Are Helicopters more Dangerous than Airplanes?

Posted in Helicopter Accidents on March 15, 2016

The ability for humans to soar through the air as a means of travel has only been around 115 years and while we have figured out most of the kinks, the prospect of flight can be dangerous. While both airplanes and helicopters present their own set of issues it seems that you hear about more helicopter crashes than airplane crashes.

So are helicopters more dangerous than airplanes?

In short, yes, but primarily because helicopters are used in risky operations like military and emergency services. See, airplanes operate in a controlled environment of runways, established flight paths and air traffic controllers. Alternatively, helicopters are used to reach areas that can’t be accessed by planes. Helicopters can land virtually anywhere, which makes them an asset in military operations, search & rescue, medical evacuations and other dangerous circumstances. Because of this, conditions can be unpredictable.

Additionally, helicopters are more vulnerable to adverse weather conditions. Military helicopters are easier to shoot down than planes as they fly at a lower altitude, which makes them an easy target. A helicopters maximum altitude, without requiring pressurization of the cabin is about 12,000 feet, which makes them more likely to encounter mountains and buildings in heavy fog.

Finally, helicopters tend to take off and land more often than planes do, which is the most dangerous part of any flight travel .

Outside of environmental and occupational hazards that are presented when operating a helicopters there are also technological issues that can arise in a helicopter.

Helicopters require a lot more moving parts than airplanes which means more things that can potentially malfunction. In short, a helicopter has a main rotor, tail rotor, gearbox and drive shaft; all of which must be in working order to safely operate a helicopter.

Helicopters are also more difficult to operate than an airplane. Piloting a helicopter requires command of the cyclic control, a joystick used to move the copter back and forward, the collective control, and the throttle. And you thought learning how to drive stick was difficult.

In the end helicopters are more dangerous than airplanes when operated in drastic situations and by beginners. However, this shouldn’t dissuade you from helicopters all together, you are more likely to be injured in a car crash than in a helicopter.