Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Help Keep Boards Alive. Support us by going ad free today. See here: https://subscriptions.boards.ie/

Lowest a helicopter can fly

  • 30-08-2010 03:43PM
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,204 ✭✭✭


    Lads i've after having a helicopter fly extremely lower over my house in trim area Co Meath. What the lowest a helicopter can fly he was low enough for me to read pdg helicopters on the underside and see the pilot co pilots face. He came along a hedge line opposite my house and then had to climb rather quickly so he wouldnt collide with a couple of tree's. He didnt look in particular control either.
    Cheers


Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,677 ✭✭✭ronnie3585


    As you're in Trim he was flying in Class G airspace. In Class G the lowest he can fly is 500ft AGL save and except for when he is on approach to land or take off and of course in an emergency.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4 mcdee6174


    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXNCZlQcvGw Enjoy....:eek::eek::eek::):):)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,204 ✭✭✭elius


    ronnie3585 wrote: »
    As you're in Trim he was flying in Class G airspace. In Class G the lowest he can fly is 500ft AGL save and except for when he is on approach to land or take off and of course in an emergency.

    Well this lad was well lower than 500 he was border line 100 at most:rolleyes:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,677 ✭✭✭ronnie3585


    elius wrote: »
    Well this lad was well lower than 500 he was border line 100 at most:rolleyes:

    I forgot to add that certain commercial operators such as Bord Gas have special dispensations for operations below 500ft for the purposes of surveying, observing etc.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,023 ✭✭✭shedweller


    My wife and kids were treated to a one man airshow a few months ago. A helicopter was going along the power lines to the rear of our house.
    I also recall one doing the same after that lightning storm in the 80's.
    Cool job all the same!


  • Advertisement
  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 5,524 ✭✭✭owenc


    Well i know that the lowest an aircraft can cruise at is 500ft..... so a helicopter is probably the same but there are probably exceptions..... I remember last summer seeing helicopters fly low over my house multiple times, they flew about 10 ft above my 40 ft trees going by observations and they looked like army helicopters and they landed in fields nearby it was actually pretty scary as you could see their faces and inside the helicopters (the double doors were open) they were massive! Really frightening


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,326 ✭✭✭Bearcat


    lowflyingaircraft@iaa.ie

    look forward to your report.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,924 ✭✭✭Nforce


    shedweller wrote: »
    My wife and kids were treated to a one man airshow a few months ago. A helicopter was going along the power lines to the rear of our house.
    I also recall one doing the same after that lightning storm in the 80's.
    Cool job all the same!

    We get the heli's checking power lines too...generally once a year..down to a couple of hundred feet,maybe less. Irish helicopters Squirrel IIRC.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 324 ✭✭Klunk001


    Sounds like powerline patrol. I know there were two heli's out today doing both powerline and gasline patrol.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 13,834 ✭✭✭✭kowloon


    Not one person has made a comment about being so low they were able to switch it off, get out and tie it down. For shame! :D


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,787 ✭✭✭xflyer


    If it was PDG, which is Irish helicopters, you'll find he'd had permission to fly that low from the IAA. Probably powerline inspection. You can tell from the apparatus hanging off the helicopter. If that's not there, no doubt there is some other reason. But the pilot will have permission to be that low.

    As for not being in control. It may have looked like that to you but he undoubtedly was perfectly in control.

    This isn't aimed at you elius, you at least had a sensible query. But I'm tired of people on the ground making misinformed comments or complaints about overflying aircraft. I was a victim of it myself at one stage and was not amused. Getting a call from the authorities is not fun even if you did nothing wrong.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,364 ✭✭✭EchoIndia


    elius wrote: »
    Lads i've after having a helicopter fly extremely lower over my house in trim area Co Meath. What the lowest a helicopter can fly he was low enough for me to read pdg helicopters on the underside and see the pilot co pilots face. He came along a hedge line opposite my house and then had to climb rather quickly so he wouldnt collide with a couple of tree's. He didnt look in particular control either.
    Cheers

    The pilot in a helicopter sits on the right. Is this the person you are referring to?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,985 ✭✭✭skelliser




  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,204 ✭✭✭elius


    The Heli was moving from my left to right so i take it he was the pilot. Im not going to complain ive seen far worse just interested no power lines around me lads. Though he may have been coming from the golf course he kinda wobbled after he climbed lol.
    Dogs shat themselves though :D...


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,930 ✭✭✭Martron




  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,251 ✭✭✭Sterling Archer


    I say in a battle of crazy low flying the French would win. I luv that puma vid


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,132 ✭✭✭bazzachazza


    Probably gas line check they are well below ground level.
    http://www.bordgais.ie/networks/index.jsp?p=104&n=141


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,930 ✭✭✭Martron


    they are well below ground level.

    the pipes or the choppers?:eek:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 86,683 ✭✭✭✭Overheal


    owenc wrote: »
    Well i know that the lowest an aircraft can cruise at is 500ft..... so a helicopter is probably the same but there are probably exceptions..... I remember last summer seeing helicopters fly low over my house multiple times, they flew about 10 ft above my 40 ft trees going by observations and they looked like army helicopters and they landed in fields nearby it was actually pretty scary as you could see their faces and inside the helicopters (the double doors were open) they were massive! Really frightening
    Whats considered 'cruise'?

    Theres no theoretical minimum to how low off the ground a plane can fly. You still have to get off the ground, but your only obstacle at that point is other things that like existing on the ground in front of you.

    I don't think anything is necessarily stopping a jet from cruising 15ft off the ground in the Bonneville Salt Flats - it's just not the greatest idea is all.

    If you're talking about legal airspace, the maximum speed below 10,000ft is 250 knots if i recall correctly. The penalties for not observing this limit, I'm unsure. I'd wager you can also get special clearance to do crazy **** in the name of science. But again, that would probably be at the flats :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,677 ✭✭✭ronnie3585


    Overheal wrote: »
    If you're talking about legal airspace, the maximum speed below 10,000ft is 250 knots if i recall correctly.

    In Class C airspace.


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 86,683 ✭✭✭✭Overheal


    ^ gent :) learn something new every day.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,431 ✭✭✭Sky King


    Overheal wrote: »
    Whats considered 'cruise'?

    Theres no theoretical minimum to how low off the ground a plane can fly. You still have to get off the ground, but your only obstacle at that point is other things that like existing on the ground in front of you.

    I think what owenc meant by 'the lowest an aircraft can cruise is at 500 feet' was that legally in class G airspace, 500 feet above the level of the ground is the lowest one is allowed to fly (unless you've a special dispensation with the ESB or displaying at an airshow or whatever).

    The reason he used the word 'cruise', I believe, was to differentiate flight from place to place from flight specifically associated with the process of take-off and landing, for which it WOULD be necessary to have the aircraft closer to the surface of the earth than 500 feet, and this requirement is reflected in the air law accordingly.

    You seem to have interpreted owenc's post as a definitive statement of the physicality of cruise flight, or more specifically a lower altitude limit assigned to it, which of course as you rightly pointed out does not, or at lease SEEMS to not exist.

    I trust that this resolves the 500 foot issue.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 28 Blade Slapper


    Class G @ or below 3000ft, 500ft lowest, less than 140Kts, Vis 1Km.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 28 Blade Slapper


    EchoIndia wrote: »
    The pilot in a helicopter sits on the right. Is this the person you are referring to?
    Depends on the CofG and type there Chief.

    MD500/600 or Ec's might get you change from fried to scrambled.


Advertisement