Helicopter take off vertically, what is the maximum height ever acheived?

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Member for

14 years 6 months

Posts: 2,536

While watching the Chinook display this year and amazed at the take of and vertical climb out manoeuvre
it performs I was wondering if there is a record for helicopter take off and go straight up maximum height achieved ?

Original post

Member for

9 years 8 months

Posts: 584

I know a French helicopter pilot reached over 40,000ft. The engine flamed-out which ended the attempt.
If he did that direct from take-off I don't know.

Member for

14 years 8 months

Posts: 555

I can't find details online but I believe the vertical record was set in Iran in the mid-1970s with a 214 whilst Bell staff were training IIAA pilots. When empty the 214s could climb vertically at thousands of feet per minute.

Edit: www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1975/1975%20-%200951.html

The Lama that holds the absolute altitude record did lift vertically but transitioned to an inclined climb. The flame-out was due to lack of fuel, they had only loaded sufficient to achieve the desired altitude and there was no intention ( or possibility ) of relighting the engine at that height.

Member for

14 years 6 months

Posts: 2,536

I can't find details online but I believe the vertical record was set in Iran in the mid-1970s with a 214 whilst Bell staff were training IIAA pilots. When empty the 214s could climb vertically at thousands of feet per minute.

Edit: www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1975/1975%20-%200951.html

The Lama that holds the absolute altitude record did lift vertically but transitioned to an inclined climb. The flame-out was due to lack of fuel, they had only loaded sufficient to achieve the desired altitude and there was no intention ( or possibility ) of relighting the engine at that height.

Very interesting. Did they do an auto-rotative landing? Sounds a tad dicey.

Member for

9 years 8 months

Posts: 584

It did auto-rotate. It is also the holder of the record of longest auto-rotation..