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Wheels or Skids

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  • Wheels or Skids

    Helicopters.

    Why do some have wheels and some have skids?
    Why do they need wheels?

    Regards etc

  • #2
    Wheels-Ground Taxi i assume..
    Skids-You got me..:-patriot:

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    • #3
      What about the ones with skids that also have wheels to move them about...or when the Dauphin fits skis to its wheels....


      Catch-22 says they have a right to do anything we can't stop them from doing.

      Comment


      • #4
        Wheels give better ground manouverability. On big aircraft, large skids would be impractical.

        Skids are better on rough terrain, as they give the heli better balance on the ground.

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        • #5
          It's mostly at the behest of the designer, however, most naval types, like almost all of them have wheels, to simplify handling abord ship.
          I'd argue with you on the balance issue on rough ground , YJ, I reckon wheels are better, skids would pick up every bump along their length, but skids have less bits to go wrong.
          But the best thing about wheels, is that on the sportier, boy-racer models, they can be folded up when not in use.:D
          "We will hold out until our last bullet is spent. Could do with some whiskey"
          Radio transmission, siege of Jadotville DR Congo. September 1961.
          Illegitimi non carborundum

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          • #6
            But skids look cooler....

            And you can stand on them....etc
            No-one, I think, is in my tree...

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            • #7
              It's a lot easier to land a heli equipped with skids - more positive ground contact. With wheels, you get more oscillation or ground resonance which can be a real pain when on a slope. Skids appear on aircraft to save weight and simplify the design. They are also a good compromise between aerodynamic effeciency and weight saving. Retractable wheels are obviously more complex, more expensive and more easily damaged, however, skid equipped helis find it more difficult to conduct running take offs which can be useful if you are operating at high gross weights. I can't imagine what landing a Gazelle on a pitching, rolling deck must be like - any ex Brit Army Air Corps experiences? Bit of an arrival I'd say...

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              • #8
                Without skids our action heroes wouldnt have anything to hang on to after jumping from a building seconds before it explodes! Wheels arent much good there!
                Keep the speed up...!

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                • #9
                  What about that episode of Fr Ted....


                  Catch-22 says they have a right to do anything we can't stop them from doing.

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                  • #10
                    that was a plane wasnt it

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                    • #11
                      shhhhh!!!!!!


                      Catch-22 says they have a right to do anything we can't stop them from doing.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Ah, the old running take-off theory:
                        Many years ago when most of us were the age we act, the RN were trying to get built a new class of anti-submarine cruiser, which was to be designed to operate a proposed new type of helicopter which would use a rolling take off to increase it's initial payload, this led to the thru' deck cruiser, which led, after a number of steps to the Invincible class of Harrier carrier. The truth was, well, within the limits of this board anyway, was that there never was a helicopter designed for a rolling take off, but there was the Harrier and the ski-jump, and a small force of Brits bet the crap outta the Argentinens, something they just cannot seem to manage on a football field!:D

                        I am not asking you to belive me, but I heard this story many years ago, it is just daft enough to be true:D :D :D
                        "We will hold out until our last bullet is spent. Could do with some whiskey"
                        Radio transmission, siege of Jadotville DR Congo. September 1961.
                        Illegitimi non carborundum

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                        • #13
                          Most "rolling" take offs are done at the hover anyway.


                          Catch-22 says they have a right to do anything we can't stop them from doing.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            The Italians use the Agusta 212 at sea and that has skids......a lot of south americans use the Bell 212 at sea and also the MBB 109. The MD apache has wheels as does the majority of russian helos...so the arguements were....refresh my mind?:D :D :D :D
                            Covid 19 is not over ....it's still very real..Hand Hygiene, Social Distancing and Masks.. keep safe

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                            • #15
                              well you can taxi with wheeles... but you cant do the whole "look at me im soo cool that i stand on the skid " thing without skids!
                              Over the centuries, mankind has tried many ways of combating the forces of evil...prayer, fasting, good works and so on. Up until Doom, no one seemed to have thought about the double-barrel shotgun. Eat leaden death, demon...

                              http://www.iamawesome.com/

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