If you’ve ever boarded a passenger plane, you’ve likely noticed the small, porthole-like windows lining the aircraft. These windows make it easy for passengers to view their surroundings and enjoy marvelous cruising height views. But why are these plane windows so tiny?
Plane windows are small because they reduce aircraft weight, strengthen the aircraft fuselage and reduce the chance of catastrophic pressure differences if a window pops out during flight. These windows are designed as such to increase the safety of passenger flights.
In this article, we’ll discuss the most significant reasons why passenger plane windows are small, helping you better understand the importance of tiny plane windows. We’ll then cover a little bit about their shape and why some private jets have larger windows.
Can Planes Have Bigger Windows?
Planes can have bigger windows, but since they’re designed to maintain pressure and safety, it’s unlikely many aircraft manufacturers will make such a change on standard passenger-carrying airplanes. Aircraft need to be pressurized to fly, and having oversized windows will make this more complex and more expensive.
Boeing is the only manufacturer in recent years to increase the window size on its 787 Dreamliner. Having a completely composite fuselage allowed the designers to slightly increase the window size.
To discover why plane windows are small, we must first address how windows affect an aircraft. After all, aircraft engineers work diligently to ensure that every component of an airplane is beneficial in some way.
Notably, cargo planes seldom have windows on the sides due to the lack of passengers and the fact that adding windows means you also need to strengthen the fuselage, making it much heavier as a result. The space where the windows would be are either filled in with sheet metal if the airplane is being converted from a passenger to cargo aircraft, or the windows and frames are never installed on the production line.
Passenger-carrying aircraft all include windows to allow passengers to see outside which helps with boredom, anxiety, and claustrophobia, they also double as a safety measure. Flight attendants can look through the windows to check for potential threats in the event of an emergency, they can check to see if it is safe to open a certain exit using the window.
That said, windows do come with a handful of significant drawbacks. Let’s take a look at some of these in more detail below.
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Windows Add Weight to an Aircraft
Windows on passenger planes consist of three layers of acrylic. These layers help protect the aircraft and its passengers by regulating pressure differences. While acrylic is relatively lightweight, the multiple layers add up to about 8lbs (4kg) per window.
When you multiply this weight by the total number of windows on a passenger plane (typically, there are about 80 or more), you end up with an added weight of about 640lbs (290kg).
So, larger windows would increase this weight gain, impacting fuel burn. This increase in fuel burn adds up over the operating life of the airplane.
Most commercial planes consist of lightweight materials that reduce overall aircraft weight. This is crucial, as weight impacts:
Flying distance
Fuel efficiency
Balance
Climb performance
For these reasons, every major airline restricts the amount of cargo allowed on board during a flight. So one could argue that adding weight in the form of larger windows would cut that cargo allowance even further.
The largest portion of a passenger plane is the passenger cabin section of the fuselage. Typically, a commercial plane’s fuselage is studded with several dozen rows of small windows. But the more windows there are, the weaker the fuselage will become.
Aircraft fuselages are typically made of lightweight, sturdy aluminum alloy. This material allows them to remain rigid, helping them withstand high speeds, turbulence, and significant pressure differences. But when you cut openings into this frame, you’re weakening its overall strength. To overcome this weakening of the fuselage the aircraft designers increase the structure around each window to help minimize and disperse fatigue stresses.
Like cutting into a house’s wooden frame, you diminish the overall structure by adding holes.
Now imagine doubling the size of those windows. That’s an extra 16lbs (8kg) per window (at least), plus all the additional internal structure needed. When Boeing went to an all-composite fuselage, this really changed how windows could be incorporated as the need for additional structure was greatly reduced.
Boeing 787 Dreamliner with 10.7″ x 18.4″ Windows
Windows Can Lead to Pressurization Dangers
Airplane windows are specifically designed to regulate pressure differences as the aircraft rises and falls.
According to MAC Instruments:
Air density at sea level is about 0.0765 lb/ft3 (1.225 kg/m3).
At cruising altitude (about 30,000ft/9144m), air density is only about 0.022lbm/ft3.
As such, air pressure decreases as altitude increases. Therefore, the air pressure inside a passenger plane needs to be higher than outside for the passengers to fly comfortably. For this reason, most passenger aircraft are pressurized as if that person was standing on the top of a 6000 foot mountain.
If a plane window suddenly detaches during a flight, this pressure difference will cause an explosive vacuum effect as the air pressure equalizes, making it difficult for people to breathe and suck anything that is not fixed out of the window.
Fortunately, small windows keep this effect minimal. But large windows could result in passengers and larger materials being sucked out of the plane and into the engine, horizontal stabilizers, or rudder causing further damage to the aircraft.
Plane windows are not square because sharp corners create weak spots, which could lead to damage or failure at high speeds and when under pressure. In general, circular shapes are considered more robust as they do not have weak corners, and any pressure applied is better distributed.
The weaker areas would be exasperated in larger windows, making them another design feature the designers would have to address. This is why you see only see windows on large, corporate, or private jets that are either round, oval or have curved corners.
As mentioned, adding more oversized windows would be more expensive. That’s why you won’t see them on standard passenger flights any time soon. That said, it’s not uncommon to see bigger windows on more exclusive private jets and aircraft.
The reason is simple: they can afford it.
Manufacturers and private passengers are willing to pay the extra money required, whereas regular flyers are not.
To Finish
If plane windows were large, the plane’s fuselage would be weaker and more prone to bending during flight. Larger windows would also add weight to an aircraft, making it far less fuel-efficient.
Crucially, plane windows also affect the pressurization of the cabin. So if a small plane window detaches and falls off during a flight, the pressure difference between the cabin and the outside air wouldn’t pull passengers and interiors outside of the plane.
But if a large plane window popped out during a flight, it could increase this pressurized pull, putting passengers’ lives in danger.
Best Helicopter To Train In? – An Instructor Weighs in
When it comes to learning to fly a helicopter there seem to be so many models to choose from. To the untrained eye, a helicopter is a helicopter but the differences between them can really make a difference to the quality of the training and also the bank balance.
The best training helicopters are the Robinson R22 & R44, Guimbal Cabri, and Schweizer 269C/300CB. All of these helicopters allow for fairly inexpensive rental costs, have a proven track record, and are fast, nimble, and predictable to allow for every maneuver to be learned fairly easily.
As a former flying instructor and having flown pretty much all of the helicopters mentioned I can give you a pretty good breakdown of which helicopter will be best suited to you.
Not every helicopter will suit every student and in this article, I’m going to show you why…
What is the Best Helicopter to Learn to Fly?
