Helicopter safety record?

[daveydavey]

I notice on the Daily Mail another helicopter has downed , this time over Wales en route to Ireland from the midlands.

It has struck me that there seems to be a consistent flow of domestic helicopter crashes in the U.K., at least a handful every year - so the question is why? And are they a reasonable risk when considering travel?

I've googled some research but there are too many vested interests from helicopter enthusiasts.

Can anybody shed light ?

 

[gizmoganzee]

I notice on the Daily Mail another helicopter has downed , this time over Wales en route to Ireland from the midlands.

It has struck me that there seems to be a consistent flow of domestic helicopter crashes in the U.K., at least a handful every year - so the question is why? And are they a reasonable risk when considering travel?

I've googled some research but there are too many vested interests from helicopter enthusiasts.

Can anybody shed light ?

Well it's still in the minority compared to road accidents and the like.

The pre safety checks and maintenance is far ahead of motor vehicles

 

[Typhoonftm]

They're far safer than fixed wing if there's a problem. BUT, much more difficult to fly, hence so many inexperienced pilots piling them in.

Edit, that said. I bet there's significantly more light aircraft crashes in the UK than helicopters.

 

[daveydavey]

Well it's still in the minority compared to road accidents and the like.

The pre safety checks and maintenance is far ahead of motor vehicles

Googling helicopter safety record, there is a forum suggesting you are 85 times more likely to be in a crash with a helicopter (per 100,000 hours)

Others contradict it - but say that the headlines come from that if you are in a helicopter crash, it's almost certainly fatal

 

[gizmoganzee]

Googling helicopter safety record, there is a forum suggesting you are 85 times more likely to be in a crash with a helicopter (per 100,000 hours)

Others contradict it - but say that the headlines come from that if you are in a helicopter crash, it's almost certainly fatal

Privately owned, maybe.. but less likely otherwise and unlike planes that can't always glide;

Choppers can auto rotate.

 

[lurker]

They're far safer than fixed wing if there's a problem. BUT, much more difficult to fly, hence so many inexperienced pilots piling them in.

Edit, that said. I bet there's significantly more light aircraft crashes in the UK than helicopters.

I disagree

 

[daveydavey]

I disagree

I'd be shocked at that too, but know fuck all.

I'd have thought if either rota goes wrong you are goosed ?

Basically I think flying in a helicopter for pleasure / luxury travel sounds like a bad idea..?

They're far safer than fixed wing if there's a problem. BUT, much more difficult to fly, hence so many inexperienced pilots piling them in.

Edit, that said. I bet there's significantly more light aircraft crashes in the UK than helicopters.

Pro rata on the light aircraft proposition?

 

[muggboots]

I notice on the Daily Mail another helicopter has downed , this time over Wales en route to Ireland from the midlands.

It has struck me that there seems to be a consistent flow of domestic helicopter crashes in the U.K., at least a handful every year - so the question is why? And are they a reasonable risk when considering travel?

I've googled some research but there are too many vested interests from helicopter enthusiasts.

Can anybody shed light ?

I've said for years that helicopter crashes must be the top topper of rich people and celebrities.

 

[lurker]

I'd be shocked at that too, but know fuck all.

I'd have thought if either rota goes wrong you are goosed ?

Basically I think flying in a helicopter for pleasure / luxury travel sounds like a bad idea..?


Pro rata on the light aircraft proposition?

Rotor failure, gearbox failure, engine failure can all kill you pretty quickly especially if the helicopters pushing top speed

 

[Deleted User 2893]

They're far safer than fixed wing if there's a problem. BUT, much more difficult to fly, hence so many inexperienced pilots piling them in.

Edit, that said. I bet there's significantly more light aircraft crashes in the UK than helicopters.

Is that correct? Thought it would have been the other way around, if a fixed wing loses power it can glide whereas a helicopter would become a dead weight

 

[PhilSAFC]

There must be millions of helicopter flights everyday and a handful of crashes. Statistically it's probably the safest way to travel.

 

[gizmoganzee]

Rotor failure, gearbox failure, engine failure can all kill you pretty quickly especially if the helicopters pushing top speed

Well if you want to be negative ..fine and choppers if they are weakly maintained can blow up in smoke

Less like likely and highly unprobable if looked after

 

[daveydavey]

Is that correct? Thought it would have been the other way around, if a fixed wing loses power it can glide whereas a helicopter would become a dead weight

If the rear propeller is working you can glide I think , but if the rear goes I think you are fucked

 

[lenshack]

They're far safer than fixed wing if there's a problem. BUT, much more difficult to fly, hence so many inexperienced pilots piling them in.

Edit, that said. I bet there's significantly more light aircraft crashes in the UK than helicopters.

How do you fly a chopper if the motor and rotor has packed in ?

At least with a fixed wing there's a chance of gliding to a reasonably flat area surely.

I would guess there's many more light aircraft than choppers, so statistically more are likely to bite the dust,
Or a meringue ?

 

[lurker]

Is that correct? Thought it would have been the other way around, if a fixed wing loses power it can glide whereas a helicopter would become a dead weight

A copter can glide, in a fashion.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autorotation

But fixed wing gliding is a bit easier

 

[daveydavey]

There must be millions of helicopter flights everyday and a handful of crashes. Statistically it's probably the safest way to travel.

Doubt it is safer than commercial jet flights - there's regularly stories of crashes in the UK and it's not like international helicopter accidents get reported here either

 

[PhilSAFC]

Doubt it is safer than commercial jet flights - there's regularly stories of crashes in the UK and it's not like international helicopter accidents get reported here either

There's more crashes than happens with planes but I'd imagine many more flights.

 

[gizmoganzee]

If the rear propeller is working you can glide I think , but if the rear goes I think you are fucked

If the tail goes you're are canny knacked like

 

[daveydavey]

There's more crashes than happens with planes but I'd imagine many more flights.

Pro-rata is important in this thread , but I'd still imagine flights are safer on that basis

 

[No7]

Is that correct? Thought it would have been the other way around, if a fixed wing loses power it can glide whereas a helicopter would become a dead weight

That's not strictly true. If power is lost, you would be shocked at the amount of different planes that have the aerodynamics of a brick when no thrust is available