rec.autos.simulators

>>> If you have pots and pots of money, you hire a helicopter for the day,
> there
>>> will be charter companies that have an intimate knowledge of the rally
> route
>>> and can whisk you to your own private vantage point.

>> Aww. Here I thought you were going to say that the helicopter would
>> follow your favorite driver as they went around the track. Now that
>> would have been cool.
>> --
>> -asbjxrn

> Regrettably no, the pilots aren't allowed to do that.  There are way too
> many helicopters in the air around the rally to permit following drivers.
> And of course you will have an official chopper doing exactly that to take
> the footage we love on TV, concentrating on following the car a closely as
> possible and not paying much attention to other air traffic.

> However, once we were transiting from one private spectator point to another
> one, and "just happened" to follow the rally route along a ridge and down
> into a valley, with Tommi Makkinen and his Lancer a few hundred feet below
> us the whole way.  Coincidental, of course...

> GMF

>> You know the team helicopters USED TO be able to follow along with their
>> cars, but that was banned (back in the mid-80's I believe) when the
>> organizers noticed that Pugeot (I think, but I could be wrong) was using the
>> shoppers rotor wash to create a tail wind and help push the car along. I
>> think it was at Acropolis or Safari ...

> In the Safari-Rally all the teams have at least a helicopter each. Not
> to blow a tailwind( LOL! :), but to scout ahead and scare the local
> wildlife off the road!