The four best and most common training helicopters are:
Robinson R22
Robinson R44
Guimbal Cabri G2
Schweizer 269/300 Series
Let’s take a look at each one of these and look at what makes them the best helicopter for you:
Model
# of Seats
Avg Cost Per Hour
Availability
Engine Type
Avg Cruise Speed
Max Seat Weight
R22
2
$345 Dual $280 Solo
✓
Carburetor
80kts
240lbs
R44
2+2
$515 Dual $450 Solo
✓
Carburetor
100kts
300lbs
Cabri G2
2
$350 Dual $270 Solo
X
Carburetor
80kts
None
269/300
2/3
$345 Dual $280 Solo
X
Fuel Injection
60kts
None
Robinson R22
The Robinson R22 has been the ‘Go-To’ training helicopter for many flight schools across the globe for decades. Although, in recent years its larger brother the R44 and the Cabri have been nudging their way toward the top of the list for flight schools.
The R22 is one of the cheapest helicopters to learn to fly in, averaging around $345USD per hour with an instructor and fuel, and around $280USD when it is to be hired without the instructor for solo flights and hour building.
The R22 is a fast little helicopter making it perfect for the long cross-country training flights that are part of both the Private and Commerical pilot certificate syllabuses. With an average cruise speed of 80kts that can be wound up to 90 kts with a light crew, it soon chews through the miles allowing for a quicker flight and less cost.
There are several drawbacks to the R22:
T-Bar Cyclic Control – Takes some getting used to
Very Nimble – Tough for learning at first, but teaches great aircraft control
Carburetted Piston Engine – Prone to Carburetor Ice (Wiki) if not monitored
Low Intertia Rotorhead – Loses Rotor RPM quickly
Max Seat Weight – 240lbs/108kg. Not good for heavier students
Small Cockpit – Tall or wide students may find it uncomfortable
The R22 is a small helicopter! With a cabin width of only 44″ it gets really cozy in there for just regular-sized folk. If you are tall, have broad shoulders, wide hips/thighs, or are over the maximum seat weight limit of 240lbs/108kg then the R22 is not going to be the best option for you.
For the average student to complete an FAA Private Pilot Certificate in a Robinson R22 it will cost around:
FAA Minimum: 40 Total: 30 hours Dual x $345 = $10,350 10 hours Solo x $280 = $2,800
Flight Training Minimum Total = $13,150
Typical Student Average: 60 Total: 50 hours Dual x $345 = $17,250 10 hours Solo x $280 = $2,800
Flight Training Typical Total = $20,050
Like every helicopter, there had to be compromises made during the design stage but in all, there is a reason why this has been at the top of the list as a training helicopter for decades. It should not be hard to find a flight school operating these helicopters near you.
You may hear pilots talk about how they would never get in a Robinson helicopter and to be honest most of those that I have met have never flown one. Yes, they can have a reputation but trust me after 1000 hours of flying in an R22 I can tell which pilots trained in an R22 – They have much better hands and feet!
The Robinson R44 is the younger and larger brother built on the pedigree of the R22. This helicopter offers room for the pilot and 3 passengers with increased space within its cabin. Having a larger rotor diameter this helicopter is more stable compared to the R22, making it a little easier to learn on and the rotor system also has increased weight that helps to maintain RPM in autorotations, making them a little easier to master also.
The R44 still uses the Robinson T-Bar cyclic configuration and for those moving from an R22 to an R44 will instantly recognize the helicopter both inside and out as Robinson took the design mantra of ‘If it’s not broke, don’t fix it’ and basically duplicated most of the R22 and made it bigger for the R44.
This ‘Bigger’ also makes the helicopter available to many pilots that the R22 could not fit. The R44 has an increased individual seat weight limit of 300lbs, a 6.5″ wider, and a less claustrophobic-feeling cabin. Its higher 100 kts cruise speed allows for faster A to B flights which many pilots seek.
There are several drawbacks to the R44:
T-Bar Cyclic Control – Take some getting used to
Carburetted Piston Engine – Prone to Carburetor Ice if not monitored
Larger Size – Requires two people to ground maneuver
Max Seat Weight – 300lbs/136kg. Not good for heavier students
Expensive – Almost 2/3 more of the hourly rental cost of the R22
The R44 is a great helicopter to train in however, due to its higher rental costs it’s not a helicopter I recommend students do ALL their training in. This helicopter is great to progress onto once the student has gained a pilot certificate, especially if they wish to fly for pleasure and to take several passengers out for lunch, away days and getaways etc.
All of the initial flight training should be completed in one of the smaller helicopters (provided you fit) as they allow you to gain the necessary muscle memory of physically learning how to control a helicopter but at a much lower price!
For the average student to complete an FAA Private Pilot Certificate in a Robinson R44 it will cost around:
FAA Minimum: 40 Total: 30 hours Dual x $515 = $15,450 10 hours Solo x $495 = $4,950
Flight Training Minimum Total = $20,400
Typical Student Average: 60 Total: 50 hours Dual x $515 = $25,750 10 hours Solo x $450 = $4,500
Flight Training Typical Total = $30,750
As you can see the cost of a typical Private Pilot Certificate completed on the R44 is $10,000 more compared to training on the R22. Many students will complete their training on the R22 and then take a 5 Hour Conversion Course for around $3000, saving $7000!
The Robinson R44 is one of the world’s most popular private helicopters and for good reason. It is a very solid helicopter with over 6,000 machines sold since its first flight in 1990.
The Cabri G2 from Hélicoptères Guimbal is the new kid on the block. Designed by a former ‘Eurocopter’ engineer this helicopter has been refined over the last few decades into one of the fastest-growing training helicopters all over the world.
This small, modern, two-seat helicopter has a typical hourly rental cost of around $350/hour with an instructor and $270/ hour for solo hire. This helicopter features a modern glass cockpit, three-bladed fully articulated rotorhead, and Fenestron tail rotor system that you can easily see have been mirrored off the many incredible Eurocopter helicopters.
This state-of-the-art helicopter features composite rotor blades and structure, a crash-resistant fuel cell, and energy-absorbing crash-resistant seats. Many of the issues leading to accidents at flight schools have been addressed in the design of this helicopter and its surge in popularity shows the designers got it right.
There are several drawbacks to the G2:
Availability – Can be hard to find a local school operating them
Carburetted Piston Engine – Prone to Carburetor Ice if not monitored
As you can see there are not that many cons to these great little helicopters. The shrouded tail rotor makes them great for ‘Off-Airport’ landings. The traditional style flight controls and ergonomic cockpit make them feel more like a helicopter.
