Video from last January’s accident of the Cessna 120 that caught the wake turbulence of a San Bernardino County Sheriff Bell UH-1H Huey helicopter that was landing ahead of the Cessna at KCCB.
Remember, helicopters produce wake turbulence too, with it being more pronounced and dangerous from medium-sized and bigger helos. In a Huey, this wake can be up to 10 times the weight of the helo; thus a 10,000 lb Huey can produce wake turbulence equivalent of a 90,000-100,000lb aircraft, due to the high loading of the main rotor blades. In addition, taxing near a hovering helo, is akin to taxiing past a microburst. 50+ knot winds hitting the ground and dissipating in all directions. Granted, as a helo pilot, I’m cognizant of my downwash, doing things like landing and going flat pitch if an aircraft is taxiing by me. But I can’t cover for all contingencies; so airplane pilots need to have some high situational awareness of helos, and not get too close to them, in the air or on the ground.
Remember, helicopters produce wake turbulence too, with it being more pronounced and dangerous from medium-sized and bigger helos. In a Huey, this wake can be up to 10 times the weight of the helo; thus a 10,000 lb Huey can produce wake turbulence equivalent of a 90,000-100,000lb aircraft, due to the high loading of the main rotor blades. In addition, taxing near a hovering helo, is akin to taxiing past a microburst. 50+ knot winds hitting the ground and dissipating in all directions. Granted, as a helo pilot, I’m cognizant of my downwash, doing things like landing and going flat pitch if an aircraft is taxiing by me. But I can’t cover for all contingencies; so airplane pilots need to have some high situational awareness of helos, and not get too close to them, in the air or on the ground.
