How to Land a Helicopter on a Building

Helicopters are one of few aircrafts capable of landing nearly anywhere. The ability to land on a building is both convenient and necessary during emergencies. Pilots must concentrate not only on flying the helicopter, but being aware of the proximity of the landing zone and other buildings in the area.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

1. Descend to 900 feet above the top of the building about two miles away from your landing zone. Know the altitude of the building, and plan your flight in advance if possible. It is extremely important to position your helicopter to fly directly into the wind. Always know the direction of the prevailing winds, and be prepared to turn 180 degrees in order to land with a head wind.
2. Lower the collective lever slightly to prepare for a descent. Pull back on the cyclic stick to decrease forward speed. Adjust both the collective lever and cyclic stick simultaneously for a constant decent and decrease in ground speed. Stop your helicopter with zero descent and zero forward speed approximately 3 feet above the exact landing zone on top of the building.
3. Decrease your ground speed from cruising speed to 80 knots. Lower the helicopter in a gradual descent of 500 feet per minute one mile from the building and your landing zone. Lower the collective lever, pull back on the cyclic stick and input the foot pedal that keeps the helicopter flying in a straight line. Decrease cyclic input slowly to continually lower your ground speed. Increase your collective angle or pitch to avoid descending too fast as you lower your ground speed.
4. Maintain a constant glide angle by decreasing your ground speed and increasing the power from the engine. Constantly give foot pedal inputs to keep the tail rotor from swinging in the opposite direction of the inputs.
5. Slow your ground speed to 20 knots when you are 100 yards away from the building and 10 knots when you are 50 yards away from the building. Constantly decrease your forward ground speed as you continue to descend.
6. Maneuver the helicopter into a hover when you are 3 feet directly above the building and your landing zone. Lower the collective with small movements to settle onto the building, and maintain control by applying cyclic or foot pedal inputs to keep the helicopter evenly above your landing zone and parallel to the building without moving forward.
7. Be prepared to immediately go around and try again if you think you are going to miss your landing zone. Consider a pre-chosen alternative landing zone if you fail to land after two failed attempts.