Auto, Auto, Auto...

[MasterBates]

For those that have not flown helos, a 180 auto can be approximated by the following in a Fixed wing (STUDENTS DO NOT TRY THIS, YOU WILL DIE)

From the 180 & 1000 AGL, chop throttle & Push over to about .4-.5 G
Roll 45 degree AOB.
Kick in hard pro-turn rudder
Roll out at ~300' AGL or when in windline
5-10 degree nose up
Passing 100' AGO, Pull 35-50 degree nose up.
Passing 60' Nose over to 4-5 nose up and MAX POWER.

The helo should level out at 20 AGL doing this. NO idea how a plane would react (other than stall and spin probable) but that gives an idea of how this can gork up ones stomach.

 

[skidkid]

180s ? try 360s for some real fun

 

[MasterBates]

360s not allowed. I have done 0 KT HOGE Autos in Civvie 204's & 206's.

From HOGE (as in 1000', simulating doing antenna work with a confined area to land.

Lower collective, Apply back cyclic, acceleate backwards to ~60% of starting altitude, forward stick to accelerate to normal auto speed, and flare as normal. Freaky as hell, but works. Would not reccomend trying below 500'. Too easy to get into trouble.

 

[raptor10]

Passing 60' Nose over to 4-5 nose up and MAX POWER.

Lucky Guy

 

[Fly Navy]

For those that have not flown helos, a 180 auto can be approximated by the following in a Fixed wing (STUDENTS DO NOT TRY THIS, YOU WILL DIE)

From the 180 & 1000 AGL, chop throttle & Push over to about .4-.5 G
Roll 45 degree AOB.
Kick in hard pro-turn rudder
Roll out at ~300' AGL or when in windline
5-10 degree nose up
Passing 100' AGO, Pull 35-50 degree nose up.
Passing 60' Nose over to 4-5 nose up and MAX POWER.

The helo should level out at 20 AGL doing this. NO idea how a plane would react (other than stall and spin probable) but that gives an idea of how this can gork up ones stomach.

Good way to die in an airplane.

 

[hscs]

How are 360 deg autos not allowed in a -60?

 

[MasterBates]

Forbidden per SOP. Not described in NATOPs, so therefore, it is "not a good idea" according to the MAN.

HSL-East seems to treat the NATOPS more like a Dash-1.

 

[squorch2]

I was always under the impression that NATOPS tells you what you can't do, rather than the Dash-1 way of telling you what you can do. Hell, if you're at 2000', what's wrong with a 360?

 

[hscs]

Concur with Squorch -- the 360 auto is not in the HS or HSC SOPs.

Only way I could see one done is that you were up high and had a small area to auto to.

 

[skidkid]

Concur with Squorch -- the 360 auto is not in the HS or HSC SOPs.

Only way I could see one done is that you were up high and had a small area to auto to.

Loss of tailrotor thurst or components!

 

[bobbybrock]

A little off topic but do you H-60 guys do low level auots? We just started doing them due to the current enviorment that we fly in. If you want to get these guys to really suck that seat cushion up their ass then this is the manuver.

 

[MasterBates]

Bobby,

How low? We do "quick stops" from 100'/100KT but no auto allowed to be initiated from less than 500'.

Which is strange, since our normal opeating altitude is 400' and below at the boat.

No full auto's either. Power recovery by 20'

 

[bobbybrock]

We basically iniate at 100-150 ft and 100kts. It is a pretty coordinated manuver with collective and cyclic input happening at the same time. We can not take these to the ground either.
We lost two aircraft in the desert and both crew intiated low level autos and survived. One of the aircraft lost a major component and the crew still walked away. It is an eye opener, but 60's ballons pretty well if it is done correctly.

 

[hscs]

For the helo issue -- nothing on the HSC/HS side of the house prohibits autos below 500'. However, it is not something that is done as there is no maneuver description anywhere. You would be hard pressed to explain what you were doing to "the Man".

I do agree that we should do them -- When flying anywhere from 50-300', I don't want to think about what would happen if I needed to do the unthinkable...

 

[bobbybrock]

Loss of tailrotor thurst or components!

Basically both of our aircraft in iraq. The training came into play big time.
An auto from altitude gives you all types of time to figure things out. At 100-150 ft you got what is in front of you.