An auto rotation is when the engine stops. I think Buzz Lightyear coined a suitable phrase "falling with style". Those of us with less linguistic parlance might consider the term "plummet" to be appropriate.
I have been trying to learn the start up procedure by heart. I arrived half an hour early so I could sit in the drivers seat and practice. Remember when you were four and you would practice driving the car.
My instructor was a little late as a result of some over booking. I entertained myself by checking the oil and petrol (70litres in the tank) Incidentally the petrol is checked by dipping a ruler into the tank. Then I took the doors off. They had been put on earlier as a consequence of an impending shower of rain. I also listened to air traffic control 123.6MHz and the ATIS 120.9MHz which is a sort of music on hold message that tells you the wind speed, direction and which runways are in use.
The instructor landed in another helicopter and wandered inside. I followed shortly thereafter on the off chance that we might have a briefing. He said "sorry we're late. Have you read the notes... we'll do the briefing as we go". Hmmm me thinks as he lights a cigarette and pauses. "Are you hanging back to avoid setting us on fire" I enquire. "Yes you go ahead and start it he says".
I obtained clearance and we taxied to "area alpha" not quite as dramatic as "area 51". Taxiing in a helicopter means flying about 5ft off the ground at walking speed.
Then we are off. To start with, I tilt it forward and increase speed to 40knts. Still only about 2m off the ground. Then set a 60knot attitude and full power. Max throttle and raise the collective as high as possible but not such that the Revs drop. It's a climbing left turn and I am concentrating on keeping the rev's right, watching the altitude as I have to level off at 1000 ft. Steer with cyclic and avoid the temptation to steer with my feet. Opposite of what we do when hovering. As we near 1000ft set an attitude of 70knots and reduce power to fly straight and level. Then a big U turn and we are heading east just north of the west-east runway the planes use.
The instructor has described the process and takes the controls. I hold mine and follow what he does. "Engine failure in 3 ... 2 ... 1" he says and winds off the throttle and lowers the collective. The chopper falls from under me. This is why I am wearing a 4 point seat belt harness. Stops me bumping my head. The chopper wants to put its nose down and turn left so its back on the stick and in with the right pedal. Lots of both and quick.
Now we are plummeting (yep that's the word) toward the ground at 1600ft a minute. The angle and speed and RPM are mostly controlled with the cyclic (the stick) and also a little with the collective. Be gentle. When we are about 20ft we start a "flare" basically pull back lots on the stick so the nose goes up in air and if all goes well we plop onto the ground. (Too much and the tail hits the ground). As this is a practice he winds up the throttle and saves us from carrying the chopper home in pieces. We hover and then land then do it all again. Gradually I do more and more however at the end of the lesson, the instructor is still doing the flaring bit.
So there you have it. If you run out of petrol in your helicopter or the fanbelt brakes (did I tell you it's belt driven), well we both know what to do.
The other interesting thing was as I landed at the end of the lesson, we experienced "ground resonance". Search youtube for an explanation. Luckily I have been drilled to not let the rev's drop until we are properly landed so recognising ground resonance, we both simultaneously pulled up on the collective and so we took off and then I brought it back down. Stably this time.
I have been trying to learn the start up procedure by heart. I arrived half an hour early so I could sit in the drivers seat and practice. Remember when you were four and you would practice driving the car.
My instructor was a little late as a result of some over booking. I entertained myself by checking the oil and petrol (70litres in the tank) Incidentally the petrol is checked by dipping a ruler into the tank. Then I took the doors off. They had been put on earlier as a consequence of an impending shower of rain. I also listened to air traffic control 123.6MHz and the ATIS 120.9MHz which is a sort of music on hold message that tells you the wind speed, direction and which runways are in use.
The instructor landed in another helicopter and wandered inside. I followed shortly thereafter on the off chance that we might have a briefing. He said "sorry we're late. Have you read the notes... we'll do the briefing as we go". Hmmm me thinks as he lights a cigarette and pauses. "Are you hanging back to avoid setting us on fire" I enquire. "Yes you go ahead and start it he says".
I obtained clearance and we taxied to "area alpha" not quite as dramatic as "area 51". Taxiing in a helicopter means flying about 5ft off the ground at walking speed.
Then we are off. To start with, I tilt it forward and increase speed to 40knts. Still only about 2m off the ground. Then set a 60knot attitude and full power. Max throttle and raise the collective as high as possible but not such that the Revs drop. It's a climbing left turn and I am concentrating on keeping the rev's right, watching the altitude as I have to level off at 1000 ft. Steer with cyclic and avoid the temptation to steer with my feet. Opposite of what we do when hovering. As we near 1000ft set an attitude of 70knots and reduce power to fly straight and level. Then a big U turn and we are heading east just north of the west-east runway the planes use.
The instructor has described the process and takes the controls. I hold mine and follow what he does. "Engine failure in 3 ... 2 ... 1" he says and winds off the throttle and lowers the collective. The chopper falls from under me. This is why I am wearing a 4 point seat belt harness. Stops me bumping my head. The chopper wants to put its nose down and turn left so its back on the stick and in with the right pedal. Lots of both and quick.
Now we are plummeting (yep that's the word) toward the ground at 1600ft a minute. The angle and speed and RPM are mostly controlled with the cyclic (the stick) and also a little with the collective. Be gentle. When we are about 20ft we start a "flare" basically pull back lots on the stick so the nose goes up in air and if all goes well we plop onto the ground. (Too much and the tail hits the ground). As this is a practice he winds up the throttle and saves us from carrying the chopper home in pieces. We hover and then land then do it all again. Gradually I do more and more however at the end of the lesson, the instructor is still doing the flaring bit.
So there you have it. If you run out of petrol in your helicopter or the fanbelt brakes (did I tell you it's belt driven), well we both know what to do.
The other interesting thing was as I landed at the end of the lesson, we experienced "ground resonance". Search youtube for an explanation. Luckily I have been drilled to not let the rev's drop until we are properly landed so recognising ground resonance, we both simultaneously pulled up on the collective and so we took off and then I brought it back down. Stably this time.
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