Leisure flight around Mt. St. Helens

[Bell206freak]

Well, I decided I'd do another flight around Mt. St. Helens today.. Got some hover and landing practice in and enjoyed the periodic steam plume that'd burst from the crater floor.  Took off from Hoffstadt Bluffs, did a pass in the Hoffstadt Bluffs tour helicopter, and then returned to pick up my personal Bell helicopter



Reducing throttle and airspeed to a hover on the south side of the volcano.



A touchdown in the Plains of Abraham on the volcano's east side. This was one of my best high-speed landing approaches.



Screaming down the South Fork Toutle River Valley at 130 KIAS.



In a hover over the south shore of Spirit Lake looking at the steam plume and the crater itself.



Another shot at some landing practice. Flew low and flared the landing at a site about two miles southwest of the volcano. Didn't stay here very long, because I had to go refuel



The Hoffstadt Bluffs Tour helicopter never looked so good!



A good shot of the crater and the periodic steam plume - and the Hoffstadt Bluffs Tour Helicopter.

[jordonj]

Nice flying and better shots!

[tvale80]

great pics

[Dannyboy]

nice shots of that helicopter and mt. st. helens, I wonder if the mountain is going to go back into dormancy or stay active?

[Bell206freak]

They say it's been in a constant state of eruption since October 1st, and since October 11th, magma has been oozing out as lava on the crater floor at the rate of a dumptruck load of fresh rock every second. At that rate, if the growth were to continue without hesitation, the mountain will rebuild the once Fuji-esque cone in less than eleven years.  Back in the early 80s, they said it'd take approximately 150-200 years.