One common site at many airports are the aviation enthusiasts sitting at the end of the runway watching the comings and goings of aircraft. One of the latest gadgets very popular with them is flight tracking so they are able to see which aircraft are coming into land, taking off, and operating around that area. The question of whether helicopters can be tracked is one that gets asked a lot.

An onboard device called a transponder allows helicopters to be tracked by air traffic control when interrogated by the ATC radar. Many commercial helicopters are also fitted with a satellite tracking system allowing their employers to see their location in real time.

The tracking of helicopters allows for a huge increase in response time in the event of that helicopter having an emergency, as now many people can easily see their exact location with the click of a screen. The advances in aviation tracking technology have caused the prices of tracking systems to be drastically reduced allowing more and more helicopters to install multiple tracking devices.

In my Astar, I have two tracking devices so ill tell you about each system and how and why it’s used.

How Are Helicopters Tracked By Air Traffic Control?

The oldest and most common way to track a helicopter is by air traffic control and their radar system. Inside the helicopter is a device called a Transponder, which is short for Transmitter Responder. When the helicopter has this device turned on, each time the radar sweeps the sky and passes the helicopter’s transponder it asks for the transponder’s current information.

Most helicopter transponders will reply with their altitude, airspeed, and their 4 digit squawk code currently selected in the selection window of the transponder. The radar also uses its direction and ranging capabilities to display the following information on the screen of the air traffic controller:

The helicopters’:

• Direction from the ground-based radar location
• Altitude
• Groundspeed
• Squawk Code

Each time the radar beam sweeps past the helicopter the aircraft’s position has changed (Unless it’s hovering at altitude) and by doing this the air traffic controllers’ screen will show the direction of flight since the last radar sweep. By showing the last 3-4 positions the air traffic controller gets a simple-to-understand view of where and what the helicopter is doing.

When helicopters are flying around under Visual Flight Rules the pilot will enter 1200 into the screen of the transponder. This will show the air traffic controller that there is an aircraft on their screen. There could be a dozen aircraft squawking 1200, so if ATC wishes to track my helicopter, for example, they could ask me to squawk 3452. They can then issue my aircraft callsign (N8620S for example) to this squawk code on their computer and it will display my aircraft callsign on their screen, with all the information from the transponder.

This is how air traffic controllers can track individual aircraft, helicopters included, in busy airspace.

How Are Helicopters Tracked By Their Employers?

Many helicopter companies are now mandated by their customers to install fleetwide satellite GPS tracking systems. When helicopter companies fly employees of oil & gas corporations, wildfire employees, or government employees, for example, they have to meet minimum aviation standards set forth by those companies to qualify as an approved vendor.

Here in Canada for example, Shell Oil requires any aircraft its employees fly in to have two engines and have a satellite tracking system installed. If a helicopter shows up that does not meet these requirements it will be released from the contract. Each company is different, but you get the idea.

Now that GPS tracking technology has drastically reduced in price it does not cost a lot to outfit a company fleet with tracking units. Many tracking units also integrate a satellite phone so that the pilot can be contacted anywhere in the world and vice-versa. I can attest to how handy this function is when you are stuck in the middle of nowhere with no cell service and you can get on the sat phone with your engineer!

By having satellite tracking in its helicopters it gives the employer and employees a real-time view of where each helicopter is. Not only does this work great for flight following, but it also helps to see when a helicopter is due back at base or arriving at the customer pickup, but by far the best feature about it is safety!

If a helicopter has a problem, whether it be minor or major, anyone with access to the flight following login can instantly see the exact location of the helicopter. This can make launching a company rescue mission extremely fast and mean the difference from the customers spending a night in the wilderness!

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Can Helicopters Be Tracked By Anyone?

Over the last decade or two, the advance in online flight following tools has exploded allowing anyone with an internet connection to track the flight paths of almost any aircraft.

One of the most popular online tools is called Flightradar24.com

Flightradar24 uses an array of over 13,000 receivers based all over the world to receive data from flying aircraft. If the aircraft has the correct equipment installed, is in a coverage area of one of Flightradar24’s receivers, and is high enough to be seen then you can track any aircraft – including helicopters.

For more detailed information on how Flightradar24 works Click Here.

Here is an example of Flightradar24 – It shows the Nassau County Police Departments’ Bell 429 (The library image is of their old Bell 407 helicopter!) on patrol in Long Island. Go check it out for your area and see what you can find! The aircraft icons help to target small aircraft and helicopters too!

