How often does an Apache hover on the battlefield?

[The_Chugster]

I've been watching a lot of Growling Sidewinder's Apache videos and noticed that he almost never comes to a hover.

Now is this due to the desert environment where there are no trees to hide behind or does current Apache doctrine discourage hovering to avoid getting shot down?

[Dagobert666]

Casmo a former Apache pilot says. Hovering is death. There are very few popup maneuvers that are effective. The biggest problem with hovers is that you can easily be taken down by hidden infantry. Even an overlooked battle tank can hit a helicopter with its main gun if the helicopter is hovering in place. Hovering is too dangerous.

Self-protection always comes before effect... ALWAYS.
Because a destroyed Apache no longer makes any kills.

[Sinclair_76]

Depends on the situation.

In a regular warfare situation with a linear battlefield and advanced SA threat. Static and low is the way to go. Low chance of encountering enemy tanks and infantry on your own side of the FLOT. Non linear battlefield and advanced threat calls for dynamic low. Everything else for dynamic high. 
 

 

[admiki]

And performance dictates tactics. Hover requires a lot more power and consequently more fuel, which in turn requires even more power.

Also, moving around might expose targets that were hidden behind an obstacle from your previous position.

[NeedzWD40]

7 hours ago, Sinclair_76 said:

Depends on the situation.

This is the answer. It's not a case of "always" or "never". There are times to go low and hover in the weeds, the same as there's times where it's better to stay high and mobile. A desert example might be staying low and hovering behind a sand dune to sneak up on and engage a air defense site. Sometimes the terrain allows for that, and sometimes it doesn't. Likewise, there's little point in doing that if the threat can't touch you like a SA-15, SA-19, etc. can.