Their stable handling and high-inertia rotorhead give the pilot/s much more buffer room when learning and their high cruise and large fuel capacity allow for fast cross-country training flights and great handling around the airport.
One of the other great features of the Cabri is that it has no listed limitation on the maximum seat weight. Providing the pilot keeps the helicopter within its weight and balance limitations they can fly the aircraft. It is still only a small cabin at only 48″ wide but has a regular-style helicopter cyclic control that helps taller and wider pilots fit in the aircraft.
For the average student to complete an FAA Private Pilot Certificate in a Cabri G2 it will cost around:
FAA Minimum: 40 Total: 30 hours Dual x $350 = $10,500 10 hours Solo x $270 = $2,700
Flight Training Minimum Total = $13,200
Typical Student Average: 60 Total: 50 hours Dual x $350 = $17,500 10 hours Solo x $270 = $2,700
Flight Training Typical Total = $20,200
Coming in at roughly the same hourly cost as a Robinson R22 these great little helicopters are becoming the training helicopter of choice for most students who can get their hands on one. However, finding that flight school might take a little more searching!
The original training helicopter was designed to compete against the infamous Bell 47 (M*A*S*H) helicopter. This helicopter has been seen in training schools all over the world since the early 1960s and it has a great safety pedigree behind its many iterations.
The original 269C was a two-seat, carburated piston engine, but today’s latest model the 300CBi features a fuel-injected 180hp engine which eliminates the issue of Carb Ice and the option for the cabin to contain two or three seats.
When configured for two seats this is the helicopter to fly if you are taller, wider, or heavier to comfortably fit in any of the other training helicopters mentioned. Just like the Cabri, this helicopter has no maximum seat weight limitation, it just has to be kept within weight and balance limitations.
The tall and wide cabin easily accommodates every student and it even has adjustable pedals for those that are vertically challenged like myself (I’m 5’6″/168cm).
With a comparable hourly operating cost of the other 2 seat helicopters, this is a great helicopter to learn to fly on. With an instructor, this helicopter averages around $360/hour and $300/hour for solo rental.
There are several drawbacks to the 269/300:
Availability – Can be hard to find a local school operating them
Carburetted Piston Engine – Prone to Carburetor Ice if in the 269C/300C & 300CB models
Steep Glide Ratio – Doesn’t glide far in autorotations
Ground Resonance – Prone to Ground Resonance during hard touchdowns
Slow Cruise Speed – Makes for a long duration of A to B flights
Brutal In Headwinds – Large, flat canopy window really slows groundspeed in a headwind
The larger cabin of this helicopter is great for people of any size and this increased space adds stability to the aircraft, coupled with the 3 bladed, fully articulated rotor system. This helicopter will feel more sluggish compared to the R22 but flies with smooth, predictable characteristics.
This is a great helicopter for training around the airport but one of its major flaws is its speed. Even a small headwind can really hamper the progression of this helicopter getting anywhere due to its very large, flat, canopy windscreen.
A great little helicopter that allows impressive views from its cabin, has a simple-to-inspect airframe, and is fun to fly, just don’t plan to fly long distances with a good headwind!
For the average student to complete an FAA Private Pilot Certificate in a Schweizer 269/300 it will cost around:
FAA Minimum: 40 Total: 30 hours Dual x $345 = $10,350 10 hours Solo x $280 = $2,800
Flight Training Minimum Total = $13,150
Typical Student Average: 60 Total: 50 hours Dual x $345 = $17,250 10 hours Solo x $280 = $2,800
Flight Training Typical Total = $20,050
Having a comparable hourly rental rate to both the R22 and the Cabri this helicopter makes it easy for anyone to fly. With no seat weight restrictions and an ample cabin, this is the helicopter of choice for those finding the cockpits of the other helicopters a little too tight.
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Can I learn to Fly in a Turbine Helicopter?
Training is regularly completed in turbine helicopters, especially for annual recurrent pilot training of professional pilots. Helicopters like the Bell Jet Ranger, Airbus H125, and Robinson R66 are all very common training helicopters. They are a lot more expensive to rent than piston-powered helicopters.
Turbine helicopters are not cheap to run or rent! Because of this, the cost of completing an entire Private Pilot or Commercial Pilot certificate is considerable. The only people who I have seen do their entire training in a turbine-powered helicopter are those in the military or private owner who is being trained in their own helicopter.
For someone wanting to learn to fly, a turbine helicopter can be used without any issues at all, in fact, you will find many flight schools will have a Bell 206 Jet Ranger or similar-sized helicopter available. The training syllabus in a turbine helicopter is exactly the same as it is in a piston-powered helicopter, the only difference is the price.
For the average student to complete an FAA Private Pilot Certificate in a Bell 206 Jet Ranger it will cost around:
FAA Minimum: 40 Total: 30 hours Dual x $1,200 = $36,000 10 hours Solo x $1,135 = $11,350
Flight Training Minimum Total = $47,350
Typical Student Average: 60 Total: 50 hours Dual x $1,200 = $60,000 10 hours Solo x $1,135 = $11,350
Flight Training Typical Total = $71,350
The cost to complete a typical Private Pilot Certificate on a turbine helicopter is roughly the same price as doing an entire professional pilot program in a two-seat, piston-powered helicopter.
Just like the R44, most students will complete their training on a smaller piston-powered helicopter and then spend around 3-5 hours doing a ‘Turbine Transition’ course where they learn all about the turbine helicopter, how it differs from a piston-powered helicopter, and practice the emergency procedures.
Can I Learn to Fly in my Own Helicopter?
Owners of private helicopters can employ a flight instructor to give them training in their own helicopter. The hourly rental rates are far lower than a flight school, but the owner bears all the risk if a mishap occurs. Insurance rates will be considerably higher when flown for training.
Over my years of flying and training, I have seen this a handful of times. A wealthy individual has purchased their own helicopter and wants to be taught how to fly it. This way they get to learn how their aircraft feels and flies. They get to familiarize themselves with its size when fitting into tight, confined landing areas and the main benefit is the cost.
When a person rents a helicopter, the flight school has to have a healthy margin added to the hourly rate to cover the cost of hull depreciation, maintenance, fuel, insurance, facilities, employees, and profit. For those individuals who have their own helicopter, the hourly rate is far less.