To Finish

In today’s world tracking a helicopter is a simple process. The level of information delivered by the equipment on a helicopter is constantly evolving. Some helicopters deliver real-time information not just to their company but to the manufacturer as well. When a fault is detected it can send a signal to the manufacturer to get a part ready for shipment as soon as the customer requests it.

For the rest of us, online tools like Flightradar24 provide unique insights into the traffic flying around our heads which is not only fun but you can also track a relative’s flight to ensure they are on time for when you arrive to pick them up!

Further Reading

If you found this article helpful and interesting, you may like these ones too:

• How Do Helicopter Engines Work? Your Ultimate Guide
• How Do Pilots See At Night? Everything You Want To Know!
• Can Helicopters Fly In Snow & Ice? This May Surprise You!
• Can Helicopters Land On Cruise Ships? Yes & No!
• Can Helicopters Auto Hover?

When I moved from flying a single-engine helicopter to a helicopter with two engines I thought I would never have to worry about an engine failing again. I was soon to learn that not all twin-engined helicopters can always fly on just one engine!

If power from the remaining engine is not sufficient to overcome the weight of the helicopter then the helicopter will not be able to remain flying. Weight, atmospheric conditions, remaining engine power & flight technique all dictate if a twin-engine helicopter can remain flying on only one engine.

The first twin-engined helicopter I flew was a Sikorsky S76A Model that did not have enough performance to fly away in certain conditions if an engine were to fail. In this article, I want to tell you all about what allows a twin-engine helicopter to continue flying and what doesn’t.

What Factors Affect Twin Engine Helicopter Flying Performance?

In the S76 I flew there were many factors that dictated whether the helicopter could remain flying if one of its engines quit. Depending on if the helicopter was taking off, in the cruise, or landing would also dictate what course of action the other pilot and I would have to take.

It’s obvious that if a helicopter has two powerful engines then flying on just one engine is no problem, but for older helicopters that don’t have today’s technological advances that can sometimes be an issue. The helicopter I flew was from the 1980’s and needed careful calculations to be completed before each liftoff to ensure safety could be maintained if an engine were to stop.

There are several factors that all play a key role in determining if a twin-engined helicopter could keep flying in the event that a donkey quits (a common nickname for a helicopter engine!):

Weight

The heavier the helicopter weighs, the more power is needed from the remaining engine to keep it flying. If the weight is more than the lift being produced, then the helicopter will begin to descend. The less power there is to produce the lift, the faster the helicopter will descend.

To be able to allow the helicopter to safely fly away or maintain altitude in cruise the weight needs to be controlled by either reducing the number of passengers and cargo, or by reducing how much fuel is carried. This calculation needs to be done before the helicopter is loaded with passengers or fuel. Referring to the aircraft performance charts will give a maximum aircraft weight for the current altitude it is to be operated at and the temperature at that altitude.

By staying under that maximum weight limit, the helicopter should be able to fly the selected profile (more on this later) to either reject the landing back to the helipad, fly away or maintain altitude once in cruise. If the aircraft weighs more than this limit, then the helicopter will not be able to fly away or reject to safety – this is where incidents and accidents happen.

Once a helicopter gets over that calculated weight limit the pilots can have several options:

1. Ignore it and hope for the best – Not recommended!
2. Offload some fuel – Not an option when away from the hanger
3. Offload passengers or cargo – They will not be happy
4. Sit on the ground with the engines running and burn off fuel

None of these options are very professional, hence why calculations need to be made by the pilot/s to ensure the right amount of fuel is loaded. Fuel is the easiest variable to control.

Density Altitude

Air molecules are what helicopter’s rotor blades work on to create lift. They are also what is used by the engines to mix with fuel and burn to produce power. The fewer air molecules there are in a given parcel of air, the worse the helicopter performs. The effect of temperature and altitude on these air molecules also dictates how many are in that same parcel of air. For a helicopter to perform as its performance charts stipulate, the pilot/s need to know the current atmospheric conditions known as density altitude.

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Density altitude is a calculation that takes into effect the height at which the helicopter is operating above sea level and the temperature at that given height. Without going into too much detail in this article, when the temperature at a given location is hotter than what it should be based on the International Standard Atmosphere (ISA), the helicopter will operate like it’s at a higher altitude, thus performance is lower.

