How to get a stuck helicopter out of the snow

Eurocopter EC135 stuck in the snow. Some risky piloting to get it out.

[@helobelow]

Good thing both skids came loose at the same time or he might have been tumbling down the hill in a beautiful snow covered dynamic roll over like a snowball.

[@Statek63]

The EC-135 tail rotor ( also known as "Fenestron" ) has moving blades but also non-moving blades, sometimes called an "Air Flow Rectifier". I can assure you that the pilot would not try to take off with a faulty tail rotor ;-) What you are seeing are these fixed rectifier blades.

[@just4playin1]

@101andrewj Actually the pilot wasnt a moron, they landed on the roadway to help stranded hikers and when he shut it down the wind blew the helicopter around and it turned sideways and it slid down the hill backwards on the ice and it got stuck in the snow... The pilot did a good job getting it out and was able to lift all the people to safety...

[@briansmobile1]

OK, now I'm sold on getting that body for my RC heli!

[@0WhyNot3]

Nice, I was just wondering how to get my helicopter unstuck.

[@user-sp2lj8et2n]

:-)

[@dpisaacs]

Nice......I am wondering though how it got there in the position in the first place?

[@mepizzasmangled]

Thanks for the tut now my ec will never be stuck again

[@JuanCruz-ef5os]

im more concern on how you got stucked in that position..

[@speedstar1983]

@fifmasta: It´s a rescue copter. This guys are genius at the stick! I´m a paramedic and i saw a lot of landings, that i can´t believe. They are really amazing!

[@gearfinger]

First watch it did look jerky, watch it again though, im quite impressed how smooth this extraction was though. Props to the pilot!

[@TamakoAkai]

Bravo-Zulu!!!! Now that's what I call a Pilot You have to love those EC-birds. Good Job guys!!!

[@Vollhirni]

This was no test for sure, since they wouldn't have picked a location with trees so close by and a heli thats a rescue-equipped one. it was just stuck there for whatever reason during a rescue operation and the absolutely PRO Pilot pulled it out safely. Just my guess. But I am also sure he really knew that this was extremely dangerous, so he will have had his reasons, maybe injured persons onboard?! Awesome flying skills!!!!!

[@maxdecphoenix]

beyond dangerous. not sure how much of that was luck and how much was skill.

[@JdSc25]

Wow... the tail started sucking snow towards TOP, much longer and the assembly probably would have heated up enough to let it sink further and either tear out some fins or have it yaw and tip. At least they powered down to inspect. Ballsy to say the least. The 135 tail fin has 2.5ft clearance on level, so it looks like it was buried at least 4ft.

[@controlledburst]

This was pretty cool. Tail boom in the snow at start-up - who knows what subtle dynamic could have gone wrong. This vid is a great plug for ducted tail rotors.

[@horizonflyer9]

who needs shovels and snow plows to get your plane out of the snow anymore? no, now we use pure turbine helicopter power!

[@NicLewis]

Thought that was a brilliant scale model until the guy got out!!

[@CerebralTantrum]

That's one good pilot. Some nerves considering there's not much clearance to that tree...

[@vinamais]

Amazing, for sure. Lots of ability. But It could go wrong. The real deal would be avoiding getting stuck in the snow that way. People get killed and property is lost in cases like that.

[@Deadeye77]

A possible explanation! Part 1 It looks like the helicopter might have been shutting down when the rear of the helicopter sank deep into the snow and probably slid a bit. This would explain the quick start and take off without warm up. Also there are no snow prints to indicate the pilot or co inspected the tail boom and rotor prior to takeoff. The pilot lands the helicopter as soon as its free, I presume to shut it down again and to inspect potential damage.

[@indridcold8433]

The EC-135 is the helicopter no family should be without. With sitting for up to six people, five in the cabin and one next to the pilot in the executive configuration, or up to seven people in dense corporate configuration, the EC-135 has space to spare. Comfort abounds in the EC-135 with generous headroom, leather bound seats, Bose noise canceling communication and entertainment headphones, onboard climate control, sliding tinted glass, and quality upholstery throughout, the EC-135 will also look impressive on a first date as well! Do not pull up to a first date in an ancient surplus Bell UH-1! Generous financing is available for the helicopter of your dreams! Plus, for an additional $250,000, add a mini gun kit for your extra late night outings to destinations that may not be as friendly as you would like. Order must be taken from existing dealership stock. No changes or substitutions. Get your EC-135 Eurocopter today!

[@buddy1065]

OMG I thought it was an RC heli too! They make them in that style and color. Now I want one!

[@Statek63]

...also before the tail spools up, the tail rotor blades can be seen moving, at the beginning of the video..

[@DMFK1981]

Great amount of skill to fix that parking disaster.

[@miniadler]

@fsland it's not the pilot, he is sitting on the right ;)

[@NicLewis]

Thought that was a brilliant scale model until the guy got out!! Or was it a scale guy too?!

[@KraljLazar]

This would be such an accident, if he didn't pulled it off like that... :) great vid :)

[@geddon436]

Should he have let it idle for a minute, before lifting off. So, all the mechanical parts would have a longer service life?

