It is very important for you to know a few things about safety around helicopters. Prevent an accident by playing it safe on the ground. Even if you are not flying with McMahon Helicopters, keep these few safety tips in mind.

NEVER exit towards the rear of the helicopter. The tailrotor located in the back of the helicopter is extremely hard to see and easy to forget about. Always exit towards the front of the helicopter or directly to the side in the view of the pilot.

NEVER walk under the tailboom to access the other side of the helicopter. Doing so can put you in danger of being struck by the tailrotor. Always practice walking around the front of the aircraft regardless if the helicopter is running or not.

NEVER hold your hands, arms, or objects up while under the rotorblades. Doing so can potentially result in a blade strike. Though the rotor system may look high enough for clearance, the main rotor is able to flap up or down several feet from the level altitude. It is good practice to duck while walking to or from the helicopter. Keep in mind some models of helicopters have lower skid landing gear which makes the rotor system much closer to the ground.

NEVER exit the helicopter up slope. If the helicopter is positioned near or on a slope, always exit toward the downward slope side of the aircraft. This allows more clearance between the rotor system and you.

NEVER drive a vehicle under the rotor system at any time. Even if the helicopter is not running, parking or driving a vehicle under the blades can result in serious damage to the helicopter. Blades on the helicopter can flap up or down with the wind or by flight control movement. Always allow plenty of clearance when driving around the helicopter.

Avoid approaching the helicopter while it is running unless instructed to do so by the pilot. Kept in mind, always approach from the front or side in view of the pilot.

Most turbine helicopters have 1-3 minute cool down period before the pilot can shut down the engine(s). Just because it appears the pilot is idling the helicopter does not necessarily mean he or she is waiting for the aircraft to be loaded.