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I would think that a pressurized helicopter is impractical since helicopters are usually flying at low altitude, but has a pressurized helicopter ever been conceived or built?

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  • $\begingroup$ Bell Helicopter BA609 $\endgroup$
    – Robert Werner
    Oct 27, 2015 at 0:25
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    $\begingroup$ @Energizer777 Strictly speaking, the Bell 609 (now Agusta Westland AW609) is a tilt-rotor similar to the V22 Osprey. It hasn't yet been certified or entered production $\endgroup$
    – user11933
    Oct 27, 2015 at 1:08
  • $\begingroup$ An unmodified helicopter with a gas turbine engine landed on the summit of Mount Everest in 2005. It was a Eurocopter AS350 B3. AFAIK the pilot used oxygen, and the helicopter was not pressurized. $\endgroup$
    – Howard Miller
    Oct 27, 2015 at 4:06
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    $\begingroup$ The weight and the price would need to be justified by some high altitude mission for which an O2 mask is not appropriate. What could that be, given the low ceiling of such aircraft? Imagine an airplane pressurized door. A loss of pressure could occur instantly due to the small volume, that's another show stopper. $\endgroup$
    – mins
    Oct 27, 2015 at 7:06

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Helicopter cabins are not usually pressurized as they are not expected to be operated at high altitudes.

The largest operational helicopter, the Mil Mi 26 Halo has a pressurized crew cabin.

The Russian Mil Mi-24 Hind and Mil Mi 28 Havoc feature pressurized cockpits. However, these are for operating in an NBC environment, not for high altitude operation.

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    $\begingroup$ What is an NBC environment? $\endgroup$
    – ryan1618
    Oct 27, 2015 at 11:27
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    $\begingroup$ @RyanBurnette Nuclear, Biological and Chemical- A condition where there is a possibility of contamination due to radiological, biological or chemical agents, usually in war. $\endgroup$
    – aeroalias
    Oct 27, 2015 at 11:29
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    $\begingroup$ Is that a small overpressure with free (uncontrolled) release of the air in excess, or a fully airtight system? $\endgroup$
    – mins
    Oct 28, 2015 at 7:51
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    $\begingroup$ @mins It is of the overpressure type, atleast in the combat helicopters. $\endgroup$
    – aeroalias
    Jan 14, 2016 at 2:51

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