[@dasadler123]

he would not have been able to do that if it wasn't for the enclosed rotor blades, that was really cool

[@damonstr]

I saw this helicopter once when I was skiing in Austria as they airlifted an injured skier, awesome machine.

[@drakebellone]

@Edelprolo ja da hast du schon recht das wär auch ne möglichkeit. Also würd ich der bergwacht eher den älteren Bo-115 empfehlen den haben "wir" (unsere rettungszentrale) auch und der hat speziele gelöcherte kufen und kann extrem gut auf schnee landen. dazu gibt es noch "spikes" wenn man es so nennen kann.Dass eizigste problem is hat dass der ec schneller ist.

[@joeyjackhammer]

because all ambulances are off-road, snow-plowing, mountain-climbing vehicles, right?

[@ianrkav]

Well that was a fast start up and take off! Just goes to prove that chopper pilots really do 'get it up quicker:-)'

[@JoroJugga]

reminds me of battlefield 3 helicopter... when some newbie have flipped transport chopper on its side and you try to do all the tricks to get it flying again.

[@TheJason434]

+JoroJugga If a helicopter's on it's side then it's rotors would get smashed, no chance of flying it away

[@KJK9029]

Jason He’s talking about how this reminded him of a game where there are no rotor physics so they can’t be smashed.

[@LtShifty]

@viktorklieverik1995 The rotors actually start turning after the engines are running, so the start up time you see on the outside is considerably shorter than the time actually taken.

[@farodkhaledmossad]

it´s a med air service. cannot be in the ground, and just like for police and others chop operators they hire only the best, most of them from the military staff. nice done. nice skills, and safe.

[@derniko1992]

Awesome flight skills!

[@TamakoAkai]

Outstanding !!!! Good Job to the Pilot

[@larsen952]

This looks more like a pilot fu.. up and a more experinced pilot pulling it out of the snow. It may be out of the book, but there where probably few other alternativs.

[@grahammaguire404]

Impressive just for a moment I thought that the crew were going to get out and push start it out of the snow!!!!

[@billyclark7079]

Liar

[@simracing77]

Insane Pilot

[@Bolxevique]

Shit... must be crazy. He was just lucky it goes good.

[@helloman1976]

...and a damn good pilot....that wasnt easy folks...

[@Gunnanmon]

You don't lift off from an incline, that's whats so special.

[@S10Electric]

It's a miracle that the tail rotor didn't ingest enough ice to damage it.

[@drakebellone]

@Edelprolo ja schon aber wenn man bedenkt dass das durch den bodeneffekt und das noch bei schnee passiert sein könnte, dann ist der schon en extrem guter pilot.Ich bezweifle dass man die kufen hätte ausgraben können, denn wie man sieht liegt das ganze gewicht auf den hinterkufen und dem Heckrotor und wenn dort ein gegengewicht (hier der schnee) entnomen wird dass dann der heckrotor im schnee landet und keine gegenleistung bringt. Was denkst du dazu???

[@HolyHeinz]

Just skill, no fear

[@StrEagle]

why was it in the snow? tilted backwards? And yeah, if that snow covering the rear of the skids was ice, he could have rolled over backwards..

[@leviterande]

Quote From Avatar:"It boils to one single insane move"

[@steveboston11]

Woooooo! Dangerous but very good flying!

[@ChuddleBuggy]

Haha, notice how the cyclic immediately adjusts the moment the tail boom jerks free.

[@Nobzu]

first i thought it was RC chopper :D

[@yilgarn]

it would have been easier to dig it out. He was very lucky not to have clipped the snow with his blades when turning, considering that he thought it best to fly out and not dig out I doubt whether he even considered about turning level on a slope. Just really lucky he didn't trash a 2 million dollar helicopter

[@Edelprolo]

Naja, ob der so gut ist? Beim "Einparken" hat er eindeutig Probleme, sonst würde er nicht im Schnee stecken. :-) Die Aktion schaut mir auch sehr riskant aus. Die Kufen ausbuddeln wäre doch verantwortungsvoller gewesen, oder? Trotzdem, gute Leistung, dass er das Ding nicht demoliert hat.

[@naser7611]

Wow that was amazing pilot.

[@13Anko]

@MrTraubensaft Yes, but by origine they're france heli's

[@alodelore9597]

Great idea, land the chopper on the same place again. How did he get there in the first place..?

[@Karanar]

jeasus, I dont like how he turns the tail into the slope after getting out of the snow. I get that he has a fenestron, but still dont seem all that safe to me

[@artisteric]

I thought that was RC with little people in it... VERY little people

[@BalticaBeer]

Фенестрон выручает! Если бы это был какой нибудь Bell 206 он бы поломал себе ротор.

[@indridcold8433]

This is the polar opposite of an autorotate maneuver.

[@FlyingBoxHead]

European helicopters rock!

[@jksolutions1]

hmmm but the only thing im wondering about is, that an EC135 normally isn´t able to lift off in ~40sec... :-)

[@derniko1992]

what a maneuver! Really cool.