Take the Robinson R44 for example. It is one of the most popular private helicopters:
Flight School Hourly Cost with No Instructor = $495 Private Owner Hourly Cost with No Instructor = $260
The cost to train is almost half that of renting from a flight school, but the owner bears ALL the responsibility. Hard landings, stinger strikes, engine over speeds, and main rotor over speeds are all common in training. They are never planned, but they happen.
The cost savings of using your own helicopter can soon be consumed by having to have your aircraft inspected and/or parts replaced because you or your instructor ‘Screwed up’, because of this, insurance rates are increased dramatically while the helicopter is being used for training.
My advice would be to learn in the same helicopter but use the flight school machine. This way they bear all the risk and you get to keep your nice, shiny new helicopter looking like new and not beaten like a training helicopter can become!
Most kit helicopters are only single-seat which makes learning to fly in them incredibly dangerous. There are two-seat kits which are a very popular option for the builders. An instructor familiar with the kit can then teach the student but finding that instructor can be very difficult.
There are around 5-6 popular helicopter kits and those who wish to build their own will need to learn how to fly. The main reason many people purchase a kit helicopter is to save money and the cheapest kits are only a single seater. This makes learning in them very difficult.
To be able to learn to fly in a kit the pilot needs to either purchase or learn in a two-seat kit helicopter or learn in one of the mainstream helicopters mentioned above, then transition to their kit.
There are communities of kit helicopter owners all over the globe and finding an instructor that is familiar with the type of kit purchase is best done through that network. Having an instructor that knows that helicopter and how it flies and handles is paramount to ensure the highest level of safety while being taught.
Most instructors can be hired for between $50-$100 per flight hour.
Many people hear and see police helicopters flying around their city at night but are they the only helicopters that are allowed to fly at night? Well, after spending hundreds of hours flying helicopters at night I can tell you there is a lot more to it than you may think!
Helicopters can be flown at night. Depending on the country, the pilot/s may need specific training and a night rating, some might need certain equipment and instrumentation in their helicopter and some may not be allowed to fly at all. Flying at night can be safe provided certain rules are followed.
I have flown the most basic helicopters with only one engine and very little instrumentation at night up to one of the world’s most technologically advanced helicopters with two very powerful engines and full auto-flight capabilities and both can be flown safely provided they are flown in the right conditions.
It takes good training and pilot experience to ensure the helicopter remains safe at all times so if you want to know more about flying a helicopter at night, please read on…
Why Would a Helicopter Fly at Night?
For most countries, the helicopters that regularly fly at night are mainly police, air ambulance, corporate VIP, and military. A small amount of flight training takes place as all pilots will need to gain experience with a qualified instructor before being confident enough to fly.
Why Do Police Helicopters Fly At Night?
During the night criminal activity increases dramatically in most cities because of the cover of darkness. Most police forces utilize a helicopter to track and observe using powerful cameras and searchlights that allow them to help coordinate their ground officers via radio communication.
For this reason, you may find a police helicopter circling around your house at night. They can cover a very large area of a neighborhood from 1000 feet above and circling uses a lot less fuel than hovering, it allows them to stay mobile in case the subject changes direction and it also cuts down on the noise pollution to the residents sleeping below them.
Most police helicopters will only land and take off from well-lit airports or heliports. They very rarely, if ever, land anywhere else during the hours of darkness.
To ensure the fast response of medical attention is received many air ambulance helicopters will also fly at night. The helicopter really helps reduce the time it takes to reach patients in remote areas and allows for fast transfers between medical facilities.
For some patients, time is the difference between survival and fatality. Mother nature does not always concentrate on causing people harm just during daylight hours so getting medical attention 24/7 is key. Depending on the country and the local area, the capabilities of their local medevac helicopter can vary dramatically.
Some EMS helicopters may only be allowed to operate between lit airports and hospital helipads whereas, some may be able to land in the closest park or field even on the darkest nights. The more capabilities the helicopter and crew have, the more the operation will cost.
Medevac helicopters can be simple single-pilot, single-engine over-the-city-only operations or be complex, twin-engine, dual-pilot all-weather capable machines.
Why Do Private, Corporate & VIP Helicopters Fly at Night?
When the wealthy or corporations need to get personnel from A to B rapidly, then a helicopter is usually at the top of the list. A basic helicopter can easily be flown over a well-lit city with very minimal equipment onboard or pilot training. When safety, poor weather, and flights into remote areas are required, then twin-engine, all-weather-capable helicopters will be flown, usually by two pilots.
In the winter months when the sun sets early or the passengers are wanting to fly late into the evening, a helicopter can easily be used to fly them from a rooftop helipad, downtown heliport, or local airport to any appropriately prepared landing area. When VIP passengers do not like to wait, a helicopter with the right crew on board can be very lucrative to a helicopter company and in many large cities, VIP helicopters flying at night is very common.
A Highly Capable Night Helicopter: Sikorsky S92 – Source: Ahmed Hader
Just like any tool – Ensuring the right aircraft, with the right pilots, with the right training, are used, then the flights are eventless. When corners are cut and the wrong aircraft or pilot is used then disaster usually ensues.
Why Do Military Helicopters Fly at Night?
Military pilots need to fly in all weather and at night. Regular training is needed to allow the pilots to develop the necessary skills to fly low, fast, and undetected ready for wartime operations. Night training will usually be completed in military training areas but flights over cities can often be seen when relocated between bases and training facilities.
The art of sneaking up on the enemy is one of the military’s greatest advantages and to do this safely requires extensive training. Most military helicopters will use the latest in night-vision goggle technology, heads-up synthetic vision technology, and vast amounts of training. For some of the worlds, most technologically-advanced military forces, flying at night is not that far different from flying during the day!
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Do Pilots Need Training to Fly at Night?
The aviation rules of the country in which that pilot is flying will dictate what kind of training they will need to fly the country in which the pilot is flying will dictate what kind of training they will need to fly a helicopter at night. In the U.S. pilots gain night flying experience during initial flight training. In other countries, like the UK & Canada pilots need additional training for a night rating.
In the US, every pilot will complete at least 3 hours of night flying training during their Private Pilot Certificate which allows them to fly an aircraft at night by themself. If that pilot then carries on to gain their commercial pilot certificate they will then do further night training both with an instructor and solo before they can apply for their commercial flight test.
If at any time they wish to fly passengers they must ensure they have completed 3 takeoffs and 3 landings to a full stop in the same kind of aircraft within the preceding 90 days.
In other countries like the UK and Canada, a pilot can only fly at night once they have completed a Night Rating training program. This training will include a mix of night flying and flying by sole reference to the helicopter’s instruments only. Training will be flown both with an instructor and solo following a training syllabus.
