Book excerpt: Acquire the Life-Saving Skills Needed to Eliminate or Reduce Most Helicopter Accidents A vital resource for pilots, helicopter enthusiasts, and aircraft maintenance technicians, Fatal Traps for Helicopter Pilots analyzes all aspects of helicopter accidents, including flight basics, engineering, meteorology, flight training, and human factors. This life-saving guide shows how proper preparation can help prevent accidents by addressing causes such as aerodynamic problems, mechanical failures, poor loading, mid-air collisions, and more. Filled with case studies and first-hand accounts of accidents, the book organizes accident types by primary causes, presenting proven methods for eliminating or reducing the possibility of each type. Greg Whyte, an ex commercial helicopter pilot and professional aviation writer, draws on his own flying experiences and those of other flight veterans to provide a wealth of practical information and safety tips that are essential for everyone who flies, maintains or crews in helicopters. Filled with over 100 helpful illustrations, Fatal Traps for Helicopter Pilots enables readers to: Identify and address the common causes of helicopter accidents Explore in-depth examples of accident scenarios Examine the technical details of accident causes Review case studies and first-hand accounts of accidents Learn from the plain-English notes on avoidance and recovery Inside This Aviation Accident-Prevention Guide • Basic Flight Principles • Vortex Ring State • Recirculation • Ground Resonance • Retreating Blade Stall • Dynamic Rollover • Overpitching • Main Rotor Strikes • Mid-Air Collisions • Mast Bumping • Engine Failures • Tail Rotor Failures • Mechanical Failures • Fuel • Fire • Ditching • Loading Issues • Winching • Weather • Crew and Pre-flight Hazards • Human Factors • Training Mishaps