The plane enthusiasts thread

[rogerzilla]

Can helicopters potentially fly as high up as planes or do they always fly at lower altitudes?

They can't fly as high. This was used as a plot device in "Vertical Limit". They can't rescue people from the top of the Himalayas. The ceiling is generally about 25,000 feet for fast flight but only around 10,000 feet for hovering.

If you think about it, every mountain peak in the world from the 1950s onwards would have been "conquered" by lowering someone from a helicopter...but it wasn't, and can't be. Thankfully.

 

[Drago]

If you think about it, every mountain peak in the world from the 1950s onwards would have been "conquered" by lowering someone from a helicopter...but it wasn't, and can't be. Thankfully.

Chris Rea's done it!

 

[rogerzilla]

Chris Rea's done it!

But he didn't use a helicopter. He used bat wings of his own design, and flapped his arms really fast.

 

[DaveReading]

If you think about it, every mountain peak in the world from the 1950s onwards would have been "conquered" by lowering someone from a helicopter...but it wasn't, and can't be. Thankfully.

A helicopter did land on the summit of Everest in 2005, though only by making use of updrafts and after stripping out unnecessary weight.

There are a number of factors than prevent helos flying high, but the most obvious is air density.

A fixed-wing aircraft flies through the air faster as it gets higher, in order to generate the same amount of lift as the air gets thinner. The equivalent on a helicopter means that the rotor would have to spin progressively faster, which isn't nearly as straightforward.

 

[Punkawallah]

Can helicopters potentially fly as high up as planes or do they always fly at lower altitudes?

That’s not ‘at low altitude’ - you could get a Bucc under it . . .

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

That’s not ‘at low altitude’ - you could get a Bucc under it . . .

You could get a buccaneer under many 4WD cars - according to legend

 

[fossyant]

From a few weeks ago

 

[fossyant]

 

[fossyant]

 

[fossyant]

 

[fossyant]

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

View attachment 742444

The colouring on that jet reminds me of seeing 2 MIGs collide at RIAT many years ago

They were heading into a big join up loop - looked like the one at the rear was a bit behind and was going a bit toofast
when the front one lifted into the loop the rear plane just took his tail off

My Dad was standing next to me
we started going to RAF Fairford because he was stationed there for part of WW2 - ground crew

he was silent for a few seconds then commented "funny how one always goes up and one down"

a bit later he told me that the last time he had seen it happen was with 2 Stirlings - both crews died




at the time (at RIAT) no-one had seen a parachute - everyone started asking if anyone had seen one
someone though they had behind the smoke - but only one


turned out that both got out OK and landed in the same field

both took of the parachute and helmet and walked towards each other
and one chinned the otehr one!!! - or so the rumour said!!
He just said "

 

[fossyant]

It was RIAT 2024 - got loads more. Amazing, but I'm a bit air showed out at the minute. We pitched up at Wayside Camping near the runway on Thursday - very difficult doing the tent and getting F15/16's practicing. We wandered down the road, to the end of the runway, watched loads of stuff land. Friday was in the show for us - worked well for me as 4 hour air show in 30c temps was enough - we did have the best day as no cloud. Sat and sun was us at the camp, or near the end of the runway as the displays were flat due to the cloud.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Went to RIAT a few years ago - incredibly wet to start with but can;t remember the year
The next year I went down with my now-wife - who isn;t interested in planes but came anyway

she slept through a Rafael at full throttle!!
clearly she is a witch!!!

 

[wiggydiggy]

Couldn't go but this fine aircraft was on display yesterday: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5yk4l5xjyvo