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Helicopter Hovering

Spotted on a ride on New Hackensack Road around what’s grandly known as the Hudson Valley Regional Airport:

Helicopter Hovering Practice 1
Helicopter Hovering Practice 1

Indeed, it was.

I watched a private airshow for a few minutes:

Helicopter Hovering Practice 2
Helicopter Hovering Practice 2

The same helicopter thumped over our house, about two miles from the runway as the chopper flies, while I was getting ready for the ride, and it was hovering as I reached the airport. I think the pilot was practicing, because the chopper made very precise movements across the airport, translated front / back / left / right, and hovered motionless for minutes at a time despite wind gusts.

Looks like enjoyably intense concentration!

Comments

2 responses to “Helicopter Hovering”

  1. Mike Avatar
    Mike

    The local airport has a helicopter school. Part of the final test is to duct tape a bottle opener to the nose end of a skid, then to open beer bottles with it for the school staff.

    Hovering can be learned. Hovering in the ground reflected rotor wash is hard, doing that while manipulating a bottle opener is very hard. And if you break a beer bottle you do it over.

    There are a number of youtube videos showing bottle opening with a helicopter skid-attached bottle opener.

    Mike

    1. Ed Avatar
      Ed

      Now that is a wonder to behold!