Top Gear: Helicopter on Roof of a Car

Muppet Man

Did anyone see Top Gear last night? A Pilot landed a helicopter on the roof of a car being driven Jezza at about 30mph. The platform on the roof wasnt all that big. I was looking for the video on youtube, but cant see it yet... Jezza genuinely looked to be kakking himself. But then, Top Gear is a contrived load of auld muck recently.

Assuming it was genuine, how hard is it to land a helicopter on the roof of a car travelling at 30mph? Interested in hearing the views of any helicopter pilots.

If I find the video I will post it.

Muppet Man....

mickdw

The platform was very small. I would think that there was a certain level of danger involved in that. He maintained that the pilot couldnt really see the platform when he got close. Im sure though that he woud have been given cameras etc if there were any blind spots. Still, if the chopper did fall off the edge of the platform, it would have likely resulted in double fatality.

Steyr

Muppet Man wrote: »

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Assuming it was genuine, how hard is it to land a helicopter on the roof of a car travelling at 30mph? Interested in hearing the views of any helicopter pilots.

Well assuming this was real and I take it to be real due to some chaps in the UK/USA who regularily land aircraft on lorry's at Airshows id imagine it to be difficult but not out of the realms of possibility, if you can land a helicopter on a heaving ship out at sea them im sure you can land a small robinson on a car with a pad on it moving on flat land.

Sterling Archer

Ya i watched it on tv, it is possible, just the biggest problem was when he was touching down he couldn't see the pad, where as on a ship you can see well a ship (not that that is easier imo it's a finely tuned skill)
think of it as trying to stand on a board just big enough for your 2 feet that is being pulled at walking pace :rolleyes:

Dogwatch

In the case of helicopters there is touching down and landing.

Touching down is just that, touching the ground with the skids or wheel/s. The pilot keeps the weight of the helo on the rotors and is still flying it.

Landing is putting the full weight of the helo on the skids/wheels.

In the case of the cars/truck they are merely touching the vehicle and do not put the full weight on it. Good trick and impresses people. Most helos have vision panels near the rudder pedals or have a crew person talking to the pilot.

Sterling Archer

Dogwatch wrote: »

In the case of helicopters there is touching down and landing.

Touching down is just that, touching the ground with the skids or wheel/s. The pilot keeps the weight of the helo on the rotors and is still flying it.

Landing is putting the full weight of the helo on the skids/wheels.

In the case of the cars/truck they are merely touching the vehicle and do not put the full weight on it. Good trick and impresses people. Most helos have vision panels near the rudder pedals or have a crew person talking to the pilot.

true but with the top gear stunt the pilot landed on the pad the car stopped and they shut down the r22, only the pilot was onboard the 22, but he probably had the camera crew calling out heights like 2 feet, 1, couple inches

Sterling Archer

Here ye all go Skip to around 5:40

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpV0uiEgEGU

Direct link if that doesn't work http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpV0uiEgEGU

Dogwatch

Good stunt and some flying. Did not realise he landed and shut down on the car.

I am sure Elfin Safety checked it was safe before it was done. Remember Hamster with Rocket car????

Once is a mistake that can happen, twice is careless.

Muppet Man

Thanks for posting Shane...

Thanks for the replies... So it would seem to be genuine then... you never can tell what is genuine anymore, especially with Top Gear.

Some damn handy flying alright... there wasnt a whole lot of room between the skid and the edge of the platform... Jezza loooked genuinely worried

Cheers all,
Muppet Man