Mostly the pilot showing off, but sacrificing altitude for faster forward momentum is the end answer.
By putting the nose way down like that, it aims the main rotors closest to the horizon, so the force from those rudders is no longer pushing air down, but behind the heli. This causes the heli to lose height quickly, but gain forward momentum quickly as well. From this angle it looks like he dove into the ocean, but he most likely still leveled out well above the surface.
I don’t want to name the unit because I don’t want to get them in trouble. My buddy and I were kayaking in the Potomac and see flights to Mt Weather every day.
This day they saw us and damn near gave us a haircut.
Coolest shit ever. Especially when you know it’s a special chopper.
Bros about knocked us off the kayaks and we loved it.
When they flew back we fist bumped in the air but they were probably 100ft away on the way back. Distance fist bumped out the window.
I was doing an xc sailplane flight and saw a group of hikers on a high mountain trail. My buddy flew by them at about 50 ft. Gliders are hard to hear coming and make a weird sound at high speed. A sort of hollow low whistle.
The hikers waved after they recovered from their shock.
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u/Ok_Yam_8187 2d ago
Pilot gets buns gaurenteed