# What sort of obstructions can a helicopter propeller withstand? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 19, 2014, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-obstructions-can-a-helicopter-propeller-withstand/705105 "2014-11-19T21:29:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Henryunderborn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/58f4c7/32.png) [@Henryunderborn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Henryunderborn)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-obstructions-can-a-helicopter-propeller-withstand/705105/1 "2014-11-19T21:29:16Z")
If the outside of a helecopter propellar was on full speed, flying through the air, what sort of walls or other obstructions could it hit, and still maintain its flight? ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-obstructions-can-a-helicopter-propeller-withstand/705105/2 "2014-11-19T21:33:20Z")
Paging **Johnny L.A.** ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-obstructions-can-a-helicopter-propeller-withstand/705105/3 "2014-11-19T21:35:24Z")
Are you kidding? edited to add: Helicopter blades are designed to slice through air, and that’s about it. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-obstructions-can-a-helicopter-propeller-withstand/705105/4 "2014-11-19T21:37:25Z")
In the book ‘ChickenHawk’ They did do some bush cutting with the blades when landing in Vietnam. The book is based on a pilot that served there. It does not seem to embellish much. Don’t know how thick this bush was though. And I would bet it only happened in very dire circumstances. Of which, there where many. Re-reading the OP. Um walls? What Czarcasm said. ---
**Author:** ![Henryunderborn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/58f4c7/32.png) [@Henryunderborn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Henryunderborn)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-obstructions-can-a-helicopter-propeller-withstand/705105/5 "2014-11-19T21:50:48Z")
could it hack through a telephone poll? the upper thin part of a street lamp? the corner of a stone building? side of a wooden house? the cargo container of a semi trailer? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-obstructions-can-a-helicopter-propeller-withstand/705105/6 "2014-11-19T21:54:29Z")
> [@Henryunderborn](#): > > could it hack through a telephone poll? > the upper thin part of a street lamp? > the corner of a stone building? > side of a wooden house? > the cargo container of a semi trailer? Air. Are these things harder than air? ---
**Author:** ![Henryunderborn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/58f4c7/32.png) [@Henryunderborn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Henryunderborn)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-obstructions-can-a-helicopter-propeller-withstand/705105/7 "2014-11-19T21:59:17Z")
glass pane of window? ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-obstructions-can-a-helicopter-propeller-withstand/705105/8 "2014-11-19T21:59:55Z")
Evidently it can cut through zombie necks: [https://search.yahoo.com/search;\_ylt=AuqobCFe405EOzUCx7gQKyKbvZx4?p=Youtube+"Dawn+of+the+Dead"+helicopter+zombie&toggle=1&cop=mss&ei=UTF-8&fr=yfp-t-901&fp=1](https://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=AuqobCFe405EOzUCx7gQKyKbvZx4?p=Youtube+%22Dawn+of+the+Dead%22+helicopter+zombie&toggle=1&cop=mss&ei=UTF-8&fr=yfp-t-901&fp=1) ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-obstructions-can-a-helicopter-propeller-withstand/705105/9 "2014-11-19T21:59:28Z")
A human neck? Just ask Vic Morrow. On the other hand, that helicopter wasn’t actually “flying” either. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-obstructions-can-a-helicopter-propeller-withstand/705105/10 "2014-11-19T22:01:58Z")
> [@Henryunderborn](#): > > could it hack through a telephone poll? > the upper thin part of a street lamp? > the corner of a stone building? > side of a wooden house? > the cargo container of a semi trailer? The answer to all of the above is NO. A helicopter might survive a very minimal impact long enough to land safely. Anything worse would be disastrous. Vietnam era helicopters were reported to have survived bullet holes in rotor blades, but that is nothing like the impact of a rotor blade against a hard object. The leading edge of a helicopter blade is blunt, it doesn’t slice, it shatters things when it hits them, and it can shatter itself also. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-obstructions-can-a-helicopter-propeller-withstand/705105/11 "2014-11-19T22:02:38Z")
> [@Henryunderborn](#): > > glass pane of window? How long is your list, **Henryunderborn**? How long are you going to continue naming random items? ---
