Here is an account of the flight that set the helicopter altitude record (it has since been exceeded) and subsequently the world’s longest autorotation:
www.thisdayinaviation.com
The record-setting helicopter was modified by removing all equipment that was not needed for the record flight attempt. Various instruments and the co-pilot and passengers seats were taken out of the cockpit, as well as the helicopter’s synchronized horizontal stabilizer and tail rotor guard. The standard fuel tank was replaced with a very small tank holding just 70 kilograms (approximately 22.7 gallons) of jet fuel. Turboméca modified the engine to increase the output shaft r.p.m. by 6%. After Jean Boulet started the turbine engine, mechanics removed the battery and starter motor to decrease the weight even further.
In just 12 minutes, the Lama had climbed to 11,000 meters (36,089 feet). As he approached the peak altitude, the forward indicated airspeed had to be reduced to 30 knots (34.5 miles per hour, 55.6 kilometers per hour) to prevent the advancing main rotor blade tip from reaching its Critical Mach Number in the thin air, which would have resulted in the blade stalling. At the same time, the helicopter was approaching Retreating Blade Stall.
When the helicopter could climb no higher, Boulet reduced power and decreased collective pitch. The Turboméca engine, not calibrated for the very high altitude and cold temperature, -62 °C. (-80 °F.), flamed out. With no battery and starter, a re-start was impossible. Boulet put the Lama into autorotation for his nearly eight mile descent. Entering multiple cloud layers, the Plexiglas bubble iced over. Because of the ice and clouds, the test pilot had no outside visibility. Attitude instruments had been removed to lighten the helicopter. Boulet looked up through the canopy at the light spot in the clouds created by the sun, and used that for his only visual reference until he broke out of the clouds.
View attachment 31266
Aérospatiale SA 315 Lama, FAI World Record Holder, 12,442 meters, in autorotation, just before touching down at at Istres, 21 June 1972.
Interesting that the Lama is a fixed shaft turbine, not free turbine. I picked up my FAA Part 133 External Load qual (vertrep and/or long line externals) in a Lama years ago.
I thought that the current altitude record holder was an AS-350 B2 (roughly equivalent to a Bell 407) - not sure about the certification.
Helicopter Altitude Records
Highest Altitude Flight:
Fred North – March 23, 2002, in a Eurocopter AS350 B2 flew to 12,954 m (42,500FT) – Source:
Fred-North.com
Highest Landing:
Didier Delsalle – May 14, 2005, in a Eurocopter AS350 B3 landed on top of Mount Everest at 8,848 m (29,030 ft) – Source:
Eurocopter
Highest Worldwide Rescue:
Maurizio Folini – May 19, 2013, in a Eurocopter AS350 B3 rescued double-amputee Sudarshan Gautam on Mount Everest at 7,800 m (25,590 ft) – Source:
Men’s Journal