For Example:

On an ISA Day:
A hospital helipad at 5000 feet above sea level should be around +5°C/41°F
This is what helicopter performance charts are based on and the helicopter performs like it’s at 5000ft

On a Warmer than ISA Day:
The same hospital helipad at 5000 feet above sea level is now around +15°C/59°F
The same helicopter would now perform like it was at 6000 feet

This means the air is less dense, therefore the helicopter performance is reduced. For our ambulance operations, anytime the air temperature rose above 20°C/68°F when flying the S76, we had to start taking less fuel to be able to safely fly away on a single engine from the hospital or maintain altitude if in cruise flight.

If we took too much fuel, the helicopter would not have the power (based on its performance charts) to operate safely in the event of an engine failure and would begin to descend no matter how we tried to fly it. An uncontrollable descent to an area that is not clear is always going to lead to a bad outcome!

By looking at the current density altitude on the performance charts, we get given the maximum weight value mentioned above.

Flight Profile Conformity

To be able to safely fly away or reject a takeoff in the event that an engine quits on a twin, the manufacturer publishes set profiles the pilot must fly to. By flying to these profiles and following the correct emergency procedure the helicopter will be guaranteed to perform as the profile shows. By selecting and flying a profile, the helicopter should clear any obstacle by at least 15 feet providing the pilot has done their performance and obstacle clearance calculations correctly.

For example, during this takeoff, the pilot climbs the helicopter vertically and backward to keep the helipad in sight until they reach their calculated height between 100ft and 400ft above the helipad. This height is known as the ‘TDP’-Takeoff Decision Point.

If an engine fails during the vertical climb to TDP the pilots reject the takeoff and returns back to the helipad using the second engine without any problems.

Once the helicopter reaches TDP, the decision is made to fly away. If an engine fails from this point onwards the helicopter will descend during the immediate seconds following the engine failure but will begin to climb once the aircraft begins to gain aerodynamic performance.

It is this slight descent, climb rate, and distance covered during those first few seconds that the manufacturers’ test pilot’s calculated during the helicopter’s initial certification. By following the selected profile, the helicopter should be able to fly away after reaching TDP and clear any obstacles in the departure path by at least 15ft one just one engine.

If a pilot is not following the recommended takeoff and landing profiles then there is no guarantee that the helicopter will perform as expected. The manufacturer issues various takeoff and landing profiles to cover pretty much any takeoff and landing scenario a pilot could face. Selecting the correct profile is the pilots’ responsibility and then adjusting it to meet the current aircraft weight, atmospheric conditions, and surrounding obstacles is crucial for success.

What are Helicopter Performance Classes?

All Helicopters fall under one of three performance classes based on how they perform when an engine fails. According to ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization), they recommend the following classes for operating helicopters in and around helipads and airports:

Performance Class 1

“A helicopter with performance such that, in the case of a critical power unit failure, it is able to land on the rejected takeoff area or safely continue the flight to an appropriate landing area, depending on where the failure occurs”.

The most powerful twin-engined helicopters that are able to fly away and climb on only one engine fall into this performance class.

Performance Class 2

“A helicopter with performance such that, in the case of a critical power unit failure, it is able to safely continue the flight, except where the failure occurs prior to a defined point after takeoff or after a defined point before landing, in which case a forced landing may be required”.

Twin-engine helicopters with low power engines or that are not able to keep the helicopter in a straight and level flight condition after an engine failure fall into this performance class.

Performance Class 3

“A helicopter with performance such that in case of a power unit failure at any point in the flight profile, a forced landing must be performed”.

All single-engine helicopters fall into the performance class.

These performance classes are what restricts helicopters going into and out of certain helipads. For example, a helipad located on the top of a tall building in a downtown city will be restricted to helicopters with only Performance Class 1. This is so that in the event of that helicopter having an engine failure at the worst possible time the helicopter will be able to land safely on the helipad or fly away.

A helicopter without that performance could end up in a tragic accident on the street below causing many fatalities.

What are Category A Helicopters Vs Category B Helicopters?

Every helicopter type that is manufactured is certified as a Category A or B helicopter based on its design, systems, and performance capabilities. In the industry, these are known as Cat A & Cat B, and depending on what category the helicopter is certified in will dictate what the pilot can and cannot do with it.

Cat A is given to those helicopters with multiple engines and isolation systems that are capable of performing a rejected takeoff or fly-away capability during single-engine operations when performance data & flight profiles are adhered to.

