helicopter pilot questions

[jmlivingston]

I was a flight-medic at Ft. Jackson for several years, flying in back of a UH-1. One of our pilot teams decided to do an auto-rotation from about 1,500' without telling the crewchief and I in advance, puckerfactor was a +10! Our only auto-rotations with actual touchdowns was done from about 5-10 feet, airframe restrictions at the time wouldn't allow them to do it from altitude. Did a lot of sling-load at the time, as well as NOE which was most fun at night with NVG's and the doors pinned open. Ahhh..... the good old days, someday I hope to fly in a Huey again.


One of our pilots used to talk about how we had a better glide ratio than some of the small single engine planes (can't remember if it was a Cessna or a Cherokee).

[MaHoTex]

Many people don't realize that the "height velocity curve" pertains to a high power setting during TAKE OFF. Most height velocity curves show that the absolute minimum height below 500' AGL is 60 or 65 knots indicated air speed.

For A-stars, the height velocity curve only pertains to a "take off" configuration, but most pilots don't realize that because they are not trained that way. During take off/climb out, that requires a high power setting and increased angle of attack with the rotor blades.

If the helicopter is in a low power setting, (straight and level, slow speed) with a decreased angle of attack, the height velocity diagram doesn't actually pertain to the aircrafts situation below 500' AGL. The problem arises with most flight schools teaching that "when you're below 500' agl, make sure your speeds correspond within the HV diagram requirements." A false belief.

That being said, Ill give you the truth that obey an aircraft's height velocity diagrams recomendations of air speed + altitude are your safest bets to stay alive in the event of an engine failure.


This part of Tactic's statement is 100% true!!!! I'm also a licensed fixed wing pilot. If there is an engine failure, give me a helicopter ANY DAY vs. and airplane! An airplane, you need a long runway to land in an emergency. For a helicopter, you only need a "postage stamp" to land on.

I am stunned. Not that you said Tacit is right, , but that you would take a Helo engine out over a fixed wing. I guess I have a fear of the unknown and I am comfortable with the fixed wing method. Maybe if I had the opportunity to try out a helo my opinion would change. Now, if I could just make myself climb in.

[CessnaDriver]

I am stunned. Not that you said Tacit is right, , but that you would take a Helo engine out over a fixed wing. I guess I have a fear of the unknown and I am comfortable with the fixed wing method. Maybe if I had the opportunity to try out a helo my opinion would change. Now, if I could just make myself climb in.

They're just wings that spin.

[MaHoTex]

I'll take my wings stationary and fixed to the fusalage, thank you very much. When my wings start moving we have real problems.

I am now thinking of that old joke about helicoptes being so ugly the earth pushes it away... However it goes.

[TrailerparkTrash]

Or the saying that goes airplanes sail through the wind, but helicopters beat the wind into submission.

[CessnaDriver]

Do they still have or refer to the "Jesus nut"?
Or has that gone the way of the dodo?

[TrailerparkTrash]

Yup you stIll hear that term. Lol. Also they still use the term of "blew blades.". Thats a condition when the rotor RPM s exceed their operating velocity and "one blade blows this way and the other blows that way.".

[Tacit Blue]

I love Gif's.

[NOTARPilot]

Sounds like you work for SBSD? ..

I'm guessing LASD judging by his hatred for the NOTAR

No, there is no trim adjustment in a helicopter.

Not exactly true...the 500's have an electric cyclic trim as do the 300's. You can trim the forces to neutral and the ship will fly pretty damn straight. As long as the collective bungee system in the 500 is adjusted properly you can let go of that as well and maintain altitude....not that I recommend just taking your hands off the controls of course.

[TrailerparkTrash]

We call notars, blowtars. Had 'em, didnt like 'em. No power, less response on the controls. I personally dont think that the trim in a 500/520 series is like the trim on a fixed wing aircraft, where one can take yours hands completely off of the controls and fly with the trim.

As long as the collective bungee system in the 500 is adjusted properly you can let go of that as well and maintain altitude

"Bungee system",,,, Rubber band for trim control???? No thanks. Some helicopters do however have a true auto pilot system

I'm guessing LASD judging by his hatred for the NOTAR

Up until this very posting on this thread, I don't believe I ever said that I hate the blow... NOTARS. I don't know, maybe I need to go back and re-read my replys to this particular thread. At the moment, I'm just feeling too lazy to do so. I really don't care for NOTARS, but I don't think I ever said I "hated" them. I like my power steering in the form of hydraulics for both anti-torque, as well as cyclic input on the A-stars. I love the 500's with a real (two bladed) tail rotor, but don't ever want to set foot in a NOTAR ever again.

As for whom I'm employed with..... I have never officially stated that either. Some things on the internet are just meant to be kept below the radar. (Pun intended on that one!)

[thunderbolt]

I'll third Trailers statement: "If there is an engine failure, give me a helicopter ANY DAY vs. and airplane!" For that really feel like your falling out of the sky feeling try a lo-speed auto. I swear I felt like my tail was pointing straight south. Got my rotorcraft commercial last year (still looking for a ride) and now I'm casually working on a fixed wing add-on and all I can say is after crawling around the rocks of SD in the Schweizer, flying a Piper is as boring as driving a car.

If you really need to you can juggle the cyclic into your left hand and friction up the collective. Off hand flying comes in handy when you need to reach that fire extinguisher.

