http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/ Engadget Comments for NASA risks then saves lives of dummies in helicopters with external airbags http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/Dec 10th 2009 9:31AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/Dec 10th 2009 9:40AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/]]>Dec 10th 2009 9:46AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/Dec 10th 2009 9:47AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/Dec 10th 2009 9:56AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/I think they are also working on trying to convince people the Global Warming is not a hoax.]]>Dec 10th 2009 8:45PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/
48 feet per second sounds rather close to terminal velocity. I'm terrible with math so somebody may want to correct me. ]]>Dec 10th 2009 9:57AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/48 Feet per second X 3600 second per hour = 172,800 feet per hour
172,800 feet per hour / 5280 feet per mile = 32.72727 Mile per hour

rather pedestrian
]]>Dec 10th 2009 10:27AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/Dec 10th 2009 10:31AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/32.72727 mph = 52.6694356 km/h]]>Dec 10th 2009 10:50AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/
180 ft./sec is the approximate terminal velocity of a falling human. Not sure what a falling helo's TV would be.]]>Dec 10th 2009 11:59AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/Dec 10th 2009 9:57AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/Why can't I mod your post up?? Cause it needs it!]]>Dec 10th 2009 10:54AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/
Also, I'd be interested to know what average speed a helicopter which crashes from, say, power failure, hits the ground at, because I was under the impression that the rotors slow down the aircraft on its way to the ground. ]]>Dec 10th 2009 10:00AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/Indeed the rotors slow down and from what I understand you can land safely.. The only time I see any use for this if the engine stopped and froze the rotors, and if that would happen I dont think some airbags would slow that thing enough to save any lifes.]]>Dec 10th 2009 10:27AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/
Disclaimer: I have only done this with RC Helicopters...]]>Dec 10th 2009 10:27AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/Dec 12th 2009 6:56PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/Dec 10th 2009 10:18AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/Dec 10th 2009 10:27AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/
http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12/airplane/termv.html]]>Dec 10th 2009 10:36AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autorotation
Helicopter will only fall at close to terminal velocity when the pilot cannot control the angle of the blades anymore. If the motor shuts down -> they can land relatively safely using autorotation from any height. Knowing how to do autorotation is included in getting your pilot's license. Every helicopter pilot has to be able to do it.]]>Dec 10th 2009 10:25AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/The longest autorotation in history was performed by Jean Boulet in 1972 when he reached a record altitude of 12,440m (40,814 ft) in an Aérospatiale Lama. Because of a −63°C temperature at that altitude, the engine flamed out and could not be restarted as soon as he reduced power. By using autorotation he was able to land the aircraft safely to the ground.[citation needed]]]>Dec 10th 2009 10:27AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/]]>Dec 10th 2009 10:37AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/
plus, this relys in the pilot being still alive.]]>Dec 10th 2009 10:44AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/Dec 10th 2009 10:50AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/
Yeah right! The dummy sitting in the rear left seat lost his head! I'd say that's pretty damaged...]]>Dec 10th 2009 11:14AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/Dec 10th 2009 11:38AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/Dec 12th 2009 7:01PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/Dec 10th 2009 2:02PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/Dec 10th 2009 2:45PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/nasa-risks-then-saves-lives-of-dummies-in-helicopters-with-exter/Dec 10th 2009 6:35PM