**Author:** ![Henryunderborn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/58f4c7/32.png) [@Henryunderborn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Henryunderborn)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-obstructions-can-a-helicopter-propeller-withstand/705105/12 "2014-11-19T22:03:54Z")
depending on the answer to glass, as i was searching for images of chopper prepellars on google, this was probably going to be my last one: [http://www.aljazeera.com/mritems/Images/2013/3/31/201333154437295734\_20.jpg](http://www.aljazeera.com/mritems/Images/2013/3/31/201333154437295734_20.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-obstructions-can-a-helicopter-propeller-withstand/705105/13 "2014-11-19T22:09:45Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > How long is your list, **Henryunderborn**? How long are you going to continue naming random items? **Moderator Note** **Czarcasm** , if you don’t like the question, then there’s no need to respond. Just report it and then leave it be. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-obstructions-can-a-helicopter-propeller-withstand/705105/14 "2014-11-19T22:14:20Z")
> [@Henryunderborn](#): > > depending on the answer to glass, as i was searching for images of chopper prepellars on google, this was probably going to be my last one: > > [http://www.aljazeera.com/mritems/Images/2013/3/31/201333154437295734\_20.jpg](http://www.aljazeera.com/mritems/Images/2013/3/31/201333154437295734_20.jpg) **Moderator Note** **Henryunderborn** , given that your examples have now become completely silly, this is definitely the last one. I’m closing this. Don’t play this kind of game again. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-obstructions-can-a-helicopter-propeller-withstand/705105/15 "2014-11-19T22:25:34Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > **Moderator Note** > > **Henryunderborn** , given that your examples have now become completely silly, this is definitely the last one. I’m closing this. Don’t play this kind of game again. > > Colibri > General Questions Moderator After a PM from the OP, I’m going to reopen this thread. However, no more joking around or guessing random items. I suspect that a helicopter blade can probably sustain some damage and continue to fly, but not too much. Possibly someone with aviation experience may be able to provide an informed answer. ---
**Author:** ![Henryunderborn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/58f4c7/32.png) [@Henryunderborn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Henryunderborn)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-obstructions-can-a-helicopter-propeller-withstand/705105/16 "2014-11-19T22:30:10Z")
here here. I only intended to cover a span of different materials, of different densitys, that might catch more fall out than the propellar and its speed. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-obstructions-can-a-helicopter-propeller-withstand/705105/17 "2014-11-19T22:34:27Z")
Saw an episode of Chicago Fire last night and they were responding to a downed helicopter that some kids had run their father’s drone copter into. I wonder how realistic that would be? Hobby drones are pretty light to begin with and I think a real helicopter prop would bat it right out of the air with little damage to the prop. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-obstructions-can-a-helicopter-propeller-withstand/705105/18 "2014-11-19T23:16:57Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > Paging **Johnny L.A.** The serious answers have already been made. Of course the real-life examples include Hueys, which are much more robust than the helis I know how to fly. ---
**Author:** ![rsat3acr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@rsat3acr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsat3acr)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-obstructions-can-a-helicopter-propeller-withstand/705105/19 "2014-11-20T00:18:09Z")
Biggest thing I ever hit with my Huey blade was a yucca. Went through it fine. We absolutely tried to avoid hitting anything with the blades. They never(IIRC) told us in flight school how much they could stand but I’m sure it isn’t much. Several of the guys who were in Vietnam talked about hitting trees but nut trunks. Unfortunately one our helicopters hit a guy wire on a night flight. It did not sever it but totaled the helicopter and killed the co-pilot. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2014, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-obstructions-can-a-helicopter-propeller-withstand/705105/20 "2014-11-20T00:30:00Z")
Helicopter rotors are surprisingly fragile and I still find it counterintuitive that the blades are able to lift anything at all but they do. They tend to flex a noticeable amount when sitting still and a single person can damage the whole mechanism just by jumping up and grabbing onto the tip of the blade and yanking it down. My cousin runs a helicopter touring company in Colorado and he has taken me up in his helicopter a few times and described all the potential things he has to worry about besides the excessive operating costs. Even minor rotor damage is among a helicopter owners biggest fears. Not only can it be dangerous to catastrophic in the short-term, it can also result in a prohibitively expensive repair bill. Like others said, you can’t hit much of anything with them. Even a survivable encounter with an obstacle like light plant foliage could still result in a helicopter that cannot be flown again without hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of inspections and repairs. More solid objects, even small ones, are right out. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-obstructions-can-a-helicopter-propeller-withstand/705105.md?page=2)