FLY SAFE By Chris Hill
A Precautionary Tale
Did you decide to Land & LIVE? Then you did the right thing— no matter what the media says.
A Helicopter pilots’
superpower enables them to land their aircraft almost
anywhere—and save lives in the process. Learn more about
this special ability, and download this poster, in the
November 2023
Spotlight on Safety feature. (Colten
Gonzalez-Hill Design)
S YOU READ THIS COLUMN, I’d wager that thousands of moviegoers are enjoying a ridic- ulously unrealistic helicopter scene in a mod-
ern action film. Hollywood is constantly treating viewers to helicopters doing impossible stunts that sometimes end in spectacular crashes. While industry insiders may laugh at these routinely outrageous representations, much of the viewing pub- lic soaks it up and believes the unbelievable. And who can blame them—our helicopters are impossibly dynamic aircraft capable of doing amazing feats that no other machine can accomplish. And don’t you enjoy an exciting action movie that showcases our industry, even with—maybe especially with—the occasional blooper? Given these larger-than-life portrayals, the public and media are understandably naïve about helicopter safety,
technology, and performance realities. They often over- look important aviation news, such as advancements in safety, technology, and human performance, in favor of violent, shocking, or tragic events—because the latter bring in clicks or views. These flawed perceptions can lead to negative coverage of routine vertical aviation activities, such as precautionary landings.
Emergency versus Precautionary Landings Most laypeople don’t understand the difference between precautionary and emergency landings. These generic terms don’t explain the flight conditions that may prompt a pilot to land at an unplanned destination such as an open field, beach, or road. When experiencing an in-flight anomaly, pilots must use their judgment and training to promptly assess the situation and comply with relevant manuals, policies,
60 ROTOR JUNE 2024
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