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For the rotary wing pilots

Here's a question for the helo-savvy. At what point in the development of the helo did they figure out how to auto? Is this something that Igor planned for before his first flights, or something that evolved later?

Inquiring minds...

Brett
 
ChunksJR said:
The Helo goes up and down....and around...it's circular...circular.

The easiest way I've ever heard it explained is putting a fan in a window...then shutting off the fan. On a breezy day, the fan will continue turning as the air flow hits the blades causing just the slightest amount of wind (lift) and "autorotation."

~D
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That's absolutely correct, except it leaves out the "rock and pull", no one could survive the straight up 2000 FPM descent (fall).
 
Brett327 said:
Here's a question for the helo-savvy. At what point in the development of the helo did they figure out how to auto? Is this something that Igor planned for before his first flights, or something that evolved later?

Inquiring minds...

Brett
Click to expand...
Hate to have been the one to find and test this theory.
 
Screamtruth said:
We have to do the tank every 2 years as well. Blindfolded, or rather blanked out goggles and all. Did it in the Corps as well, so now it is just an annoyance.
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Oh, ours is every 4 years. Does yours flip for all 4 rides? Some platforms just have to egress with the dunker upright.
 
HH-60H said:
Oh, ours is every 4 years. Does yours flip for all 4 rides? Some platforms just have to egress with the dunker upright.
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Yep, it flips. Ours is for all personnel that fly offshore to the rigs (I guess how the egress goes is dependent on what rig), and you come across a lot of guys who just aren't comfortable in the water, so for them, it is hell. Plus, in most of our birds, egress will be tough with the layout of the birds, i.e. forward facing bench type seats, so to me, the training is not that realistic, since you will have 19 guys trying to shove out of a hatch, inverted and sinking.
 
Brett327 said:
Here's a question for the helo-savvy. At what point in the development of the helo did they figure out how to auto? Is this something that Igor planned for before his first flights, or something that evolved later?

Inquiring minds...

Brett
Click to expand...

From the little I know autorotation was first understood by the the Marquis de Pescara, an Argentinean working in Paris. It is believed that Pescara was one of the first pioneers to understand autorotation. He designed and built a helicopter (Model #3) which was the first to actually use a cyclic and tilt the blade "disk" in various directions. This was in 1924. "They" think his Model #3 would have been able to descend safely in the event of an engine failure.
Igor didn't come around until just before WWII, and I think he sold the Navy its first helicopter.
 
HH-60H said:
That's absolutely correct, except it leaves out the "rock and pull", no one could survive the straight up 2000 FPM descent (fall).
Click to expand...

Yeah, but then you get into the whole 2500'/min descent and 100% Nr represents Potential energy which is converted to kinetic energy on the "rock and pull" and that's where I like to press the "I BELIEVE" button. :sleep_125

I STILL suck at 60 autos...I thought we weren't allowed to do aerobatic flight!!! 55-60 degrees nose up I believe is aerobatic!

You know that the army is actually doing away with their practice autos because the risks are outweighing the benifits...and I have to say I don't blame them...when was the last time someone in a 60 pulled an actual auto not resulting from human error???

~D
 
ChunksJR said:
You know that the army is actually doing away with their practice autos because the risks are outweighing the benifits...
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I wonder what they mean. I am pretty sure that the Army does practice full autos to a slow running touchdown, which you can afford to do overland.
Maybe the mean they are stopping the touchdown, and just recovering after the autorotative descent?

ChunksJR said:
when was the last time someone in a 60 pulled an actual auto not resulting from human error???
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That is a good question. I don't personally know anyone who has had to, and I can't remember reading any mishap reports. I have heard a couple stories, but they are directly related to pilot error like you mentioned. I do, however, know of 1 instance of nearly losing tail rotor control, where you would need to auto.
 
60 guys,

Do you guys actually practice full autos to a touchdown? We only do the power recovery in the 53. Doing an auto in a 53 is something I don't want to do for real.
 
My onwing (60B pilot) said they don't do full autos in the 60, but being that I'm still in advanced, I can't say for sure.
 
Auots are alive and well in the Army. I can't remember the number, but when I went through I think it was just over 100 by the time you got out of primary.
It was not a task in 60 until a year or so ago. The big thing over in here in the sand box is doing low levels. Basically you have to an IP at a set of the controls to do them. I've seen some preety scared looks on faces as I've demonstrated them here. Fun stuff. If you keep the energy in the rotor where it needs to be and air speed up, the 60 autos like a champ. Below 80 knots and decaying rotor. Not so much.
 
Q-ball said:
60 guys,

Do you guys actually practice full autos to a touchdown? We only do the power recovery in the 53. Doing an auto in a 53 is something I don't want to do for real.
Click to expand...

No - One of our 4 prohibited NATOPS manuvers. Again the 45-60 degrees pitch is never fun for PRACTICE...let alone knowing that the engines aren't going to help you.
 
HH-60H said:
I do, however, know of 1 instance of nearly losing tail rotor control, where you would need to auto.
Click to expand...

Well, loss of tail rotor drive, yes you'd auto unless altitude/airspeed not enough to auto. Loss of T/R control, you're just looking for mom, Kuwait or Bahrain...anything with a runway - a "coordinated effort between the flying pilot on the collective and non-flying pilot on the PCLs to keep the nose straight" (part of the NATOPS brief).

Just keepin' you straight (no pun intended).
 
For you Stallion guys...what's the max GWT on those things anyway? Also, do you always have all three engines up and running, or just as the load demands to save gas?
 
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