• Madison420@lemmy.world
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    4 months ago

    When helicopters lose power they just fall. If the rotor head isn’t decapitated then when you get ejected sideways there’s s no zero chance you’ll be julienned on the way down.

    It’s why the most (only version currently in operation) common method of helicopter ejection severs the head or blades while it’s still rotating so it/they spin off and hopefully away and then the seat rockets away.

      • Madison420@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        Autorotation relies on one main thing, air being forced past a freewheeling rotor… Air that is being forced past because you’re falling.

        https://youtu.be/NLjFQJiJsZc?feature=shared

        Notice the immediate loss of attitude? It’s because they’re falling, unlike planes which can generally glide after an engine failure.

        https://youtu.be/CEMlny_ExuU?

        Specifically we’re speaking about helicopter ejection which in most cases means total loss of power or control or both. The only known helicopter eje tion seat(to me at least) to operate currently in modern combat is the ka 50/52.

        https://youtu.be/W6y_id3xOX0?

        One like this one which happens to eject and notably falls like a stone.

          • Madison420@lemmy.world
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            4 months ago

            Tell me you didn’t read the root comment without saying you didn’t read the root comment.

            When helicopters lose power they just fall. If the rotor head isn’t decapitated then when you get ejected sideways there’s s no zero chance you’ll be julienned on the way down.

            It’s why the most (only version currently in operation) common method of helicopter ejection severs the head or blades while it’s still rotating so it/they spin off and hopefully away and then the seat rockets away.

            Losing altitude can be described as falling because the fucking thing is unpowered.

            Agreed, though irrelevant.