Landing helicopters on water in Florida with HMC Helicopters

[@Verticalmagmedia]

Trivia Time! What PSI does HMC generally keep their fixed floats inflated to? 1:56

[@user-yi4is4ej1p]

30 psi?

[@Verticalmagmedia]

@@user-yi4is4ej1p That is not the answer we are looking for! 🙂

[@GavinBalfour]

I had the opportunity to fly the CH135 Twin Huey on floats during the early 90s while with 427 Sqn in Petawawa. It was quite interesting to do a start in the middle of a lake; the helicopter would do 1 1/2 to 2 rotations before the tail rotor became effective. The drag was considerable, and we occasionally had to go even slower with a 10 foot aluminum boat stuffed in across the cabin. The floats gave us access to a lot of places that we couldn't have landed at without them, but at a cost in both payload and speed. Once we transitioned to the CH146 Griffon, both the floats and all of our water buckets disappeared to who knows where.

[@A1JSkyraider]

i flew N22EA for 40 years, more than any other pilot. From offshore to very high in the mountains in Alaska, Canada and the U.S. I have many wonderful memories in "My Baby".

[@Verticalmagmedia]

That’s awesome! Did you have a particular place you liked to fly N22EA the most? It looks right at home in the Everglades now!

[@pilotmiami1]

Bravo Perfect

[@Verticalmagmedia]

Make sure to check out the June/July issue of Vertical to see the article and lots of photos of these birds! issues.verticalmag.com/554/766/1745/V23I3/index.html?r=45

[@HEMSJim]

Great video! The JetRanger looks good with those fixed floats and I'd love to fly the 407 down there!

[@Verticalmagmedia]

Some nice quiet airspace over the Everglades! Where are you flying your 407?

[@HEMSJim]

@@Verticalmagmedia I’m flying in and around Anderson, SC. Very nice scenery up here.

[@Verticalmagmedia]

@@HEMSJim Nice part of the country there!

[@Verticalmagmedia]

The June/July issue is out now. You can see the article and photos in Vertical starting on page 42 at issues.verticalmag.com/554/766/1745/V23I3/index.html?r=45

[@HEMSJim]

@@Verticalmagmedia Thank you!!

[@7029100]

The drag of the floats is not only due to their weight but the additional drag they produce to the downwash, specially in hover the pilot experiences their worst adverse effect. Good to have them in such environment though!

[@Verticalmagmedia]

Good point about the downwash! It seems like you know a bit about floats, have you flown with them before?

[@7029100]

@@Verticalmagmedia no I just know a bit about helicopters 😉

[@Verticalmagmedia]

You must be a pilot or a maintainer then with that kind of knowledge!

[@Verticalmagmedia]

If you’re interested in the article + lots of photos, the June/July issue is out now. HMC is on page 42: issues.verticalmag.com/554/766/1745/V23I3/index.html?r=45

[@Verticalmagmedia]

Question for the pilots here! Do any of you have experience with fixed floats?

[@InfoTivoliFilms]

We're not pilots - but we had a great time filming these machines in the Everglades for this project!

[@Captndarty]

@@InfoTivoliFilmsthen why are you commenting?

[@InfoTivoliFilms]

Good question! I guess we just like to participate. :)

[@PreferredCanadianFundraising]

It's interesting how they do the prescribed burns. I didn't realize how much work it takes to care for the Everglades>

[@Verticalmagmedia]

Lots of work only accessible by the mighty helicopter!

[@PreferredCanadianFundraising]

@@Verticalmagmedia Amen!

[@gchyz]

Great video... 😎👍

[@Verticalmagmedia]

Glad you enjoyed it! What do you think of the 206 wearing those big shoes?

[@EtiRats]

Fixed floats on a JetRanger look great…. During start up if not tied to the jetty the aircraft will want to spin around on the water until the tail rotor gains effectiveness 😊

[@Verticalmagmedia]

Interesting point! Have you had the experience of spinning in the water or have you seen someone do it?

