eutrophicated1;n1125462 said:
Have to admit that this is the first discussion of the dangers of wire-strikes by rotor-craft I have seen in here. I've viewed hundreds of the "famed low and slow" videos on youtube. I've read numerous accounts of the joy of flying low and slow. Maybe more precautionary posts about pre-flight investigations of choosing safe areas for these low and slow manovers would be a good thing. Now maybe I understand better why so many pilots choose to do these aerobatic flights close to airports where they trailer their gyros in, instead of flying to them.
I feel you may be reading too much into things Frank; because you are at the beginning of you gyroplane adventure.
It is my observation that many wire strikes happen in familiar territory as did this one.
The most consistent thing I get from gyroplane accident investigation is there is a chain of decisions leading up to the mishap usually beginning in flight planning before the aircraft is even started.
Break the chain and the accident may be avoided.
Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) 91.119 is about minimum safe altitudes.
Minimum safe altitudes: General.
Except when necessary for takeoff or landing, no person may operate an aircraft below the following altitudes:
(a)
Anywhere. An altitude allowing, if a power unit fails, an emergency landing without undue hazard to persons or property on the surface.
(b)
Over congested areas. Over any congested area of a city, town, or settlement, or over any open air assembly of persons, an altitude of 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a horizontal radius of 2,000 feet of the aircraft.
(c)
Over other than congested areas. An altitude of 500 feet above the surface, except over open water or sparsely populated areas. In those cases, the aircraft may not be operated closer than 500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure.
Unfortunately many gyroplane pilots appear to me to forget that a little altitude gives more landing zone options and that wires and fences are structures.
I follow roads for many reasons when I fly cross country. One reason is that I don’t have far to walk if I have an emergency landing. It is not so I can land on a road because roads tend to have wires, signs and vehicles. A road is often not a viable landing zone.
I find value in continually searching for suitable landing zones and checking to see if I have enough altitude to reach the spot and turn down wind. This sometimes causes me to fly a little higher than I would otherwise.
I try to be aware of which way the wind blows so I don’t land downwind.
If I hit wires I am likely in violation of FAR 91.119 unless as may be in this mishap I am landing or taking off.
In my opinion close proximity of wires makes for a poor landing zone choice.
If I am planning an off airport landing I always carefully walk the landing zone looking for hazards. Too many times I have found holes, ditches and fences that I could not see from even 100 feet above the ground. I have no way to know how hard the surface is from 100 feet above the ground.
I practice accurate no roll landings but that is no reason to assume I don’t need 1,000 feet unobstructed area so I can take off again. Yes I can lift off in much less (350 to 500 feet) but not every takeoff goes perfectly or the wind may shift so I like to have room for a less than perfect takeoff.
Please understand this is what I do to mitigate the risk of flying a gyroplane and what I recommend to pilots under my instruction.
I feel how someone identifies unacceptable risks and chooses to mitigate the unavoidable risk of flying is a personal choice.