Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)First off, the idea of dissecting accidents to learn what/what not to do is a great idea and something that rotorcraft pilots definitely miss out on--Whyte should be praised for taking the initiative to do this. On the downside, too much of the book is just raw accident reports (or Whyte's summary of them) that offer either the most basic details or minutiae that makes sense only to the manufacturer's engineers. At some points it's frustrating to read through these not knowing where they're going, or trying to understand technical details only to end a chapter without getting any insight from them. Whyte could have vastly improved this book by taking the time to cut through the crap in these reports and focus on the details relevant to the point he's looking at, although the page count would have been much smaller...
On the flip side, the value in this book comes from:
1/ It is specific to helicopter flight and operations
2/ Whyte's sorting thru all the accident reports that illustrate all the bad stuff you read about in your training. In addition, some (but not all) of the illustrations and explanations go far beyond what you'll find in other books (eg, the FAA's book), making it a good complement for what you'll need during your training. For example, Whyte's book has the best explanation of VRS/SWP that I've seen.
I would have liked to see more focus on R22-specific issues (the SFAR 73 accidents) and a chapter on personnel safety at landing sites would have been a nice addition. Operation-specific hazards (eg, long-lining, operations over water or dense forest), discussion of the relative risks in different ships, and an analysis of how a situation could have been averted or recovered would have made this book a grand slam. Don't get me wrong, all student pilots should read this book at some point in their training, but I hope Whyte will significantly improve the content in later editions.
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Fatal Traps for Helicopter PilotsAcquire the Life-Saving Skills Needed to Eliminate or Reduce Most Helicopter Accidents
A vital resource for pilots, helicopter enthusiasts, and aircraft maintenance technicians, Fatal Traps for Helicopter Pilots analyzes all aspects of helicopter accidents, including flight basics, engineering, meteorology, flight training, and human factors. This life-saving guide shows how proper preparation can help prevent accidents by addressing causes such asaerodynamic problems, mechanical failures, poor loading, mid-air collisions, and more.
Filled with case studies and first-hand accounts of accidents, the book organizes accident types by primary causes, presenting proven methods for eliminating or reducing the possibility of each type. Greg Whyte, anex commercial helicopter pilot and professional aviation writer, draws on his own flying experiences and those of other flight veterans to provide a wealth of practical information and safety tips that are essential for everyone who flies, maintains or crews in helicopters. Filled with over 100 helpful illustrations, Fatal Traps for Helicopter Pilots enables readers to:
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