Once pilots have the necessary ratings and endorsements to fly at night they will need to remain proficient hence the, 3 takeoffs and landings within the preceding 90 days before flying passengers.
This initial training is all well and good, but I can tell you now that a pilot flying over a city using the city lights as their reference will be killed in a matter of minutes if they then fly out into the inky blackness of an unlit part of the region if they are untrained.
Why….Because they do not have the experience to fly for extended periods using only the helicopter’s instruments as their sole means of figuring out which way is up! Without this instrument flying experience, the average pilot lasts around 20 seconds after losing visual reference with the surface before the helicopter enters unfavorable flight attitudes.
To prevent this the pilot will need to have enough instrument flying experience AND be in a helicopter that can provide the necessary instrumentation, or they need to be trained and use night-vision goggles once the visual horizon disappears.
If you wish to find out more about how pilots see at night please check out my article: How Do Pilots See At Night?
Do Helicopters Have Lights?
ll helicopters must have working lights to be able to fly at night. They need red, green & white position lights, a flashing strobe or anti-collision light, landing light/s, and lights to see the cockpit instrumentation. This is in addition to the required day equipment the helicopter must have.
In the US, every aircraft that is to be flown by sole reference to the surface (VFR – Visual Flight Rules)must have the following working equipment to legally fly at night:
Spare Fuses or resettable circuit breakers
Landing lights – Only if flying for hire
Anti-Collision light/s
Navigation/Position lights
Source of power – Alternator/generator for all lights, radio, and navigation equipment
Just like all aircraft, helicopters have the same light colors mounted on them to ensure pilots of other aircraft can identify the helicopter and see which direction it is flying in relation to them.
For helicopter pilots, having a powerful and moveable searchlight is a godsend in very poorly lit areas. When I used to fly EMS without the use of night-vision goggles, the pilot-controlled searchlight became very useful when searching for the remote community helipads and ensuring they were clear of obstacles when completing the prelanding recce.
If the helicopter is really geared up for night operations, they can have multiple search and landing lights fitted, and nowadays pretty much every commercial operator will also equip the helicopter and pilot/s with night-vision goggles.
How Do Pilots Fly Safely at Night?
To safely fly at night pilots need regular training and remain clear of obstacles and other aircraft especially when landing and taking off. If no visual illumination is available pilots must follow set rules and surveyed routes to ensure obstacle clearance at all times.
No matter what aircraft a pilot is flying there are three main ways that pilots will fly to ensure they can remain safe at night:
Visual flight over well-lit, populated areas
Visual flight using night vision goggles
Instrument flight using Routes & MOCA’s
1. Visual Flight Over Well Lit, Populated Areas
For the majority of helicopters you see flying over your house at night this is the kind of flying the pilot will be doing.
To fly a helicopter safely, the pilot must be able to see some form of horizon to ensure they keep the helicopter upright. The lights of a city provide that reference to the pilot so it makes it easy to control the helicopter. The most basic helicopters can be easily flown over a well-lit city at night.
If you have ever been to Las Vegas you may have seen or even been on a helicopter tour of the ‘Strip’ and you will know exactly what I’m talking about.
To help pilots find helipads and airports within the city lights those facilities will have rotating or flashing beacons and lights that are usually a different color to the surrounding area. Green lights surrounding a hospital helipad are a common example.
When city lights are sparse, non-existent or the helicopter will be flying over large bodies of water, then things become more complicated.
2. Visual Flight Using Night-Vision Goggles
When helicopters need to fly into remote and dark parts of the region pilots lose their visual cues of where the horizon is and this becomes a problem as the pilot will not know which way is up. On moonless nights it can become impossible to see what is ground and what is sky.
To help pilots who fly and land in territory like this, most police, ambulance, and all military helicopters will be equipped with night–vision goggles (NVG’s). These goggles are fitted to the pilot’s helmet and take in the smallest amount of terrestrial light and amplify them onto screens within each eyepiece, effectively turning night into day.
Night-Vision Goggles
These goggles allow the pilots to once again see the horizon and the ground around them allowing them to land, cruise, and take off in the darkest areas, with training of course.
Having flown in very dark regions for years without NVG’s, I can tell you that they are a game changer when it comes to seeing at night, although the added weight of the goggles on the helmet can really make the neck and shoulders ache after a long flight in a vibrating helicopter!
3. Instrument Flight Using Routes and MOCA’s
When flying at night the pilot’s biggest enemy is unseen obstacles. Rising terrain, towers, wind turbines, and cable spans cause many accidents every year the world over. To help protect pilots, many helicopter operators will prepare surveyed routes for their most popular flying legs. These routes will usually be a direct line from point A to point B and will be surveyed for all obstacles along and out to the sides up to 3-10 nautical miles.
During the survey, the surveyor will look for any obstacles along that corridor and chart them as well as noting the highest obstacle along the route. For example, if there is a tower within that corridor that rises 300ft above the ground, the surveyor will then set the lowest height the helicopter can fly over that route to be 500-1000ft higher, eg:
The helicopter must fly no lower than:
300ft tower + 500ft clearance = Route altitude at least 800ft above the ground or 300ft tower + 1,000ft clearance = Route altitude at least 1,300ft above the ground
Each company will have its own clearance altitude limitations and these are known as a MOCA – Minimum Enroute Clearance Altitude. If the pilot flies no lower than this height they will not hit any obstacle along that route.
For pilots that don’t fly common routes, or are heading off the route, they can look at their aviation chart and find the highest obstacle in that area and apply their company clearance limits to that.
This way, when flying in that area and while en route they can be assured they will have sufficient clearance. When coming into land the pilot/s will either need to be landing at a certified heliport or airport that has published instrument approach and clearance procedures or by using night-vision goggles to ensure they see any obstacles during their approach to land.
Take this chart for example:
A pilot flying west from Billings Airport to Big Timber Airport will see that there are wind turbines to the north of their route and high terrain to the southwest of their route. The ‘94‘ highlighted in yellow tells the pilot the highest obstacle in that sector is 9,400 feet above sea level minus 300 feet (rounded to the nearest 100ft) for clearance.
By looking at the chart you can see rising terrain at the arrow with the highest peak being 9,034 feet above sea level.
Flying at 9,600ft (9,035ft rounded up to the nearest 100ft (9,100ft) + company 500ft clearance altitude) will ensure the helicopter will be clear of any obstacles along that route.
Now, so long as the cloud layer is above that the pilot will be fine on that flight. Poor weather is one of the biggest factors in helicopter accidents at night.
