When can helicopters not fly?

Any time the temperature and dew point are within 4 degrees of each other, extra caution is utilized. Snow is another threat to helicopter air ambulance flights. While light snow generally is not an issue on most aircraft, heavy snow causes no-fly conditions.



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With this in mind, horizontal winds (also known as “crosswinds”) in excess of 30-35 kts (about 34-40 mph) are generally prohibitive of take-off and landing. As far as how this happens, it depends on where you are in flight.

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Generally speaking, it is understood that helicopters are harder to operate as compared to standard light aircraft. While a pilot may be able to undertake long flights in a standard aeroplane and not be all too tired at the end of it, just a few hours of flying a helicopter may be exhausting for some.

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AW101 All-Weather capabilities highlighted in 4,800 nm transit across the North Atlantic. The AW101 helicopter successfully completed an epic journey across the North Atlantic to return to the UK across mountains, high seas, storm clouds, ice, and snow.

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Can helicopters fly in the rain? Yes! Helicopters can fly in the rain and tours are generally not cancelled simply because it is raining. However, fog and limited visibility may cause weather related delays or cancellations.

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Most helicopters are designed to fly around 2,5 hours with a full tank of fuel excluding reserves. In general, helicopters can fly between 500 km and 750 km on one tank of fuel.

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Rain is just water, no matter the pressure. Modern aircraft can generate lift regardless of the heaviness of the rain. Planes can and will take off and land in the rain. The only real problem with heavy rainfall is the decrease in visibility for the pilots.

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