[@barnestim]

@fifmasta Snow is of varying density....I guess he had done the initial loading test which was fine but the chopper gradually settled into that position after a while.. Nice skills to get it out though :)

[@kg4yvw]

ONLY the skill of a combat pilot!!!

[@fedelf87]

they can not choose condition but a good pilot must know when and where a flight is unsafe... the first task of a pilot is to preserve safety for himself and all the passengers... in those conditions the heli should stay on the ground and let normal ambulance do their job.

[@giovannikoll]

Those a real pilots, the have balls.

[@regressmenot]

Holy shit, I was sure this was an RC all the way to the point the door flew open and a guy got out.

[@pilotemtnils]

1-800-Mad Skills

[@barjan82]

Impressive, but i'm pretty shure nothing was up to temp after this quick startup, engine oil, gearbox oil, etc... :)

[@derniko1992]

@fifmasta the heli just sunk into the snow, I guess it was standing on a soft snow surface.

[@lassa666]

ooo aunque debe haber quedado con Erosion las palas del rotor de cola se puede apresiar lo efectibo que es un Fenestron... EC 135 Good german helicopter.

[@xavierwarren9799]

Unreal, and they land right back

[@mrwest5552]

Does that go along with "never again" ?

[@bburrett]

@VR4pt0r Excuse me, buy what's wrong with flying a 22? All people ever do is bag on the little Robbies, but I can do more in a 44 than i ever could in a 206B3(besides carrying that extra person).... So sorry i don't fly a turbine, since pistons obviously aren't real helicopters....

[@featheredmusic]

that's pretty dangerous, what if he started to slide down?

[@tornadotaz9678]

JUST GOES TO SHOW HOW POWERFUL THE DOWNDRAFT FROM THE ROTORS ARE. THIS IS THE SAME MODEL OF HELICOPTER WE HAVE IN OUR LITTLE AIRFEILD NEAR WELSHPOOL MID WALES. OUR AIR AMBUANCE IS AN EC135. GREAT, FAST AND AGILE.

[@dphorgan]

Yup. They are a VERY popular medical helicopter. Two major hospitals here in Tampa FL have 2/3 each.

[@tornadotaz9678]

+David Horgan Hello David thank you for your reply. Our EC135 in Mid Wales Airport in the UK has dopplar radar on its nose. I have seen it take off a few times but feel sorry for the person who needs it.

[@tijn9016]

Here in the Netherlands we have 5 medical helis. 4 in use and 1 for when one breaks or needs maintenance. we also have another 6 for police and 2 agusta westland aw139 police helis. 13 in total.

[@purge98]

Was that in violation of the EC135 flight manual?

[@derniko1992]

@Jake50754 no tail rotor but a fenestron.

[@Deadeye77]

From what I can find on the net the Helicopter is Christophorus 7. The description is: "Austrian helicopter Christophorus 7 caves after being landed into the snow and helps itself out." You can see later video of the helicopter starting up again to take off for the hospital. Google: Christophorus 7 takes off ski slope

[@livewiremjk]

wouldn't you just dig out the tail and tip the machine upright? Great video. maybe the snow under the tail was unstable.

[@jerseyy]

@RcOfficialChannel and those trees around were a big chernobyl grass

[@smeary10]

How did the chopper find itself in that situation in the fist place? Very impressive machine & pilot.

[@boostedbadboyzx12r31]

Landed on soft snow?

[@Lumbago10101]

@xToXiicxT3RRoRx Me too, I was so supriced to see the door open and a guy walking around.

[@schlusselmensch]

I have to admit I would have had a go at leveling the ship with some digging and a bit of manpower. Looked a little dodgy but I'm getting careful in my advanced near to encroaching on middle age.

[@spshecot]

Looks like FUN !! hehey lets play snowballs !!!!

[@MicroAppleStudios]

@KissMyWatchumacallit The most interesting part about Grammer is the fact that you misspelled "interesting", fail to use capitalization, and ended a statement with a question mark.

[@fsland]

i thought it was an RC Ec135 until the pilot jumped out...:S

[@13Anko]

@pdxflyerZ Eurocopter heli's come from france.....

[@Gizmolv5]

awesome video!

[@TheFlightFreak]

@Jake50754 Its Integrated inside the tail, pretty awesome

[@kjetil297]

have you had a bad landing

[@nipponhouseplayer]

glad the skids didnt stick or tail go with that snatch but good anyways! fly safe shit happens.

[@falcoperegrinus82]

How did it end up like that in the first place?

[@nikalac17]

quel pilote je suis fan!

[@PhilippSchwegler]

Welcher Christopherus ist das? Da erkennt ma leider die Kennung nicht vllt. weiß es ja trozdem jemand

[@ice8292]

hey as long as the bird has skids, you might as well go skiing

[@TBolt1]

@aponorth considering he can spell "fenestron" - or even know what that is, I'd guess he spelled Jeebus' name differently for personal reasons.

[@jevoulaispasdecompte]

So in order to pilot the chopper out of the snow you actually pilot the choppet out of the snow... Who knew?