To remain in Cat A performance the helicopter must be kept within the performance limitations set out in the Cat A performance charts. Once the weight of the helicopter exceeds the Cat A performance limit for the given atmospheric conditions, the helicopter will fall into the Cat B performance criteria.

When a helicopter with two engines needs to depart or land at a hostile environment, say an oil rig in the ocean or a downtown rooftop helipad the use of a manufacturer-issued Cat A flight profile must be used. The performance calculations must be completed for the height, temperature, weight, and surrounding obstacles before completing the maneuver to ensure that if an engine were to fail at the worst possible time, the helicopter will be able to be flown just as the profile dictates to ensure the safety of the people in the aircraft, any bystanders, and the aircraft.

Cat B is given to those helicopters that cannot meet the performance criteria to safely reject a takeoff or fly-away in the event of a power unit failure.

For those of us who fly around in single-engine or underpowered twin helicopters, the best we can do is minimize our exposure to risk by using correct flying techniques and trying to keep clear landing spots within gliding distance. Sometimes this can be impossible to do, hence why certain helicopter operations are required to be completed using a twin-engine Cat A helicopter only. These operations can be mandated by the country’s own aviation authority, local governments, or the customer.

Typical operations requiring Cat A helicopters are:

• Offshore Oil & Gas Transportation
• Search & Rescue
• City-Based Power Line Patrol
• MedEvac

This is one of the main reasons why my previous employer changed the ambulances from S76’s to AW139’s because, in the hot summer months, the S76 had to be flown with such small fuel quantities to meet the Cat A, Performance Class 1 requirements to land at the downtown rooftop hospital helipads, that it made the helicopters service range incredibly small.

To Finish

All twin-engine helicopters can safely fly on one engine providing the weight is kept under that calculated limit for that flight, however on older and underpowered machines that weight can be so low it can make the helicopter useless, and therefore the pilot has to select Cat B profiles to operate to. This takes the helicopter from a Performance Class 1 to a Performance Class 2.

When a helicopter requires the single-engine performance to allow the helicopter to be useful, only the most powerful and more expensive machines are up to the task. If the customer requires the highest levels of safety then the wallet must be opened further.

Moving from the limited Cat A performance of the S76A to the immensely powerful AW139 was a real eye-opener for me of just how noneventful an engine failure was in the AW139 no matter where and when we flew it!

Further Reading

If you found this helpful you might like these other articles too:

• Backward Take Off’s – Why Do Helicopters Do Them?
• Helicopters Flying In Circles – Why Do They Do That?
• Helicopter Tail Rotors – The Different Types Explained
• Why Do Only Some Helicopters Have Wheels? There are Plenty of Reasons Why!
• Black Box Flight Recorders: Do Helicopters Have Them?

With wildfire seasons seeming to get worse every year the amount of helicopters brought in to fight them gets more and more. With each helicopter doing its part to drop water on the fire there begs the question “How much water do helicopters carry”? Some of the fires seem to be huge so do they really carry enough water to make a difference?

Helicopters used on wildfires can carry between 150-2600 US Gallons of water in a bucket suspended below the helicopter or between 200-2800 US Gallons in tanks fixed to the underside or inside the helicopter fuselage. The bigger and more powerful the helicopter, the more water it can carry.

A helicopter carrying water on wildfires is an asset used by the fire or forestry management team to help assist ground crews in dealing with cooling and controlling fires. Selecting the right-sized helicopter to be able to drop sufficient amounts of water on the fire is the key.

Let’s have a look at some of the most popular helicopters used to fight wildfires and see how much water they carry.

How Much Water Can Helicopters Carry?

To be effective on even the smallest fires a helicopter has to be able to deliver a reasonable amount of water volume. To be able to do that they need to have enough power to lift the water in the first place. For that reason, the Bell 407 is usually the smallest helicopter seen used to deliver water.

Smaller machines like Bell 206 Jet Rangers, Bell Longrangers, and Airbus EC120s are used for transporting personnel, gear, and supplies, as well as aerial mapping and surveying as those roles require far less power.

Here are some of the most popular helicopters you will see working wildfires across the globe:

Bell 407

Water Carrying Capacity: 216 US Gal / 820 liters

The Bell 407 is one of the smallest helicopters used on wildfires. Water buckets, also known by their brand name ‘Bambi Buckets’, are used either connected directly to the belly hook on the helicopter or on 50ft or 100ft long lines. The speed and maneuverability of the 407 make them great on small fires to help get them out before they become a problem.

