Late morning today I landed on runway 26 at a local airport (class E airspace) here in Southern California with two friends in the plane one of them a pilot sitting in the right-hand seat, I have to admit it was a very good landing and not only did I get compliments from the guy in the right-hand seat but also some from some friends that were in a Cessna 140 sitting at the hold line at runway 26. We turned left at the first taxiway to taxi back to the transient area to clear the runway, just as I got to hold lines transitioning from runway to taxiway I wanted to clear the runway for traffic, my pilot friend in the right-hand seat said watch out. I was already on the brakes as I saw a Robinson R-22 about 8 to 10 feet off the ground right over the taxiway heading westbound at a speed of about 30 MPH.

Had I not stopped when I did our paths would have crossed, whether he was high enough to clear the top of my plane i'm not sure but it could've been a bad day. I didn't get his N number as it happened pretty quick, I did make comment on the radio that it was not a very cool move with no reply. Who has the right of way? It is appears that there was an instructor with a student on board.

Almost works for avalaunchers too.

The speed and altitude for a helicopter you speak of is a normal takeoff for a helicopter. To remain out of the hight velocity diagram a helicopter must reach approximately 45 knots before climbing out. This takeoff profile will ensure a safe landing can be made in the event of an engine failure. Yes a helicopter can takeoff straight up but if the engine fails there is not enough speed and altitude to preform a safe landing.

Helicopters are required to "avoid the flow of fixed wing traffic" at an uncontrolled airport. That is why you will often see helicopters in a nonstandard pattern. It is common to use a parallel taxiway for takeoffs and landings. It is standard practice not overfly other aircraft. Most helicopter pilots try to fly neighborly and not create hazards. Not to be critical but he may have made a radio call that was blocked by the comments on how great your landing was. Or maybe he just took off. Or maybe he did not expect you to turn off so quickly. Either way you were on the ground and he was airborne, he was more maneuverable and should avoid you.

R22's are trainers and that is about all they are used for. They should have a warning sign "Student helicopter pilot look out!"

Glad you missed each other.

Helicopters are like bears. Not necessarily dangerous to be around, but you never take your eyes off them...

Gump

Good analogy, Gump

MTV

GumpAir wrote:Helicopters are like bears. Not necessarily dangerous to be around, but you never take your eyes off them...

Gump

I took that approach at Caldwell. I always tried to keep on eye on them and knew where they were at all times. But they were all pretty good at Silverhawk. And they used the pattern to the south.

Hey Gump. When the engine quits the R22 will take a dump in the woods too.

Helicopters are very dangerous around airplanes or other helicopters. Towers often clear helicopters to land to the ramp. Not a good idea unless the ramp is very large or unoccupied. They need to avoid other traffic as much as possible. Even a small rotor system can throw killer pieces anywhere/everywhere when they hit something. Large helicopter rotor wash can turn airplanes on their back. Army pilots are trained to land way out and walk at civilian fields. He wasn't avoiding other traffic if he overflew you.

I just had an experience with this a few days ago. The taxiway in front of my hanger is in the nonmovement area and, with a very small shoulder from the taxiway, there is no way to keep the plane off of the taxiway when pulling it out of the hanger. So, I pulled it out and was getting ready to load up when a Robinson from the local flight school came taxiing by, partially over flying me and kicking a bunch of dust and weeds into the hanger. It irritated me since he could have gone around the front side of all the hangers on a different taxi way that also starts right where they park. But, once he was gone, I figured that was that. Nope! He went down a hundred yards, turned around, and came back doing the same thing again! If it becomes a frequent occurrance, I'll have to go have a talk with them.

Even worse is the guy that flies the Astra jet who thinks he owns the place and has right of way all the time. Twice he has dragged his wing and winglet under my wing and he is always in a hurry. Once I had to lift my wing up so the winglet wouldn't act like a can opener on the bottom side of my wing. Not cool and didn't make me very happy. Apparently he doesn't mind insurance claims.

Grassstrippilot wrote:Even worse is the guy that flies the Astra jet who thinks he owns the place and has right of way all the time. Twice he has dragged his wing and winglet under my wing and he is always in a hurry. Once I had to lift my wing up so the winglet wouldn't act like a can opener on the bottom side of my wing. Not cool and didn't make me very happy. Apparently he doesn't mind insurance claims.

Jack Roush flies out of your airport?

Jack Roush flies out of your airport? [/quote]

That was funny, cold, but funny.

Brent

Ewww! Low blow...but funny!

I think every airport of any size has its Jack Roush wannabees. It's "the world revolves around me" syndrome--which the psychs call "narcissistic personality". I call them jerks and some other names that shouldn't be printed.

Cary

Grassstrippilot wrote:I just had an experience with this a few days ago. The taxiway in front of my hanger is in the nonmovement area and, with a very small shoulder from the taxiway, there is no way to keep the plane off of the taxiway when pulling it out of the hanger. So, I pulled it out and was getting ready to load up when a Robinson from the local flight school came taxiing by, partially over flying me and kicking a bunch of dust and weeds into the hanger. It irritated me since he could have gone around the front side of all the hangers on a different taxi way that also starts right where they park. But, once he was gone, I figured that was that. Nope! He went down a hundred yards, turned around, and came back doing the same thing again! If it becomes a frequent occurrance, I'll have to go have a talk with them.

Even worse is the guy that flies the Astra jet who thinks he owns the place and has right of way all the time. Twice he has dragged his wing and winglet under my wing and he is always in a hurry. Once I had to lift my wing up so the winglet wouldn't act like a can opener on the bottom side of my wing. Not cool and didn't make me very happy. Apparently he doesn't mind insurance claims.

I would go talk to the school. Its a helicopter they can go elsewhere. They don't need to be hovering around hangers. Probably just some young instructor just wanting to try something different. Most schools are receptive and will pass the word on to their instructors and students.

and thermonuclear weapons....almost definitely counts with thermonuclear weapons.

I guess you could try what I did 42 years ago, at Big Lake, AK. We'd camped for the night in the motorhome, and in the morning, we were awakened by a kid running his snowmachine out onto the lake, then back into the camping area, around our motorhome, then back out to the lake, on and on and on. So I went out and waved him down. When he stopped, I pulled his key out of the ignition and said that unless he promised not to bother us with his snow machine again, I was going to throw the key out onto the lake where he'd never find it. He raised his hand like he was being sworn in, and said "I promise, sir!" So I gave him back his key and even pulled the starter cord for him.

Do Robinsons have an ignition key?

Cary

Yeah, if it happens again, I'll do that.

Great story Cary! Or I guess I could find a cable to pull (referencing other helicopter thread video ).