Twin Engine Vs. Single Engine Helicopters: Which Should You Choose?
This week, we received a flight request from a customer who wished to book a private helicopter tour over Paris, so that he could propose to his girlfriend. However, instead of discussing the ultimate romantic gesture of the trip, our Flight Team, naturally, went into a discussion about twin versus single engine helicopters.
A recent European directive, put into force on the 28th of October this year, aims to improve safety of public passenger helicopter trips by requiring only twin engine helicopters to fly over heavily built up areas. This affects many cities, in particular Paris, meaning our customer had to charter a twin engine helicopter for his Paris proposal.
It is generally believed that if there was engine trouble with one engine in a twin engine helicopter, the second engine is there to ensure the flight continues to go smoothly. If the same happened in a single engine helicopter, the pilot would have to perform an “autorotation”, trying to keep the blades moving by replacing the height of the aircraft with the speed of the blades, helping the pilot make a smooth landing. This is why single engine helicopters are only allowed to fly through what are called “heli-lanes” in populated areas, which are paths along the helicopter flight that allow enough room for a single engine helicopter to land safely in an emergency. Examples of “heli-lanes” include along the Seine in Paris and along the Thames in London.
However, there is a debate over whether this directive is necessary for improving helicopter safety over populated areas, like cities. Many helicopter pilots have the opinion that having two engines instead of one in a helicopter doesn’t necessarily mean it’s safer. Ken Faria, a pilot at EBG Helicopters, explains: “While the idea that a second engine can support a twin engine helicopter, should one of them fail, it’s simply not always the case. Certain helicopter models would be too heavy to be powered by only one engine, forcing the pilot to have to land the helicopter immediately as it would if it was a single engine.”
At PrivateFly, safety on every charter trip, whether on a private jet or helicopter, is our number one concern. We believe that single engine helicopters are safe to fly with, in most conditions. However, we do recommend using a twin engine helicopter if flying at night, or if you’re performing certain landings, such as landing in a wooded area with lots of trees.
Helicopter flights with Flexjet
As part of the leading global aviation group that includes Flexjet, PrivateFly can offer you access to helicopter programmes for frequent fliers or on-demand helicopter charter - including seamless airport transfers, or to skip the traffic at major sports and lifestyle events.
Flexjet operates a fleet of helicopters based in the UK, including the Sikorsky S-76 and the AgustaWestland AW109 and AW169.
With over 14 years in helicopter operations, our expert team and highly-experienced helicopter pilots work to the highest standards of safety and service. Contact us on +44 (0)20 7100 6960 to discuss your requirements and to arrange an introduction to our helicopter specialists.
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