Zurich In Focus - The Agusta A109 helicopter

[EHM-1465 Dominic]

Hi everyone!

I'd like to focus in this edition on another one of our less well known aircraft - the Agusta A109 helicopter...



Firstly, you're right, it's not a plane, well spotted And that lack of familiarity may well be what puts pilots off using her... But I'd like to change that because with a little knowledge and some practice, you too could become a skilled EHM chopper pilot



So, after some special negotiations with the pilots of 'Rega' (the Swiss search & rescue service) I am pleased to announce that any EuroHarmony pilot wishing to improve their helicopter handling skills will be very welcome at Untervaz heliport, one of the 'Rega' search & rescue bases...



This very busy helicopter base, deep in the Swiss Alps, is on call throughout the year in case of accidents and emergencies in the mountains - see here for more details. The pilots have kindly offered their facilities in exchange for our help in case of any major emergency in the future...

Of course, their helicopter of choice is the Agusta A109 It's versatility is essential in this challenging terrain and weather... In fact, as you'll see on the EHM Fleet pages: " The A109 was originally developed as an ambulance and rescue helicopter to operate in the mountainous regions of Switzerland."



So if you fancy a real challenge, why not pop up to Untervaz base (available here) where highly skilled Rega pilots will give you feedback on your technique...



To help you prepare for your visit, have a read of this Avsim article which contains some great hints for improving your chopper technique... And remember, practice makes perfect! You do need time and patience to master these aircraft but the views alone really are worth the effort



The helicopter itself is a beautiful model with a wonderful VC:



...which is so detailed it's a joy to fly from...



...and it looks great from the outside too with lots of animations...



So, why not join the world of these elite 'rotorheads' in the mountains?



Test yourself up here first, then try out some of the great Class 1 EHM heli routes here in Switzerland between scenic locations such as Sion, Bern, St Gallen, Geneva & Lugano- our choppers are always in demand to fly business people, rich tourists and thrill seekers just over the tops of the Alps!

There's always something new at Zurich !

[EHM-0948 Bruno]

Great report Dominic!

I just hope you guys (yeah you pilot!) start doing your helcopter crash movies around those beautiful mountains!

[EHM-1703 Philip]

Great article Dom.

I have played with the choppers myself but not seriously, maybe now is the time for me to get to grips with them.

Many thanks,

[EHM-0502 Desmond]

I have done some flight in the heli before - it really is nice. I haven't tried flying in mountainous terrain before though - will have to practice.

[EHM-1570 Bruce]

I agree it is a nice aircraft to fly, the problem is that ProPilot is not ready for Vertical liftoff and descent, you will get a high angle of attack penalty, I have done some flights in ProPilot with no penalties. To avoid these penalties you have to have some forward momentum, so a rolling takeoff and landing is required, only a few knots is sufficient. You would have to have some momentum also when you exit a hover. Hope this will encourage some more pilots to try the helicopters.

[EHM-2089 Vincent]

HI Dominic,

The one thing I always feared flying was a helicopter. When I saw the Agusta I thought I should try it, even though I would eventually land only by crashing. There were a lot of keys required to get the chopper off the ground. Fumbling with the arrows keys, throttle and directional control, the chopper slammed down hard, damaging the front wheel. Attempt 1 landed with flames.

I didn't give up, this time I was lighter on the controls. The lack of a joystick hurt me actually. Attempt 2 was a little more fruitful only to go into a spin when trying to turn, a hard bank and the earth was my friend again.

Attempt 3 took me high above the skies, and when I started moving it around, I was amazed with the level of control. It flew like a plane and not like a chopper I had tried to fly all the time before. I was really amazed. I looked below to see for a piece of land where I thought I should be landing the chopper and lo, I managed to land close to my designated area. That cheered me more, I thought I should do it again, and did a small flight from LSZH to LZSH itself with a small tour of the near by mountains.

I must admit the Agusta is a fantastic helicopter and yes I did try a hover just above the mountains.  The whole flight took around 1 hour, I never realized how the hour passed. Thanks to Agusta!!!!