[@EtiRats]

@@Verticalmagmedia not personally but I knew a chap who flew a Bell 47 on floats up in Canada years ago - on start up alongside a dock he asked a couple of guys to hang on to the side of the aircraft to stop it spinning away from the dock….. ended up pulling both guys off the dock into the water ! 😊

[@Verticalmagmedia]

@@EtiRats Yikes! Hopefully those guys were OK! Are you a pilot yourself?

[@EtiRats]

Yes I am. Fixed wing and helicopter…

[@Verticalmagmedia]

@@EtiRats Good stuff! What aircraft are you flying?

[@Bingwadc]

Nice

[@Verticalmagmedia]

What do you think of these machines landing on water? Have you ever had the chance to do so?

[@RCCopterLove]

Thank you for giving me the link to this video! I love it. Beautiful footgage of these Bell helis flying! They are looking amazing with thes huge fixed floats. I did not know that they are causing so much drag. To fly over the Everglades must be a real dream job. You hear and see it in the way the pilot Carlos is talking about what he is doing. Thanks a lot. Again a great video!!

[@Verticalmagmedia]

We’re glad you enjoyed it. Yes- HMC has a great set up with their Bell’s and have an amazing place to fly them! The June/July issue of Vertical is coming out soon and it has a feature article about HMC. It is also packed with a lot of awesome photos of these birds. We’ll post the link in a ‘reply’ to you once it is released. Thanks for watching these videos and taking the time to talk with us, it’s greatly appreciated!

[@Verticalmagmedia]

The June/July issue is out now. You can see the article and photos in Vertical starting on page 42 at issues.verticalmag.com/554/766/1745/V23I3/index.html?r=45

[@e.terryjaramillo7496]

I was privileged to own N22EA since January, 2022 and had it on lease with Calalaska Helicopters at the Santa Maria Airport (KSMX). It is a "fire carded" Part 135, operator on Call When Needed contracts with multiple fire agencies. Unfortunately, Bell 206 helicopters are Type 3s, and CAL FIRE, and others want heavier lift for fire fighting. With the great cooperation of Calalaska Helicopters, I moved Echo Alfa to HMC Helicopters at Miami Executive Airport (f/k/a Tamiami Airport). I did a deal with HMC/Gary Freeman on N22EA, which was a win-win transaction. I would not have been in that position as an owner without the great professional support of Barry Dallwig, as mentioned below flying N22EA for 40 years and taking such great care as an A&P and Pilot of "My Baby" and Mike Holtsclaw, Chief pilot, who ferried Echo Alfa to Florida. The are great and honorable people, whom I am privileged to call personal friends and associates.

[@Verticalmagmedia]

Thanks for sharing! It’s always great to hear some of the history of the aircraft in our stories, especially older ones like N22EA, and the pilots who took care of them. What do you think of Echo Alfa knee deep in the water in the Everglades? Kind of looks right at home!

[@e.terryjaramillo7496]

@@Verticalmagmedia It shows the tremendous versatility a Bell 206 has in the helicopter space. Just proud to have owned 'Baby' and actually flown her twice with the skilled pilots of Calalaska Helicopters and HMC Helicopters.

[@EdWhisenantAviation]

Outstanding footage and love seeing the Bell 206 & 407's 👍😎

[@Verticalmagmedia]

Thanks Ed, much appreciated! What do you think of these 206’s floating on the water?

[@EdWhisenantAviation]

@@Verticalmagmedia I really enjoyed watching something that I have never seen in person before and probably never will, it's fun watching videos of the little Hughes 500's on floats back in the days also. Keep up the great work 👍😎

[@Verticalmagmedia]

That’s great to hear! FYI - the June/July issue of Vertical is coming out soon. There is a feature article about HMC Helicopters and is packed full with great photos from our time spent with them in the Everglades. We’ll post the link to the issue here for you once it has been released. Thanks for taking the time to watch this video and commenting, it’s appreciated!

[@TivolifilmsCa]

@@EdWhisenantAviation We were the production company on this one, and it was the first time we've encountered floats like this. It was such a wild experience seeing them operate on water up close!

[@EdWhisenantAviation]

@@TivolifilmsCa Ya, I can tell it was really exciting and I'm sure a lot of footage that was not shown 👍😎