Further proof that Heli's are bad...

[thehaze]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=zSHYpM1JDKE#!

[bfeist]

The heli probably cost more to crash than the plane.

[Michael]

The pilot did call "low pass", and there was no response from anyone.

The helicopter pilot should have responded or get out of the way.

[thehaze]

I think the correct move would have been to avoid flying anywhere near the flight line when there's a heli in the air. Not sure how to assign blame here, as it would appear that both pilots made errors in judgement.

Personally I find it hard to spot helicopters while I'm flying because they aren't following the normal pattern and they tend to pull moves that are not natural for an airplane, making them hard to predict. It's sort of like flying a 100mph plane when there are 4 trainers in the air. That's why I tend to avoid getting myself in situations where there are aircraft in the air that are flying in a manner that is not complementary to the way the plane I'm about to fly normally operates.

But this video does reinforce the importance of calling your maneuvers and in being aware of what else is in the air when you are flying.  And the crash was pretty spectacular. I'm sure he can repair that one, a couple hours with the glue gun and that zero is back in the fight. 

[pmackenzie]

The pilot did call "low pass", and there was no response from anyone.

The helicopter pilot should have responded or get out of the way.

He called low pass then flew by >60 feet up. Not what i would call low, heli guy might have in fact moved up there to get away from an anticipated low pass.

Of course with the racket that plane was making the heli guy might not have heard him at all 

Gas motors are worse than glow - generally they have minimal and very noisy mufflers. Plus they stink like gasoline.

Heli guy didn't have a spotter, not a great idea at a busy field with so many other guys just standing around.
Zero guy's spotter was not doing his job or he would have told him not to fly by.


Pat MacKenzie

[Michael]

Pat is right; there's lots of fault all around, and I also agree with Mike; I refrain from flying when there's a heli in the air.

[Bobmic]

As an Ex Heli guy I have to say that Heli's and planes do not and can not mix.
I have never flown in a field where both were flying in the same time and in the same area the chance of crashes are extremely high.
...The video is amazing though...

[Papa]

Actually that's not an observer that's a student on a buddy box.

I wonder if the student was flying it?

I think our way of having a dedicated Heli area is safer.

Jack.

[pmackenzie]

Watching it again, the guys with the buddy box are not the ones flying the Zero, so that means there is at least one more model in the air.

After the crash the one guy looks back toward the sky, the guy behind him never takes his eyes off the model he is flying..
The Zero pilot (with the  hat on) walks behind them, complaining to the heli pilot.

[Papa]

Your right as usual Pat. Here's their field, looks great. They have 312 signed up for 2013.

jack.

[sihinch]

I wonder what "discussions" took place after the film stopped? I sensed some tension!

[pmackenzie]

If you go to their web site they have their newsletters. I could not find anything specifically about this mid air, but there is a lot of talk about mid airs in general.
Also a fairly serious injury from a gas model during starting.
http://www.sccmas.org/

They do have a dedicated heli hovering area, but also allow for flight in the pattern if you want to do more than hover ( makes sense)

From their March 2013 newsletter:

If you are flying a helicopter in the runway area please stay with
the pattern if there are other people flying. This helps avoid accidental
mid airs. Also if you are flying in the helicopter area and
want to move over to fly over the runway, your flight path across
needs to be outside the red zone or you need to move to one of
the startup pads on the sides of the taxi ways.

There is also one area of safety we don't have to worry about that they do - rattle snakes 
The guy with the Zero is probably glad it crashed on the runway so he did not have to go bush whacking for it
(This picture from the May 2012 newsletter, which should be the one after the mid air in the video)

[electroflyer]

   Well, the helicopter was cleary upside down which could possibly suggest 3D flying. As Pat said, the noise from the Zero was quite loud and would suggest that the two pilots were not quite aware of the potential collision. My personal feeling is that helicopters and planes can share the sky at the same time and pose little risk to one another providing they are flying in the same style, that is circuits with simple aerobatic maneuvers thrown in. The same accident could have occured if a 3D aircraft was flying in a style that was contrary to the circuit style and number of aircraft in the air. The real shame is that a helicopter and beautiful scale Zeke were totalled.

[Bigstik]

Wow, look at the flying site! I'm envious. I wish we could get that kind of support from the populace, officials, MAAC etc.

Bigstik

[Ededge2002]

But would you really like to battle for air time with +300 other members?  Imagine if even 30% showed up every weekend!!

As for the heli and aircraft flying at the same time and in the same area I've struggled with this one before.  With all the ability I've practiced the helicopter's flight path is too un predictable and the visual profile too small for me to want to do it regularly.  I have no idea how they fly multiple helis at the same time!

Even though some may see my flying style as unpredictable at times. aircraft have one direction of flight mainly even 3D aircraft where helicopters do not.