Auto-rotating helicopter hits towplane during take-off

Ok, so they have to
practice crashing, but do they have to do it at a busy airfield?

Having seen elevators and rudders thrash about from the
propwash of helicopters at several fuel pumps, and
having seen these many autorotations in my flight path,
I am consistently impressed by the experienced
helicopter instructors who use common sense and do these
things elsewhere. Some use "closed" airfields, others
suck up the extra cost and get their gas out of the truck.

I personally take my power students to barren airfields for landing
practice, even though it costs $$$$s to get there. I know quite
a few other instructors (including helicopter) who do the same.
Good for them!

I personally take my power students to barren airfields for landing
practice, even though it costs $$$$s to get there. I know quite
a few other instructors (including helicopter) who do the same.
Good for them!

Great, but keep in mind helicopters need a hard surface for this training, the
surface can be a hard field at Falcon we training on the groomed grass. Most
helicopter pilots try to be good citizens. In fact may times I have been blown
by a single or twin that could have pushed to just a little different angle and
he would not have dusted me.

Helicopters avoid the flow of fixed wing traffic in the pattern.

Licensed, for Multi- engine, single engine, glider and Helicopter,
Craig

Helicopters avoid the flow of fixed wing traffic in the pattern.


and where would that be? a bold statement in such a open country..

and some airports the towers direct them to not overfly active runways,
and at some airports, I've seen helo's do hover practice over the numbers of
an active runway, within rotor wash of gliders tied down on the ready line..
until "asked" politely to move their hover practice to the far end of the
field to reduce the beating of wind and rocks on nice gel coat covered
gliders.

I also heard one glider pilot offer a glider ride, the helo pilot said
sure.. he landed, walked over to the glider pilot and was promptly presented
with a bill or a law suit , his choice, for the damage he caused to the
glider tied down on the line in full view of his hover practice. A few chips
in the gel coat and canopy from wind blast throwing stones on a dry runway.

Next time, go hover over the far end of the runway.. not the departure end.

BT