[thunderbolt]

Here's a little something you might find amusing in the battle between rotorheads and starchwingers: (I didn't write it)

How Fast Can You Fly Backward?
Or Why Helicopter Pilots are Superior

This has been a serious debate for quite some time with battle lines well drawn and the debate field hot, furious, and emotional. Obviously, the heat of the debate and the surety of the participants are directly proportional to the amount of liquid intelligence that has been consumed. Nevertheless, this humble observer will present the evidence that clearly proves helicopter pilots are, as a matter of fact, the most superior pilots in the aviation community.

First, let's talk about the numbers. Airplanes have a lot of numbers, V1, V2, VTOSS, MMO, the figures many civilian helicopter operations emulate. However, while helicopter pilots try to operate "by the numbers", the operating environment often precludes such a luxury. The 757 pilot is, "going to come over the fence at Vref+15k" or some other such number like that. Meanwhile, the helicopter lands on a rig, perhaps with a 30 knot head wind, a 15 knot crosswind, or maybe he has to land in a remote area with no wind... and he will LAND AT 0 KNOTS GROUNDSPEED! If you know anything about aerodynamics, I shouldn't have to say anything else - the safety of the numbers does not always grace the helicopter pilot therefore, they need special skill to compensate when the numbers are not even applicable. The rotorhead may be landing at 40 knots IAS or 0 knots... airplane safety margins are all off!

Not convinced, let's talk operating environment. It would be nice to be able to land on a flat piece of paved real estate that was 200 feet wide and 8000 feet long, for every landing; but for helicopter pilots, that's the exception rather than the rule (We are even told to "avoid the flow" of the starch wingers lest we upset their "numbers.")

Helicopter pilots are called to land on small offshore platforms, smaller shipboard platforms (that can be bobbing and weaving like Mike Tyson), rooftops, forests, jungles, and next to highways at night to pick up the injured. This is a VFR (Visual Flight Rules) operation that would make most airplane pilots cringe. This goes beyond those fixed wingers who call themselves "bush pilots." Helicopter pilots are the true Bush Pilots - they land and takeoff in the midst of the bushes!

To this, the helicopter pilot adds all the stuff the corporate or 121 operator does. They operate in dense airspace, fly instrument approaches, operate at busy airports, and fly in severe weather - often without the help of a four-axis autopilot with "autotrim." (In fact, the only autopilot may be control friction... and any objective dual-rated pilots will confess the helicopter is quite a bit more difficult to fly on the gauges!)

At this point I have to interject for the prima Donna part 91 operators in their Citation X's, Gulfstreams, and Falcon 50's. Yes Veronica, there are a lot of helicopters with color radar, multiple MFDs, EFIS, digital fuel controls, 4 axis autopilots, and all the other goodies, so don't go there! We can operate your fancy equipment as well!

I'm not done - what about workload? The helicopter pilot is normally the "company man" on the job. Therefore, they must not only be able to fly the aircraft, they have to be the local PR man with the customer, often solving the customer's problems so the aircraft is used the most efficiently. The helicopter pilot might have to arrange for his own fuel and even refuel his own aircraft. He checks the landing sites, trains people how to work around helicopters without getting injured, and makes sure the aircraft does not disturb Grandma Bessie's chickens!

But wait, like the Ginsu knife, "there's more!" The rotor-head does it all. He does all the pre-flight planning, submits the flight plan, prepares all the paperwork including the weight and balance, loads and briefs the passengers, loads cargo, and after landing takes care of the unloading and finally arranges for their own transportation and room. This is often interspersed by telephone calls to some company weenie that changes plans and expectations every hour.

Finally, the all important question, "What about control touch?" I want to shut up all the hotshot fighter pilots. I've been in their aircraft and they have been in mine... I could fly theirs but they were all over the sky in mine! So then, Mr. Starch Winger; when you see a Hughes 500 or Bell 206 pilot hold one skid on a 5000' knife edge ridge that is only two feet wide so passengers can step out onto the ridge, while the other skid is suspended in space... when you watch a Skycrane, Vertol, S61, 212, or 214B pilot place a hook, that's on a cable 200 feet below the aircraft, in the hand of a ground crewman... when you see a Lama, AStar, or Bell 206L land in a space in the trees that's scarcely bigger than the helicopter... and if you ever watch a BK 117, 105, or A109 pilot land in a vacant lot next to a busy freeway surrounded by power lines -at night... Well then, you'll have some idea who is the master manipulator of aviation equipment.

The bottom line is; if all you want is to get into the air, find a Cessna, Beech, F-16, or 757. However, if you want to truly fly, to be an artisan in aviation and develop a bird-like control touch; then, you want to be a helicopter pilot. After all, a rock would probably fly if you made it go 180 knots. The real question for our fixed wing brethren should be, "How fast can you fly backward?"

[jmlivingston]

Here's a little something you might find amusing in the battle between rotorheads and starchwingers: (I didn't write it)

How Fast Can You Fly Backward?
Or Why Helicopter Pilots are Superior

I'm not done - what about workload? The helicopter pilot is normally the "company man" on the job. Therefore, they must not only be able to fly the aircraft, they have to be the local PR man with the customer, often solving the customer's problems so the aircraft is used the most efficiently. The helicopter pilot might have to arrange for his own fuel and even refuel his own aircraft. He checks the landing sites, trains people how to work around helicopters without getting injured, and makes sure the aircraft does not disturb Grandma Bessie's chickens!

This one reminds me of a flight from Traverse City, MI to Columbia, SC while relocating our bird back home after doing some medical support for a month in Michigan. Our pilots ended up landing in a field full of cows for an urgent "tail boom check". When the rancher showed up he was none too happy about it! Anyways, the crew was "much relieved" after successfull completion of the tail boom check. The rancher didn't have much to say after a BS story about a critical oil sample necessary after an **EXACT** amount of engine time.