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Hudson helicopter crash. Probably avoid flying in Bell 206 helicopters

timewerx

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I don't fly helicopters in real life but Ironically, I had flown them extensively in a commercial simulator used in flying schools and practiced various in flight emergencies and recovery procedures. I've also taken the hobby of flying RC helicopters in the past and I flew them "manually" that is without relying on electronic aids.

My observation and analysis of the accident is that the tail rotor or tail boom seemed to have failed first or the pilot or the passenger at the front seat either accidentally or deliberately pushed the rudder pedals (the one that controls the tail rotor) to the limits until the tail boom broke off due to large inertia and aerodynamic forces.

The violent response of the helicopter from the tail failing and/or swinging violently caused the main rotor to separate and doomed the flight.

My recommendation not to fly nor learn on Bell 206 or any two bladed main rotor helicopters like Bell 212 (UH-1 in the armed forces) or Robinson R22/44 comes next.

Two bladed rotor helicopters are simply much more vulnerable in more flight conditions (including high levels of turbulence, accidental large unintended control inputs, in-flight failures) that 3 or more bladed rotor helicopters are not.

If you accidentally kicked the control column and got stuck in that position for a moment, 3+ bladed helicopters would probably just dive which can be corrected and the flight saved if not too late. Do this on a 2 bladed rotor helicopter, the rotor blade would probably start tilting down at extreme angles until the rotor separated from the helicopter or the blades slicing the cockpit and decapitating the occupants at the front seat.

The only reason the industry are still producing two bladed rotors is because they're the cheapest type of helicopter rotor. Except for the cheapest and simplest, new helicopter models for manned operation have discarded two bladed rotors.

It's so easy to make fatal mistakes on 2 bladed rotor helicopters even in perfect flying conditions with the helicopter in perfect mechanical condition. The rotor system is a horrible design from a safety perspective.

If the Hudson river helicopter tail failure occurred on a 3+ bladed helicopter. The main rotor would probably remain attached even if the tail boom broke off. there's a slim chance of survival if the pilot is able to react quickly and correctly to the situation. As long the main rotor is attached and the helicopter is still in a relatively level attitude, it has good chance of making a survivable crash landing or even a soft landing even with missing tail boom via "auto rotation"

Unfortunately, on the 2 bladed rotor Bell 206 helicopter, their fate was sealed the moment the tail boom broke because it would be expected the violent event would cause highly vulnerable 2 bladed main rotor to break off.
 
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timewerx

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No fear there. If video games have taught me anything, it's to never get on the helicopter.

It takes much more skill to fly a helicopter but the main reasons why it appears to be more dangerous is they tend to be flown much closer to obstacles like buildings, trees, flown at much lower altitudes, landing in very tight spots, etc.

Hovering and very low speed flight is also riskier in terms of aerodynamics.

If helicopters are flown in exactly the same manner and air spaces as airplanes, never hovering, never flying super slow, and only taking off and landing from long and wide runways with rolling take offs and landings (if having wheels), they're probably going to be just a safe as airplanes.
 
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iluvatar5150

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It takes much more skill to fly a helicopter but the main reasons why it appears to be more dangerous is they tend to be flown much closer to obstacles like buildings, trees, flown at much lower altitudes, landing in very tight spots, etc.

Hovering and very low speed flight is also riskier in terms of aerodynamics.

If helicopters are flown in exactly the same manner and air spaces as airplanes, never hovering, never flying super slow, and only taking off and landing from long and wide runways with rolling take offs and landings (if having wheels), they're probably going to be just a safe as airplanes.
They're also more complex mechanically, have less redundancy, and have modes of failure that tend to be more catastrophic.
 
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wing2000

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My recommendation not to fly nor learn on Bell 206 or any two bladed main rotor helicopters like Bell 212 (UH-1 in the armed forces) or Robinson R22/44 comes next.

...during my Army days in Honduras, I would occasionally accompany medical units to help with translation in remote villages. Most of those missions were on UH1's (...1980's when Blackhawks were slowly replacing the Hueys). There's nothing like riding a Huey with the side door open and swooping through montain valleys and lakes.

Regarding this tragic accident, I understand the helicopter tour company was is in financial trouble. It will be interesting to see what investigators uncover in the mainetenance records. One video apparently shows the helicopter's transmission assembly and spinning blades - intact, while the remainder of the aircraft falls away....
 
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Aryeh Jay

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They're also more complex mechanically, have less redundancy, and have modes of failure that tend to be more catastrophic.

They glide like a rock.

Never liked them.

1000007442.jpg
 
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timewerx

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They're also more complex mechanically, have less redundancy, and have modes of failure that tend to be more catastrophic.
The increased complexity is compensated for with more frequent maintenance. You pay more for the ability to land and take off anywhere.

Assuming the owner follows the maintenance on the dot regardless of the cost, a helicopter is just as safe as airplanes.

Some failure modes are indeed catastrophic compared to airplanes.

However, if you lose all engines over a crowded urban area far away from any airport nor any large and flat empty spaces, it is safer to be in a helicopter than an airplane due to "autorotation".

However, in order to have a successful autorotation, the pilot must react to the emergency quickly and correctly. Sometimes, in just few seconds or less. It's even harder to enter auto rotation on two bladed helicopters because this maneuver could place the two bladed rotor in a very vulnerable situation especially if the pilot is caught by surprise and overreacted. I guess that's another reason to avoid two bladed main rotor helicopters.

Helicopter pilots are trained in autorotation to achieve survivable crash landings that could even save the helicopter from damage. However, if the pilot doesn't practice autorotation on a regular basis, they can lose ability to enter autorotation in a timely manner in an emergency that requires it.
 
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Aryeh Jay

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The increased complexity is compensated for with more frequent maintenance. You pay more for the ability to land and take off anywhere.

Assuming the owner follows the maintenance on the dot regardless of the cost, a helicopter is just as safe as airplanes.

Some failure modes are indeed catastrophic compared to airplanes.

However, if you lose all engines over a crowded urban area far away from any airport nor any large and flat empty spaces, it is safer to be in a helicopter than an airplane due to "autorotation".

However, in order to have a successful autorotation, the pilot must react to the emergency quickly and correctly. Sometimes, in just few seconds or less. It's even harder to enter auto rotation on two bladed helicopters because this maneuver could place the two bladed rotor in a very vulnerable situation especially if the pilot is caught by surprise and overreacted. I guess that's another reason to avoid two bladed main rotor helicopters.

Helicopter pilots are trained in autorotation to achieve survivable crash landings that could even save the helicopter from damage. However, if the pilot doesn't practice autorotation on a regular basis, they can lose ability to enter autorotation in a timely manner in an emergency that requires it.

Yep auto rotation really helps.

Really life isn't a simulation.
 
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Aryeh Jay

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wing2000

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"At least 32 people have died in helicopter accidents in New York City since 1977, according to The Associated Press. Thursday’s crash was the deadliest since at least 2018, when a sightseeing helicopter without doors fell into the East River, flipped over, and five people drowned."

Maybe it's time to shut down helicopter tours?
 
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iluvatar5150

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"At least 32 people have died in helicopter accidents in New York City since 1977, according to The Associated Press. Thursday’s crash was the deadliest since at least 2018, when a sightseeing helicopter without doors fell into the East River, flipped over, and five people drowned."

Maybe it's time to shut down helicopter tours?
idk... 32 people in 50 years doesn't strike me as that bad, especially when you figure there are probably multiple fatalities per incident. And that's all helicopter accidents, not just tourist charters.
 
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