Helicopter lands on Everest.

[FourWheelDrift]

This deserves a thread of it's own so it isn't lost in another.

[quote=John_S4x4]
Just came across some news that a French pilot did land a helicopter on Everest !!

www.mounteverest.net/story/FrenchEverestMysteryChoppersUtopiasummit-VIDEOMay272005.shtml
Click on the above to see the video :) Top marks to the pilot and team for 'landing' the copter on top. Mountains and wind gusts are tricky for helicopter pilots, especialy considering they were 26,000 ft up.
Apparently, they tried the helicopter at 10,000meters up (33,500ft) beforehand.[/quote]

Awesome achievement for such a small Chopper (Eurocopter - Squirrel) especially with the gusts on the top of Everest.

Marvellous :D

[wacky racer]

Good job he didn't run out of petrol on the top though.......

Can you imagine it....



"Hello, is that the AA, I've run out of petrol"

"No problem sir!! Where are you exactly?"

"Well actually the top of Mount Everest"......

[tuffer]

That was Ben Nevis, its a fix.

[MilnerR]

tuffer said:

That was Ben Nevis, its a fix.

Think you might be right. Unless the air is very dense at the top of everest, because the service ceiling of the helicopter used is 16000 feet....

www.helicopters.net.nz/Helicopters/Eurocopter%20AS350B%20Squirrel%20%20%20ZK-HUG

[FourWheelDrift]

MilnerR said:

Think you might be right. Unless the air is very dense at the top of everest, because the service ceiling of the helicopter used is 16000 feet.... www.helicopters.net.nz/Helicopters/Eurocopter%20AS350B%20Squirrel%20%20%20ZK-HUG

This was very real and a new world record.

www.eurocopter.com/publications/FO/scripts/newsFO_accueil.php?arbo=1&noeu_id=42〈=EN#

"On May 14th, 2005 at 7h08 (local time), a serial Ecureuil/AStar AS 350 B3 piloted by the EUROCOPTER X-test pilot Didier Delsalle, landed at 8,850 meters (29,035ft) on the top of the Mount Everest (Kingdom of Nepal)."

>> Edited by FourWheelDrift on Friday 17th June 22:14

[simpo two]

'Eurocopter is a wholly owned subsidiary of EADS. The worldwide leader in aerospace, defense, and the associated services, EADS generated a turnover of 31.8 billion euros in 2004, and employed approximately 110,000 people throughout the world. The EADS Group includes the aircraft maker Airbus, the world’s leading helicopter manufacturer Eurocopter, and the world’s second largest missile company, the joint venture MDBA. EADS is also the biggest partner in the Eurofighter consortium and the lead contractor for the Ariane launcher. The Group is also developing the A400M military transport aircraft, and is the major industrial partner for Galileo, the European satellite-based navigation system.

Biggest company I've never heard of. Clearly French and paid for by EU subsidies...

[telecat]

Unless I'm mistaken BAE own a stake in both EADS and Airbus. Which given EADS is a stakeholder in Airbus probably makes BAE the Biggest aviation company in Europe.