Caution this thread is very addicting!!

OK I followed this thread years ago from another site and bumped into it again the other evening. Over a Million views and 3200 replys and running for over 4 years this guy is a stud and has pictures that are unbelievable. Beware if you start reading this thread you will be hooked and it may take a couple weeks to go through it all. He takes B206 Jetrangers to 20,000+ feet and has landed at 16,000 ft. AS350B3's to 23000 ft. and has flown up to 20K without O2 he is unbelievable and should I say has some big "Cahone's". "Vertical Freedom" has pics of taking an Astar up to 28,500 ft, this guy is very knowledgeable and a very informational thread, he prefers to watch his Ng more so than other gauges. I have to laugh his AI on his Jetranger doesn't even work... Lots and lots of pics of Mount Everest and other unbelievable Mtn's, I especially like all the villages and even the highest Airport in the World at 12,500 ish. Nepal is a very diverse place on this universe and this thread will keep you wanting more.

This will link you to page 42 of a 160+ page thread so you can just jump around as you please. http://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/483614 ... al-42.html

Vertical Freedom is not a Robbie fan as you can read and he is taking 40 yr. old 206's to heights never imaginable.

So if anyone has would like to have some discussion on anything related to this thread I would like to hear the thoughts and concerns/questions as I have some myself?? I realise this is basically a fixed wing site but I have seen folks wanting more rotor talk.




FYI I did read the ROE on this forum and I hope the Jeffs don't mind me posting a link to another forum like this, as I didn't not see that this was prohibited.
Edited: This thread is in no way designed to distract from this site but the link is about the only way to show folks the amount of pics that are posted in the thread I linked them too. Hopefully that is understandable as we all love B'Talk .

Pretty amazing pics.

About two years my brother and I took a chopper up to the Mt. Everest base camp which was hit by an avalanche the following year. Those drivers are amazing. It's an experience I'll never forget.

Wow Ron I bet that was quite an experience I couldn't even imagine. That looks like a pretty harsh environment.

Very cool!

Glenn

Seriously amazing pictures

It was. The chopper carried much of the fuel in large plastic containers. They appeared larger than 5 gallon. We off loaded them by a small stone structure bordering a heard of what appeared to be Yak. This made the chopper light enough to fly us up to base camp. The chopper left and returned for us later. Walking level and downhill was not bad. Walking up hill at any grade at all was challenging. I can see why so much time is spent in base camps acclimating to the altitude.

When we returned we stopped at the fuel dump and put the fuel in the tank. The distance from the camp to the fuel dump was fairly short, but the altitude change was significant.

I don't have numbers on everything but the base camp was 17,600'. We flew from Kathmandu to Lukla which is about 9300' or between Teluride (9100') and Leadville's Lake County airport (9925'). We off loaded fuel there. Then to the fuel dump and then to the camp.

I'm trying to find pictures.

I couldn't find any pics at base camp. I'm not sure I took my tablet out of the chopper.

Lukla Airport



In the chopper. (Can anyone tell what make and model this is?)



Second landing spot after base camp.

Ron I can only imagine. There is no gaurantee that you will come home if one goes climbing or skiing over their. You have more guts than I do, sure looks like a spectacular place to visit but a tough region to live in. I know the thread has pics of where you were but it is so long it would take some time to find. Hard to imagine landing helos' at those heights you must be pretty trusting in the pilot and aircraft I'd say. Thanks for sharing the experience and look forward to seeing your pics.

This pilot is acclimated and does not use O2 unless going over 20,000 ft is hard for me to imagine. Go to page 68 http://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/483614 ... al-68.html I like reading his responses and that would be quite and airport to land at, no go arounds or going missed at this one! Thanks Ron!

You are in what they refer to as an Astar. It is made by Eurocopter model AS350B3
Eurocopter has now been bought up by AirBus now same thing though. They are beasts!!

Nice pics Ron, looks like you were sitting at 13,200 before going up that is hard to believe.

Thanks Kelly - it's about time we get some helicopter talk on BT.! I thought I was pushing the envelope landing my R44 at 8500' (3 people total) the other day; I obviously am no stud and have a whole lot of learning to do.

It may be slightly off topic but...
I did safari by helicopter in Kenya in an AStar a couple years ago and it was one of the greatest experiences of my life.
Flew with an awesome pilot and aviation enthusiast, Ben Simpson from Tropic Air. They do lots of flying for those amazing BBC nature documentaries. http://www.tropicairkenya.com/helicopter-kenya/
I could not recommend these guys enough, super professional, super fun, check out some videos on their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/tropicairkenya?ref=ts&fref=ts
And checkout this video, amazing
https://www.facebook.com/Michael.Poliza.Photography/videos/10150176799736511/
We had so much fun, how's a spot like this for sundowners?

Helicopters are dangerous. Years ago I went to New Zealand and took a helicopter ride up onto Cook glacier. Well after that I was hooked. I came home and immediately started helicopter lessons. In the next few years I got my private, then commercial and then instrument ratings in helicopters. I spent untold sums of money. I would probably be retired now if it were not for the fortune I spent flying helicopters. There... I told you they are dangerous. But it sure was fun.

We're the ratings after private for a job?

You are in what they refer to as an Astar. It is made by Eurocopter model AS350B3
Eurocopter has now been bought up by AirBus now same thing though. They are beasts!!

Nice pics Ron, looks like you were sitting at 13,200 before going up that is hard to believe.

Mark Im with you were never done learning in a helo, congrats on the R44 I've have very limited time in one and really liked how they flew, sounds like they have alot of tail rotor too. Maybe the Jeffs will add a forum for Helos'??

Jim, you are right Helos are very addictive and sure can drain the QE like no other...

Patrick, thanks for sharing the link and that awesome photo. Looks like you had a great time! You should take some helo lessons?

Rick looks like a green EC135, they make a good EMS helo. Not a great high alt machine but your right they are a beast and fairly fast too.

I've landed at 10,000PA and have been up to 13,000PA in flight with an OH58A+. Landed at 12,000DA with 2pax+me, 50lbs tools, 350 # juice. Heres one at close to 10K: