Landing behind a helicopter

brien23

brien23

Pattern Altitude
Joined
May 31, 2005
Messages
1,624
Location
Oak Harbor
Display Name
Brien
Home Airfield
76S
Is their something missing in training for PPL about landing behind a helicopter. Local airport helicopter operations seems like pilot flying small aircraft have no idea of landing behind a helicopter, we have large military helicopters landing. Also have some helicopters flying the same pattern as all the other aircraft, always interesting when a Cessna fly through helicopter rotor downwash.
 
I've witnessed a Cessna 150 taxiing behind a hover taxiing CH-47D some years ago. The 150 was rocking violently. The old man in the 150 was lucky he didn't get flipped, I thought for sure it was about to be!
We've got Guard Lakota's, -60's, -47's, and plenty of Air Ambulance helo traffic around Central IL. They like to use the small county airports day/night. Lots of hovering for several minutes and hover taxiing.
I give them all a wide berth.
 
I seem to recall the AIM states that wake turbulence from a hovering or taxiing helicopter is hazardous within three rotor diameters.
 
Worst experience I ever had in GA was landing while a Blackhawk was taxiing to the fuel pumps next to the runway. I should have known better, but it was after a long and turbulent flight and I was ready to be on the ground. The runway and taxiway were surrounded by tall southern pines. That held all the rotor in place. Got rocked pretty violently and at the moment I was thinking go around, it got very smooth as we passed where the heli was. Never again.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top