When you are sitting on a plane and need the bathroom, you just get up and walk over to the nearest toilet. But do the pilots do that or do they have their own bathroom in the cockpit? Do even small aircraft have bathrooms? When you gotta go you gotta go, so how do pilots go?
Airline pilots will use the bathroom nearest the cockpit when there are two pilots. For single-pilot aircraft, pilotseither have to land and use facilities or can use devices to collect urine like a catheter system or purposely designed bottles. For excrement, they have to land and use a proper toilet.
If you pay attention on your next long-haul flight you might notice the pilot coming out of the cockpit to use the bathroom, but for them to do so there are certain protocols that must be followed to ensure the safety of the aircraft. This sounds a bit overkill but you will see why if you keep reading!
How Do Airline Pilots Go To The Bathroom?
Airline pilots take turns using the bathroom nearest the cockpit during a flight. There are no bathrooms installed in the cockpit. For airplanes with a single pilot, diapers, catheters, or collection devices are used if they are unable to land to use the airport bathroom.
For those pilots lucky enough to be flying an aircraft that has a bathroom and have another pilot sitting next to them it makes it an easy task of going to the bathroom. They just take it in turns.
However, since the 2015 aircraft accident of Germanwings flight 9525 where one of the pilots left the cockpit to go to the bathroom and the first officer decided to lock him out of the cockpit and intentionally crashed the airplane in a suicide, things changed. You can read more about that crash here on Wikipedia.
Now, when a pilot requires to go to the bathroom they must have a flight attendant present in the cockpit during their absence to ensure the flying pilot does not repeat the events of 2015. At the very least, they would be able to open the cockpit door to allow the absent pilot to resume their position.
For airline pilots that don’t have the luxury of another pilot or an onboard bathroom, there are several methods they use:
Go to the bathroom before the flight and hold it if able
Use an adult diaper
Use a catheter-style system for very long flights
Use a urine collection device
Going ‘#1’ is a lot easier, especially for the males on a flight, but if the pilot needs to go ‘#2’ the only real way is to land and use the bathroom at an airport facility.
A simple urine collection device like this can be found for very little expense at Amazon.com
Depending on how open the cockpit is to the rest of the passengers a pilot could easily use a device like to one shown above or use a ‘Gatorade’ bottle as it has a wide opening which makes inserting and collecting far easier than trying to aim into a Cola bottle while flying!
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How Do Fighter Pilots Go To The Bathroom?
Fighter pilots can pee into a collection bag filled with beads or a pad that turns into a gel to prevent spillage. Some aircrews can be fitted with a collection device called the SKYDRATE which they wear that then pumps the urine into a collection bag allowing them to go to the bathroom hands-free.
Just like any pilot, the best solution is to go to the bathroom before the flight commences but for fighter pilots on long missions with multiple air-to-air refuelings the need to stay hydrated is a must, but this means at some point they will need to urinate.
There are several ways the armed forces go about this task:
1. Using collection bags, known as Piddle Packs. The pilot will wait until they have a few minutes of straight and level cruise flight at which point they can unzip their flight suit, place the collection bag in position and urinate. Just like a modern diaper, the beads or pad inside the bag absorb the urine and turn it into a gel to ensure there is no spillage once the pilot has sealed up the bag. As you can imagine, this is a lot easier for male pilots to accomplish!
2. Some aircraft are fitted with a collection system that involves the pilot using a collection device around their genitals which diverts the urine away from them to be stored in a collection container mounted in the aircraft. Known as a ‘Peetube’ this also requires the use of the pilots’ hands to operate.
3. Pilots can wear an adult diaper to collect urine during flight. This allows the pilot to urinate hands-free but then is in the discomfort of sitting in a gel-filled diaper for the remainder of the flight. This is also only good for one bathroom break and the risk of urinary infections increases.
4. A new device is called the SKYDRATE – This is similar to the collection method in #2, but this system is worn by the pilot and detects when the pilot is urinating. It uses a small pump to pump the urine away from the pilot and into a collection bag. This is a completely portable system and is worn by the pilot for the whole flight but the main benefit is it it is totally hands-free and far more hygienic.
If a pilot has to go #2, then the only way is to land and use the facilities, just like any other pilot without a full onboard bathroom!
Do Small Airplanes Have Bathrooms or Toilets?
Small airplanes do not have the space for a bathroom but may have a passenger seat that converts into a portable toilet, but there is no privacy from the rest of the passengers. Smaller turbine-powered airplanes like the Pilatus PC-12 or King Air can be fitted with a small bathroom if requested.
The space and weight that a bathroom takes up require the airplane to be of considerable size. Personal airplanes like the Cessna 172 and Diamond DA-20 and 40 series do not even have the space for a portable toilet but as the airframe gets larger, the availability of a toilet or bathroom becomes possible.
Many smaller jets and turbo-prop airplanes can have a passenger toilet seat installed with minimum effort and in fact, most of the aircraft manufacturers offer this as an add-on. This type of toilet is fairly common and requires minimal weight and space to be installed.
Do Helicopters Have Bathrooms or Toilets?
The only civilian helicopters that have the size and power to contain a bathroom are the largest like the Sikorsky S61 & S92, Airbus 225, or Russian Helicopters Mi17 & Mi38. Bathrooms take up a lot of space and weight so a seat that lifts to reveal a portable toilet could be installed if requested.
G-LAWX is a Sikorsky S92 with a Toilet – Source: James
A helicopter is generally used as a convenient vehicle for trips over short distances. The need for a bathroom to be installed generally is outweighed by the cost, size, and weight it will require. However, when money is no object and the owner must have every luxury available then a bathroom can be installed.
The only helicopter that I know of and have seen with a personal bathroom is a VIP Sikorsky S92 that is flown around London, UK. This helicopter offers 16 passenger seats and a personal toilet to ensure its riders are not caught short.
For this size helicopter, you will need to have deep pockets as its price tag of almost $30M makes it available only to the very wealthy.
Further Reading
If you found this article helpful here are a few more you might like to read:
Getting lost in a car can be a fairly simple thing to do and I know we have all been lost at times, but when a pilot is flying in a helicopter there are no signs to tell them where to go, so how do pilots stop from getting lost?
Helicopters can be flown with and without GPS. GPS units can be portable and mounted in a cradle, permanently installed in the cockpit, or installed as part of a sophisticated automatic navigation and flight control system. Small handheld GPS and iPads are very popular in smaller helicopters.
