Viral Video Demonstrates That You Can Indeed Drift With A Helicopter

A video of a Swiss air ambulance helicopter pilot is going viral for performing an exquisite approach maneuver that we’re going to call a drift, since that’s what you’d call it if the act were performed with a car. In case there was any doubt, this video is proof that you can indeed drift with a helicopter.

Helicopters are notable in the aviation industry for their ability to hover, as well as achieve vertical takeoff and landings, but this pilot seems to prefer a more technical approach than a simple vertical descent. Air ambulances are frequently used to transport patients who are in critical condition, oftentimes rescuing victims from otherwise-inaccessible locations, so time is always of the essence. Though it’s not clear how much time this maneuver saved, gauging from the approach angle and surrounding tall buildings, it must’ve been the quickest way to get a victim to a hospital, and the fact that it looks completely and utterly badass doesn’t hurt, either. 

According to Rega, the non-profit organization that “provides an around-the-clock service offering swift, expert assistance by air,” the model performing this sick drift is one of the group’s AgustaWestland Da Vinci helicopters. It’s an Italian helicopter, if that wasn’t made apparent by its name, that was developed according to Rega’s specifications. It’s used on all mountain bases, and one of the important design elements of the Da Vinci are its low cowl and large windows allowing for maximum visibility during aggressive maneuvers like this one. It has two Pratt & Whitney engines that produce 778 horsepower, it weighs about 7,000 pounds, and has a maximum flying speed of around 145 miles per hour.

Sure, the Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines drifting as “the act or activity of steering an automobile so that it makes a controlled skid sideways through a turn with the front wheels pointed in a direction opposite to that of the turn,” which would officially count out doing so in a chopper. Drifting is also classified as a synonym to flowing, which is defined as moving or proceeding smoothly and readily, and might technically apply better to this particular act. We’re still gonna call it a drift.

Those who have drifted know that one key component of achieving a successful drift is looking out to the side while sliding to spot your path, rather than keep your eyes forward. In the video, the pilot must have been looking out the side window of the helicopter during much of their approach, as you can see the aircraft traveling sideways just before straightening out to stick the landing. Yeah, that’s a drift, y’all.