How do soldiers not fall off the sides of helicopters when they simply just sit hanging on the 'ledge' on the sides of the helicopter, especially when the helicopter is tilting while turning?

How do soldiers not fall off the sides of helicopters when they simply just sit hanging on the 'ledge' on the sides of the helicopter, especially when the helicopter is tilting while turning?

First of all, it does actually happen in real life. Not too often, but it does. For example, the Air Force PJ's like to fly like that.

The Army can, but we're restricted on our flying a bit if we do, plus you don't really lose anything by closing the doors and using seats.

I pretty consistently fly around with my legs hanging over because I'm in a MEDEVAC unit and that's how we run the rescue hoist.

In reality, it's pretty safe and stable. When a group has their legs out, there's typically a cargo strap or other safety device across the door as added insurance, but most of what keeps you in is gravity and the motion of the aircraft.

It feels like sitting on the stairs for most of the ride. When I'm running hoist, I have a monkey tail from the back of my flight vest to a ring inside the helicopter.

The idea is that if you secure it correctly, the strap will catch you right before you fall out, or at least right after so you don't fall that far out.

Here's a picture of what I mean. The strap connected to my back is the monkey tail:

When you're turning, the aircraft will enter a bank. Because it rolls to the side, you still feel like you're pinned down by gravity (due to centrifugal force) .

It's like that carnival ride where you start by standing on a wall and the whole room spins. You then get pinned to the wall and the floor drops out.

But you don't actually fall at that point because you're being forced into the side of the wall. It's kind of the same concept. If the aircraft were to rapidly change direction without banking, sure, you might go flying out.

But I've never felt like I was going to fall out, even in windy and bumpy conditions while leaning out and over the side of the aircraft and trying to manage a cable oscillation.

Sitting down like that is just a pretty stable position, and the roll of the aircraft keeps you stable.

On a different note, and to address some other answers, I get the reasoning behind flying gently and everything, but we do things a bit differently in military aviation.

We have to fly to avoid fire, fly for speed, and engage in some other somewhat risky activities. For example, in a MEDEVAC situation, we would fly 20-40 feet above the ground over 120 mph.

That's not going to be smooth at all, but it keeps us from being seen and even heard until the last second.

Anyway, hope that answers your question. Yes, it does occasionally happen, but with some sort of restraint depending on the circumstance.