H.
You will be aware that Red Ken has stitched you up from driving around Central London on four wheels. Now seems the authorities do not want you around in your petrol parrot?
tinyurl.com/bw8wd
DVD
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Terrorist threat based I assume?
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Quite frankly DVD me dear - I couldn't give a stuff for Red Ken and his schemes.The guy is a menace on a par with that smug git Pestcott - Mods feel free to delete!
However I imagine it is an anti- terrorist idea so it may have some merit.
As all my company helicopters are based in the Middle East it luckily does not affect me at all.
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The explanatory notes say: "Except with the permission of the Civil Aviation Authority a helicopter may not fly over the specified area of Central London unless it would, in the event of an engine failure, be able to land clear of that area."
Sounds to me like it's mostly about not having helicopters crash-landing into the most crowded part of the country.
I guess it has some anti-tererorist uses too, but I doubt that's what it was primarily aimed at: Mr Terrorist can still fly his chopper wherever he likes in London, so long as it's got little wings otr something to let it glide out of ther central zone if the engine conks out. Mr Terrorist can then land his chopper safely in Kew Gardens or Brockwell Park or wherever, and everyone will be happy.
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So they can still follow the river?. Does that not just extend to all choppers rules that have applied to the single engine variety since Pontius was a Pilot?
Presumably there will be exceptions for the Air Ambulance and the Copper's Choppers. Would have been nice to see them do it 20 yrs ago and stuff Cap'n Bob's arrival at the Mirror by those means.
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Since Pontius was a Pilot?
Officer, officer!
Arrest this man, please. Flagrant breach of the Really Bad Puns Act ... ;-)
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Is it any coincidence that it came into effect on April 1st?
Is it to be assumed that those who dreampt up this rule reside in central london?
I guess if the helicopter lands on the plebs outside of the designated area it is perfectly acceptable?
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Well I for one would be pleased if Lucio Tan, the owner of Philippine Airlines, didn't fly his helicopter over my roof at 500 feet every day at 0700 on his way to his office downtown.
Especially when I've had a night on the amber nectar and am feeling a trifle discommoded.
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Not much of anti-terrorist deterrent - it specifically states helicopters. Whilst single engined planes are technically excluded under the same legislation, it's not a well enforced rule.
Light planes can carry a greater payload and are easier for a tyro to control (as 9/11 tragically proved).
Methinks this is specifically aimed at Mr. Robinson's motorised egg beaters.
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Now exactly how are you going to get this around to motoring ?
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I thought when the engines failed on a helicopter it just drifted down? I swear there a program on TV years ago where they demonstrated just this - as the blades slowed it just headed gently back down to earth.
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" thought when the engines failed on a helicopter it just drifted down? I swear there a program on TV years ago where they demonstrated just this - as the blades slowed it just headed gently back down to earth."
No Helicopter Pilot, but i think the technique is called "to auto gyrate or rotate" I have seen it but i dont think you have a whole load of control about where its going nor is it none to gentle.
You have to bear in mind, a Helicopter has the aerodynamic stability of a bathtub full of water, and loosing power to the only bit keeping you in the air is... well... er... serious.
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" thought when the engines failed on a helicopter it just drifted down? I swear there a program on TV years ago where they demonstrated just this - as the blades slowed it just headed gently back down to earth." No Helicopter Pilot, but i think the technique is called "to auto gyrate or rotate" I have seen it but i dont think you have a whole load of control about where its going nor is it none to gentle. You have to bear in mind, a Helicopter has the aerodynamic stability of a bathtub full of water, and loosing power to the only bit keeping you in the air is... well... er... serious.
Technique is known as autorotation.
Idea is to drop the collective post ECU failure which in turn reduces the pitch on the blades. The effect of this is to reduce the drag on the blades and keep the bladesd hopefully rotating at 100%NR.
As the helicopter looses height wind speed through the blades will keep the blades turning @ 100NR, possibly even faster dependent on atmospheric pressure, altitude and all up weight.
At about 200 feet above ground or lower dependent on how sporty you are, you gradually pull in collective to increase the angle of attack on the blades which in turn generates lift,reducing t
the rate of decent.
Get it right and you land with out much damage, get it wrong and it's going to hurt.
We practice these Autorotation techniques at about 4000-5000 feet,by unloading the engine thru dropping the collective. The ECU'S retard to flight idle and spool up when you pull in collective.The worst part is the 2 to 3 seconds of having you stomach in your chest as you loose the effect of gravity.
Obviously bit difficult to do in a city environment as you need to pick the landing area early.
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If anybody watched the 'Massive Machines' programme on helicopters on Ch 5 recently the autorotation landing technique was shown.
As Bikemade says it is or should be practiced regularly by all helicopter pilots .
But as Mark says - its not motoring.
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And how are the congestion charge cameras going to be set up to catch the helicopters?
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Now exactly how are you going to get this around to motoring ?
My pedal-driven helicopter wasn't a great success, so I prefer motorised helicopters to motorised wheels?
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Growler -
Just invite your neighbour round for a barbecue. As you share a couple of bottles of that amber nectar of yours, tell him (with barely controlled enthusiasm) about this new RPG launcher you've just bought & can't wait to test ...
--
andymc
Vroom, vroom - mmm, doughnuts ...
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Actually I was thinking of taking out a third mortgage and going for a Chinook gunship......
Now where did I put that BlackHawk Down DVD?
But no, we must stick to motoring, so I shall resignedly sit in the Monday morning 40 minute queue to pay my expressway toll like a good citizen while my betters clatter overhead disdainfully to the landing pads on their office buildings.
But come the Revolution.......
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