Flight 08; Autorotations
by Philip Greenspun; revised March 2006
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Objective
The student will get an introduction to performing a complete
autorotation with power recovery.
Elements
- quick stops
- autorotations from 600' AGL to the surface, with power recovery
Schedule
- 0-30 minutes: drive to helicopter hangar and preflight inspection
- 30-40: startup
- 40-50: student air taxis to Taxiway Whiskey or Romeo for hover
practice
- 50-60: air taxi and quick stop at Hanscom (repeat)
- 60-70: patterns with autorotations to the ground, with power
recovery (emphasize bringing the power back in during the flare,
joining the needles early)
- 70-80: patterns with normal takeoffs and approaches, each pattern
involving a different challenge (alternator failure, governor failure
with low RPM, warning light)
- 80-90: one more autorotation plus three hover autorotations on the
East Ramp just before going back to the hangar (we do these last
because we will be light on fuel and therefore the skids won't suffer
as high impact loads)
- 90-110: put helicopter away
- 110-120: discussion
Completion Standards
The student should be able to enter an autorotation without
substantial changes to the aircraft's attitude or trim. The student
should be able to hold airspeed between 60 and 70 knots during the
glide and rotor RPM between 97 and 104 percent. The student should
begin the flare +/- 15' of the 40' AGL altitude recommended by
Robinson. The student should be aware of the potential for
overspeeding the rotor system during the flare.
Evaluation
Reading Assignment
Read Chapter 11 of the Rotorcraft Flying Handbook and the
Emergency Procedures (section 3) of the R22 P.O.H.
Read about slope operations.