Helipads & helicopters

OK.  I’m a fan of helicopters.  I built and have flow a Rotorway 162F experimental helicopter so helicopters on yachts also do intrigue me.

Therefore, a list of pictures showing helipads and helicopters on yachts. 

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I got my first lessons in one of these.

While it may look boring, it’s certainly not boring when you’re inside. but, since there’s no better fun than seeing things go wrong, a few videos to show how you should not land or take-off with a helicopter. Don’t let any of this scare you out of flying helicopers :-)

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2 Comments Add Yours ↓

The upper is the most recent comment

  1. 1

    Love the videos, I remember my first lesson as does my instructor.
    The amazing thing is that after a bit you realize that flying one is like dealing successfully with women, soft hands, smooth motions and a lot of planning.
    Watched the chopper land on Attessa a little bit ago and the clearance is indeed tight and not to be done in much of a sea.
    The landing clearance requirement has more to do with clearance for the rotors than area to stand in.
    On some hospitals the landing zone is not much larger that the chopper and as you will know you are fighting the effect of building shear over ground effect.
    It is cold here and our work has ground to a halt while we limit ourselves to the engine room.
    Our solution to the landing area was to design an articulated pad that cantilevers over the stern. We could probably launch from the mid swing point but then we would need a ladder to get up there so why?
    Take care, Stephen

  2. 2

    Thanks for the comment Stephen.

    Check out the post http://www.expeditionyacht.org/helicopter/extractable-helideck on how we found an (elegant) solution. It would still not be certifiable under the new LY2 code but it’s a LOT better than most current LY2-certified megayachts.

    And one more remark: unlike women, a helicopter’s behaviour is totally predictable !



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