The 216 Gallon Bambi Bucket will weigh close to 1,900 lbs/860 kg when full.

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Airbus H125 Astar

Water Carrying Capacity: 240 US Gal / 910 liters

The H125 Astar is one of the most used helicopters on wildfires all over the world. Loaded up with a team of 5 fire crews, they play the ‘Initial Attack’ aircraft. The pilot drops off the crews and their gear, puts on the bucket, and assists them from the air. Buckets are used either connected directly to the belly hook on the helicopter or on 50ft, 100ft, or 125ft long lines.

The 240 Gallon Bambi Bucket will weigh close to 2,130 lbs/970 kg when full.

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Bell 205

Water Carrying Capacity: 320 US Gal / 1,230 liters

The last of the single-engine fire fighting helicopters before the machines start getting big! The Bell 205 is one of the bucketing workhorses on most fires in North America. When bucketing, the pilot will switch from the right seat to the left seat so they can ‘Lean’ out of the left window to see the bucket better underneath the helicopter

The 320 Gallon Bambi Bucket will weigh close to 2,840 lbs/1,290 kg when full.

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Bell 212

Water Carrying Capacity: 420 US Gal / 1,590 liters

Probably the most common helicopter used on wildfires in Canada for sure. The twin-engine Bell 212 is either used with a bucket and a fire crew attack team or can be installed with a belly-mounted drop tank and suction hose. The large amount of water and crews these helicopters can carry makes them a great machine to operate on fires with an hourly cost that is not crazy,

The 420 Gallon Bambi Bucket will weigh close to 3,650 lbs/1,650 kg when full.

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Leonardo AW139

Water Carrying Capacity: 480 US Gal / 1,817 liters

Made famous by the Los Angeles Fire Department, their fleet of 5 AW139 fire attack helicopters can be quickly fitted with a belly-mounted tank and suction hose, known as a snorkel. The pilots will bring the helicopter to a hover over a water source and suck up water into the tank at a rate of 400 gallons per minute. Once full, the pilots can adjust the drop rate of the tank to dump all the water in one drop or spread it out over a large area as they fly.

The 480 Gallon tank will weigh close to 4,000 lbs/1,815 kg when full.

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Sikorsky UH-60 Blackhawk

Water Carrying Capacity: 660 U.S. Gal / 2,500 liters

When the wildfires begin to get really big or there many fires burning, the Forestry Service will enlist the help of the military and their helicopters. The Sikorsky UH-60 Blackhawk and its variants are a popular sight on fires as their power allows it to deliver a good amount of water to a fire via a Bambi Bucket. You may have seen the military helicopters painted with bright pink paint – This is to help them be seen by other aircraft in poor, smokey conditions.

The 660 Gallon Bambi Bucket will weigh close to 5,750 lbs/2,600 kg when full.

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Sikorsky SK61

Water Carrying Capacity: 1,000 US Gal / 3,785 liters

The start of the ‘Heavy’ classification of helicopters, the S61 is the backbone of most large campaign fires. Depending on the company, the S61 will either be fitted with a Bambi Bucket on the end of a 150ft – 200ft longline or will have a belly tank fitted like the one in the photo.

The lifting power of this twin-engined helicopter allows for large amounts of water to be delivered to a fire quickly.

The 1000 Gallon Bambi Bucket or belly tank will weigh close to 9,100 lbs/4,100 kg when full.

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Erickson S-64 Air-Crane

Water Carrying Capacity: 2,650 US Gal / 10,000 liters

By far one of the most recognizable firefighting helicopters in the world! This odd-looking helicopter is designed for one thing only – Lifting. When configured for fighting fires, the 10,000 liter belly tank can be filled using the snorkel when hovering over freshwater, or if saltwater is available, they can use the ‘Sea Scoop’ to fill the tank while flying forward. This keeps the salty water behind the helicopter helping to prevent corrosion.

The 2,650 Gallon tank will weigh close to 22,100 lbs/10,000 kg when full.

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Boeing CH-47D Chinook

Water Carrying Capacity: 2,800 US Gal / 10,600 liters

Just as iconic as the Air-Crane, the twin-rotor Chinook is another popular aircraft on large wildfires. Whether it is being flown by the military or the three commercial companies (Columbia, Coulson & Billings), this helicopter delivered a tremendous amount of water.