Over the last 20 years, the use of dedicated aviation GPS technology has meant that any pilot can easily mount a GPS in their helicopter and instantly keep track of where they are going. Having flown for years without the use of a GPS I can tell you that having one in the cockpit really helps offload some mental workload!
If you wish to find out more about the GPS used in helicopters then please read on…
Are there Different Types of Helicopter GPS?
There are 4 main types of GPS used in helicopters. A Portable GPS that clicks into a mounting cradle, an aviation GPS mounted into a permanent location, an iPad running aviation software, and a complete aircraft avionics system that integrates many aircraft systems into the cockpit.
Each type of GPS system has its pros and cons and the more complex the GPS system, the more expensive it becomes to have it installed into the aircraft.
Here are the 4 main types of helicopter GPS systems:
Portable GPS
This is a GPS that runs dedicated aviation software. They can be a simple GPS showing just your Lat/Long position, ground speed, distance to the next waypoint, etc, or can have a built-in moving map to really increase the pilot’s situational awareness.
These portable units mount into the aircraft via cradles with suction cups to stick them to windows or can have a cradle mounted to the top of the instrument panel as you can see in the above photo. This was how it was mounted in the Bell 206 I used to fly many moons ago.
When a cradle is secured into the cockpit a power supply cable is usually made available to plug into a power outlet in the aircraft if the engineers have been kind enough to install one. If no power outlet is available the pilot must be vigilant of the GPS’s battery life!
These types of GPS were once the most popular and cheapest options for private pilots, aircraft owners, and pilots who rent or work in various aircraft as their portability allows the most flexibility when moving between aircraft.
The other great feature of these types of GPS is that a flight can be planned on the computer using the manufacturer’s software and then easily downloaded to the GPS. The GPS can then be taken from the office, placed into the aircraft and the flight commenced with ease!
Permanently Mounted GPS
The next step up for helicopter GPS is to be permanently mounted into the aircraft. Many companies do this as it then ensures their pilots have a working GPS, but as you can imagine it takes a lot more time, effort, and cost to do this.
When someone buys a personal helicopter this is a very popular choice as it is then always part of the helicopter. It will be hard-wired so it never has to run off battery and the installations into the instrument panel mean there is no GPS sitting on top of the panel or stuck to a window blocking the pilot’s view.
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These types of installations are slowly becoming less popular as they require a lot of empty space on the panel to be installed, they require installation by a qualified avionics engineer and they require a laptop to be brought out to the aircraft to install a pre-planned flight plan onto them.
With the advance in glass cockpits and iPads, the effort and cost required to complete this type of installation are not justified anymore.
iPad
By far the most popular GPS option available to private pilots, commercial pilots, and many commercial aviation companies is an iPad Mini running an aviation-based App like ForeFlight or Garmin Pilot.
These are very powerful apps that not only turn any iPad into a fully-functioning aviation GPS, but also pack all of the flight planning, weight & Balance, and aircraft documentation into one device.
This is the system that I have been personally using for the last 10 years and it is a great way to navigate. Many companies now provide pilots with their own personal iPad and place mounting systems into their aircraft to allow the iPads to be easily installed and permanently powered.
If you wish to see just how easy they work check out this video:
If you wish to find out more about the PIVOT mounting system you can find the whole range Here at Flyboys.com Also, be sure to use the code pilotteacher for 10% off!
The only cons to using iPads in the cockpit are they can take up a lot of room and they will stop working if they get too hot or too cold, but by looking after them they are one heck of a great tool for any pilot!
FMS – Flight Management System
Most modern helicopters are now becoming very complex machines. When all-weather, day, and night capabilities are required then a GPS system that is approved to fly under IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) is the only way to go.
Instrument Flight Rules is a set of rules and protocols that allows pilots to fly the aircraft without any visual reference outside of the aircraft. To be able to do this, the pilots must fly using sole visual reference to its instruments and because of this, the GPS system must be designed, installed, and approved for IFR flight. These systems are not cheap and the previously mentioned type of GPS is not IFR certified.
The GPS system/s on these helicopters is just part of a complete suite of aircraft functions that are usually integrated with the pilot displays, communication systems, navigation systems, engine, and aircraft control systems, automatic flight control systems, and many more.
An example of this is the Sikorsky S92 which is a very popular offshore transport helicopter that is certified to fly in some of the worst weather imaginable.
The planned flight routing and information are inputted into the system by the pilots using a keypad and by using an onboard aviation and navigation database the GPS places the information on the pilot screens along with a plethora of other data. These systems are most commonly found on helicopters over 5 seats and will cost you well over several million dollars!
Having flown in these types of helicopters I can tell you it is remarkable how well they can fly and how little the pilot actually has to do!
Can You Use a GPS in a Helicopter?
Any GPS can be used in a helicopter providing it can get a reliable signal from the satellites. Using or mounting the GPS by a window or connecting it to a fuselage-mounted antenna will help with signal reception. GPS does not affect any helicopter flight control or navigation systems.
Many helicopter cabins are made of aluminum, fiberglass, or composites which can block the satellite signal to those passengers sitting in the cabin. When I have been flying with field technicians they will either bring a small GPS they can hold by a window or will mount a booster antenna to the window via a suction cup and then connect their GPS to that.
For any passengers sitting in the middle seat/s of a helicopter in the back of the cabin, it can be difficult, to almost impossible to get a reliable satellite signal because of the cabin roof blocking the signal.
Passengers have sometimes asked if their GPS will affect the helicopter and the answer is no. I have yet to find ANY device that has affected my helicopter systems while in flight and the GPS is one of them.
How Do Helicopters Navigate Without GPS?
To navigate a helicopter without a GPS the pilot needs to either be familiar with the area over which they are flying, use a map, or fly headings with timed legs. These were the main methods of navigating before GPS and every pilot gets taught these techniques in flight school.
Being able to fly any aircraft without the need for GPS is a fundamental flying skill. Like all pieces of technology, a GPS can stop working at any time, and if it is the pilots’ only way of knowing where they are they will become lost very quickly. It is this reason why all pilots are taught the fundamentals of air navigation during their training and the use of a GPS in a basic training aircraft is usually forbidden.
The main navigation technique used by pilots without a GPS is called ‘Dead Reckoning’. This is the method of looking out of the aircraft window and referencing landmarks and topographical features they see, to a map they have open on their lap.
Rivers, roads, towns, coastlines, powerlines, hills/mountains, rail lines, lakes, and airports are all shown on an aviation map, also commonly known as a Chart. By flying along a set path the pilot should see landmarks in the same location they are on the map for their chosen route.
