide ratio. In all seriousness, keep in mind that the glide you'd get with an actual failure is significantly worse than the one you practiced by pulling the throttle to idle.

Yeah, autorotation is kind of cool, although people give themselves nasty neck injuries practicing them. It probably doesn't treat the machine that well either.

Glad to see someone with an interest in general aviation, and particularly being safe about it.

 

[thepoopologist]

jetpack ftw

 

[pre med 2014]

Interesting question, what are the odds of parachute failure following engine failure 🙂

A parachute should never fail if you do all the proper gear checks.

 

[thefritz]

Kind of counterintuitive, but compared to the 152, the caravan has a better glide ratio, likely because you can feather the prop. However, the cheapest used one I have seen was about $800K. Makes the little helicopter look economical.

As far as the published glide ratios go, I have found Cessna flight manuals to be sort of optimistic in their numbers. If you were to accept their fuel burn numbers as hard truth, you might have the opportunity to test out their published glide ratio. In all seriousness, keep in mind that the glide you'd get with an actual failure is significantly worse than the one you practiced by pulling the throttle to idle.

Yeah, autorotation is kind of cool, although people give themselves nasty neck injuries practicing them. It probably doesn't treat the machine that well either.

Glad to see someone with an interest in general aviation, and particularly being safe about it.

This is true. I obviously am not a caravan pilot (I have only flown single engines with FPPs) and forgot about the ability to feather the prop. Regardless, I would still much prefer to be able to maneuver and land at 35 kias than 80 kias.

Even pulling to idle in a 152, it does sink pretty rapidly, and best glide at a 152's typical altitude doesn't give you much of a range to look for an ideal spot, but unless you're over water, it's gotta be easier to put down in a field. Or on a runway, you can aim for midfield and get it stopped most anywhere. Deadsticking a caravan is going to be a lot harder -- aim for the middle and risk overrunning, aim for the numbers and risk undershooting.

 

[HLxDrummer]

I drive a helicopter to medical school every day. #yoloswag

 

[AdamAustin]

hmmm under dire circumstances, many choose to opt to travel by helicopter mode, though the price may be on a little higher. But if you are paid up well & has additional income too, then i believe one can go for helicopter travelling mode for commuting on time.