Utilizing a tank installed inside the fuselage, the pilots can suck up water via a snorkel and fill the tank in 60 seconds from the smallest of water sources. The ability to add retardant or foam to the tank allows the Forestry Service to utilize this helicopter in many ways on a fire. The water is dispersed by doors mounted on the underside that can dispense the water at varying flow rates.

The 2,800 Gallon tank will weigh close to 23,300 lbs/10,600 kg when full.

To Finish

The smallest Bambi Bucket made for a helicopter is 72 US gallons, however, something this small would rarely be useful on anything larger than a small brush fire. To be effective, helicopters need to be able to deliver over 200 gallons of water per drop, and when you get many helicopters in a line constantly dropping their loads, they can really become an effective tool.

For more water to be delivered you need more power. To carry the most amount of water you need a helicopter with two engines, usually two pilots, and some great teamwork by all those involved, both in the air and on the ground.

For more information on how helicopters are used to fight wildfires in other ways please have a read of my article:
Helicopters – How Are They Used To Fight Wildfires?

If you found this article helpful you might like this video I created for you on how a Bambi Bucket works:

Last week I watched a military helicopter startup and then sit running for a good 40 minutes before taking off, yet I have seen a MedEvac helicopter liftoff in under 2 minutes! So why does it take so much longer for the military helicopter to get airborne? In this article, we are going to look at how long it takes a helicopter to get airborne and what needs to be done before liftoff.

The average helicopter takes around 2-5 minutes to start the engines, get the instruments & systems working and tested before the helicopter is ready for takeoff. The colder the helicopter is, the longer it takes for the oil & hydraulic fluids to get to optimum temperature before liftoff.

Each helicopter has its own manufacturer-approved startup checklist and depending on how the individual company has modified that checklist can dictate how long it takes to get a helicopter started and flying.

The type, complexity, and the number of engines on the helicopter and the operation it is about to fly in can dramatically alter the time it takes to get it ready for lift off. Let’s have a look at what needs to be done and how long it takes

Before we start there are really two questions here:

1. How long to get started
2. How long to get airborne once started

How Long Does It Take a Helicopter To Get Started?

Helicopters can be very simple or complex machines and the larger and newer the helicopters are, the more things need to be turned on before flight.

A simple piston-powered helicopter like a Robinson R22 or Cabri Guimbal has very few systems, which a pilot with experience on those helicopters can be up and running in a matter of minutes.

Basic helicopters like the two mentioned above are just a case of turning on the electrical system, opening the fuel valve, and starting the engine with the turn of a key or press of a button.

Once started, a check of the ignition system, the main rotor rpm governor, setting radio frequencies and gauges is all that is needed while waiting for the engine oil temperature to reach the correct threshold. Once reached, the helicopter is ready for lift-off.

If the helicopter has just flown or is already warm from the summer heat, then the pilot can be lifting off 1-2 minutes after starting the engine.

Now as the helicopters become more complex, the number of systems, radios, navigation systems, and instrumentation begin to dramatically increase. When you begin moving into the twin-engined helicopters then a lot of the systems are doubled for redundancy, this adds time to get them online and complete any required systems checks.

For Example:

The Pre-Start & Engine Start checklist for the Robinson R22 contains:

• 18 Steps once sat in the pilots’ seat before engine start
• 6 Steps to start the engine
• 19 steps to check the aircraft systems after engines are started
• 2 steps before lifting off

45 Steps from Climbing into the helicopter, to lifting off

The Pre-Start & Engine Start checklist for the Leonardo AW139 contains:

• 45 Steps once sat in the pilots’ seat before engine start
• 24 Steps to start both engines
• 30 steps to check the aircraft systems after engines are started
• 7 steps before lifting off

106 Steps from Climbing into the helicopter to lifting off

As you can easily see, the more steps an aircraft has in its checklist, the longer it will take. Complex helicopters like the Leonardo AW139 have a quick start checklist that allows the majority of the system tests to be completed first thing in the morning while in the hanger, then they do not need to be completed again that day.

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This dramatically reduces the time it takes to get the helicopter started and flying and is used extensively for MedEvac operations. By doing this, the pilot/s can go from taking 5-10 minutes to 3-5 minutes to get airborne. It may not sound a lot but can make a huge difference when trying to get to a patient quickly.

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Here is a checklist for an AS350 Astar helicopter to give you some idea of what is involved with getting a helicopter alive and airborne:

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Starting a Helicopter By Memory

When a pilot has been flying a helicopter for a good amount of time the checklist used to start the helicopter turns into a ‘Flow’ of movements by the hands around the cockpit and instrument panel.

When a pilot is not company mandated to use the aircraft checklist then they can get a helicopter started and airborne in very little time at all. The AS350 checklist for example would take a pilot around 3-5 minutes to go through, read, do, then move onto the next step.

For a seasoned Astar pilot, the checklist can be done from memory and if the helicopter is already set up from a flight before, ie no setting radio frequencies, adjusting the GPS etc, they can have the helicopter lifting off in around 2 minutes without rushing.

On complex machines like the AW139 and the like, the use of checklists is usually mandatory because of the number of steps required to configure the aircraft safely. Some steps may require two pilot ‘Challenge & Response’ checks, whereas some may be just completed by a single pilot.

Even though a checklist is used, the flow also becomes natural which helps speed up the completion of the checklist.

How Long Does It Take a Helicopter Get Airborne Once Started?

Getting the helicopter started does not take long. Once you have electrical power and fuel you are ready to go. The part that starts to delay the liftoff is after the helicopter has started and there can be many factors that dictate how long it takes before the helicopter can fly:

Type of Flight

There are two sets of rules an aircraft can fly under:

1. VFR – Visual Flight Rules – Used for everyday flying of small aircraft – Pilot looks out of the window to see
2. IFR – Instrument Flight Rules – Used for flying in poor weather, clouds, and night – Pilot flies looking at instrumentation

When flying VFR there is very little the pilot needs to do to get the aircraft ready to lift-off, however, when flying IFR a lot more systems (GPS, Radios etc) have to be tested, and configured, then the pilot must wait for ATC (Air Traffic Control) to fit them into a takeoff slot. This could take anywhere from 10 – 20 minutes.

Air Traffic Control

I have been sat waiting to lift off many a time because I have not been given clearance to depart from air traffic control. If an airport is busy, or another pilot is having an issue ATC may need you to ‘Hold Your Position‘ until they can safely get you going.

It’s not too often this happens because helicopters do not need a runway to take off, but if you need to cross the active runway then you can guarantee a small delay for traffic.

Training

When any pilot is new to an aircraft it takes quite a bit of time to get used to where every switch, button, and dial is in the cockpit. Going through the checklists can be painfully slow and this is one of the reasons why the military helicopter took so long to take off.

If able, most pilots to a new aircraft will spend time in a simulator or a device known as a Cockpit Procedure Trainer (CPT) which is a touch screen simulator without the flight controls. The screens give an identical layout of the helicopter cockpit and work as they should when you press them.

For those training facilities not lucky enough to have a CPT the only way to get faster at checklists is in the aircraft itself. A new pilot to a complex helicopter can take over an hour going through the checklist, especially if they have to configure it for an IFR training flight!

The first time I sat in the AW139 simulator it seemed to take forever to find the right buttons in an instrument panel full of stuff!

Window Defogging

This one may sound simple but can easily add 5 minutes to a takeoff! I am writing this at a time where it’s very cold here and as soon as you get a few passengers on board they soon begin to fog up the windows during engine start.

It can take a few minutes for the windows to defog, and when it’s really cold they just freeze up and don’t defog at all – well the side windows anyways! If you check out this video of one of my flights you will get to see exactly what I mean:

To Finish

The average time it takes a helicopter to get airborne can be from 2-10 minutes. The amount of systems check and configuration needed before the flight extends the period before liftoff. Add to that a pilot that is new to the helicopter and the take it takes can really go up.

By following checklists and using a flow a pilot can soon begin to shave time off the start without compromising safety or forgetting to turn something on. There is a fine line between being efficient and rushing and if it takes a few minutes longer to ensure it’s done correctly I know my passengers would appreciate it!

Further Reading

If you found this helpful, you may like these other articles too:

• Why Do Helicopters Takeoff & Land On Runways?
• How Do Helicopter Engines Work? Your Ultimate Guide
• Can Helicopters Land On Cruise Ships? Yes & No!
• Can Helicopters Fly In Snow & Ice? This May Surprise You!
• What Are Helicopters & Planes Dropping On Wildfires?