For example, a pilot flying a helicopter from Flying S Ranch, north to Kern Vally airport:
Upon takeoff and flying on a NNE heading they should have a road on their left and a mountain peak on their right
They will then cross a small stream/river and have the towns of Bodfish and Lake Isabella on their left
Just before crossing Lake Isabella they should see a tower that is 228 feet tall on their left
Kern Valley Airport should then be located at the northern tip of Isabella Lake
By flying and referencing the landmarks they see this is how a pilot can navigate the easiest without a GPS. If a pilot begins to see landmarks that they cannot find on the map they make have become lost. It is at this point they need to find where they are on the map and reorientate themselves to get back on the correct course to ensure they reach their destination.
Further Reading
If you found this article helpful here are a few more I can suggest:
Search and Rescue helicopters are a common sight flying out to stricken vessels in the open ocean and this posed a question from one of my readers recently about just how far helicopters can fly out to sea and if they can in fact cross an ocean.
Several Military helicopters have been able to cross the Atlantic Ocean in one flight with the help of air-to-air refueling. To date, no helicopter has ever crossed the Pacific Ocean. Civilian flights are flown over Greenland & into Scotland when flying from North America to Europe, Africa, or Asia.
A friend of mine flew a Sikorsky S76 from Vancouver on the west coast of Canada to Lagos in Nigeria when a new oil contract started and helicopters were needed. This article will help to explain how helicopters and oceans deal with each other!
Flying a helicopter over great distances is not the most economical way to travel but sometimes helicopters are needed to be flown from country to country to be delivered to new owners or for work. Crossing the Atlantic Ocean is possible as this is the biggest stretch of ocean that helicopters can currently handle, albeit with some planning.
A military helicopter with inflight refueling capabilities in theory can cross any ocean in the world as the biggest limiting factor is fuel. On long flights over an ocean, oil consumption can also begin to become an issue. These are two of the biggest factors that impede most helicopters from long oceanic flights.
Outside of the military, any helicopter that is required to be flown from one side of the world to the other has two routes:
Cross the Bearing Sea between Alaska and Russia or Cross the Atlantic Ocean from Canada, over Greenland, Iceland, and into Scotland
The Typical Trans-Atlantic Route
Depending on where the departure point, destination, and current global politics will dictate which route is to be taken. By far the most common, and safest (Politically) is over the Atlantic. Trying to get permission to fly into Russia and through China can be a logistical nightmare, hence why Greenland is the most popular route.
To be able to complete the crossing of an ocean of considerable size a helicopter will usually be installed with additional fuel tanks. Many smaller helicopters will have the rear seats removed and a collapsible fuel bladder installed and piped into the helicopter’s fuel system.
By carrying extra fuel the typical 300 – 400 mile range of most helicopters can easily be doubled to allow for crossing the biggest stretches. Strategic fuel planning will still be required the pilot to land and fuel up at the airport nearest to the shortest crossing distance and to plan to land at the next airport with fuel to spare.
Aux Fuel Tanks Fitted to this U.S. Coast Guard Sikorsky HH-60 Jayhawk
When a large global positioning flight is required, weeks are spent looking at airports that have fuel along the planned route, typical weather for the time of year, prevailing winds, and political climate. When flying over the ocean there becomes the added risk of where to land if the helicopter develops an issue, whether it be mechanical, medical, or meteorological.
You may have heard the term ‘Bingo Fuel’ being used by helicopter crews on shows like ‘Deadliest Catch’ or similar. What this refers to is the point at which the helicopter can fly and still have enough fuel to get back to its departure location or to another refilling point.
When flying over any ocean, a Bingo point is constantly being calculated by the pilot to ensure that if the weather turns bad or something else happens, they can have enough fuel to turn around. Once past the Bingo Point, the flight can only continue to its destination, if all is well.
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How Do Helicopters Get Moved Around The World?
But what happens if someone from Texas purchases a used helicopter from New Zealand? Remember how I said it’s not the most economical way to fly a helicopter, so what other methods are used?
Helicopters can be shipped large distances by means of being partially broken down and placed inside a shipping container, being placed in the hold of a cargo airplane, or being placed inside the cargo hold of a large transport ship. Disassembly and reassembly can be completed quickly by mechanics.
The World’s Militaries are Pros at Shipping Helicopters!
Every year dozens and dozens of helicopters are shipped across the globe using these methods. When placed onboard a ship many are plastic-wrapped to protect them from corrosion during the voyage by boat. The cost to ship a helicopter across an ocean can seem drastic but compared to flying it across, it can be considerably cheaper.
When this is the method of moving a helicopter across an ocean the main rotor blades, tail rotor blades, and any horizontal stabilizers are removed and placed into custom-made wooden shipping crates, the fuel is drained and items that can be moved are secured.
For a well-trained crew of mechanics, the aircraft can be reassembled, tested, and signed off for flight within a matter of hours. This is a common way for firefighting helicopters to be moved from North America to Australia and back to help fight fires during the off-season of the home country.
How Far Helicopters Fly Far From Land?
By law, most helicopters have to remain within gliding distance of the shoreline unless they carry additional items to help in the event of an aircraft ditching.
Most helicopters can fly between 300-400 miles offshore in a straight line. They will have to refuel at the end of this either using an oil/gas platform, refueling boat or turn around before then to make it back. Large helicopters designed for offshore flights can fly up to 800nm or 1500km.
When flying over water away from gliding distance to shore here are some of the items that may need to be carried:
Easily accessible inflatable life preservers for every person on board
Life raft/s to accommodate all persons on board
Inflated floats fixed to the helicopter landing gear
Auto-inflating floats fitted to the helicopter landing gear
Immersion suits for all those on board if the water temperature is below 59°F/15°C
Another important safety issue that any person flying over water should be aware of is how to escape a helicopter if it were to ditch. Because helicopters are very top-heavy due to their engines, main transmission, and rotor system being mounted above the cabin, they will tend to roll upside down when placed into water.
Because of this it creates disorientation for the occupants and trying to get out of a helicopter that is now upside is very difficult. Trust me! Most pilots and passengers who fly regularly will undertake HUET – Helicopter Underwater Egress Training.
Destin from Smarter Every Day has a great video showing what happens:
Having completed this twice myself I can tell you it is a lifesaver! And that is doing it in a warm swimming pool. Doing it in a freezing cold ocean dramatically reduces the chances of survival, even for those who have been trained!
Further Reading
If you found this article helpful here are a few more you may like to read:
