Helicopters can't fly

[Dave Abrahamson]

Re: Helicopters can't fly

Try flying an R/C one where your perspective constantly changes in relation to the helicopter.<br />Learning to hover is like learning to stand on a basketball. Helicopters, IMHO, are a bazillion parts trying to violently shake themselves apart.

 

[Limited-Time]

Re: Helicopters can't fly

Originally posted by Stan_Deezy:<br /> Having been in three helo's that have met the ground at high speed unexpectedly I fully agree: helicopters can't fly

Stan, your statement should have been proceeded by: In my highly educated opinion, (experience being ultimate educator). BTW 3 times, and still here to talk about it, amazing.

 

[stan_deezy]

Re: Helicopters can't fly

Yes LT I agree to both statements: I should've put "educated" and yes I consider myself to be extremely lucky although I started to wonder why the rest of the crew tried to change rota everytime they saw my name on the crew sheets <br /><br />Two of the incidents were tail rotor gearbox failures: luckily both occurred on the field as we were taking off/landing.<br /><br />The other crash was as a result of a pilot testing his autorotate skills. We dropped like a stone until he finally got the AoA right and then as the blades came up well above speed he re-engaged the engines when the revs were way too high: result one eight ton man-hole cover <br /><br />All the accidents occurred in the Mk6 Seaking and no, I don't fly anymore <br /><br /><br />Lost a very good buddy when the control rods for the swash plate jammed as the pilot tried to climb: the helo lost climb and crashed into the sea tail first breaking her back in the process.

 

[Limited-Time]

Re: Helicopters can't fly

I have a buddy graduated from Spartan School of Aeronautics as a fully certified aeronautics mechanic. He has said MANY times he would not fly in a helicopter, way, way, to many moving parts to be safe any where but on the ground. BTW same guy flew crop dusters for a living before moving on to commercial air craft. Flew with him a few times in small planes, MAN WHAT A RIDE, don't think all he did was legal by FAA rules but man it was fun.

 

[KaGee]

Re: Helicopters can't fly

Discovery Channel did a thingy on Helo's a while back. They featured pilot training in the Royal Air Force.<br /><br />In order to complete training, the student has to successfully "hard land" the aircraft.<br /><br />They get some altitude and then cut off power. Done correctly, the aircraft "glides" as the rotors still rotate and they can pilot it down to a skid type landing. Not something I would want to do. Sounds like something Stan might have experienced.

 

[jtexas]

Re: Helicopters can't fly

here's a really good website including video showing how the swashplates work - how stuff works<br /><br />I guess the engine turns at a constant RPM in all phases of flight?<br /><br />Interesting - my drive to work takes me past a Bell Helicopter test field (a couple blocks from the plant) - I remember seeing the v22 out there a couple times, but it's been a few years.

 

[stan_deezy]

Re: Helicopters can't fly

Originally posted by KaGee:<br /> Sounds like something Stan might have experienced.

Yep! That's the autorotate procedure: basically you disengage the drive from the rotors then let the helo fall through the air. As you adjust the angle of the blades you get them to pick up speed: the idea is that the blades pick up enough speed to allow you some control as you land. Pilots practise it a lot but on the above occassion he got it way wrong because he "let the clutch in" with the revs too high.<br /><br />The thing that always bothered me was that it was SOP to take-off then hover at several hundred feet and do a "power-test". Basically take both engines up to 105% or 110% power(memory is going!) and hold them there for a minute or two. When I first experienced this I asked "why?" and the reply I got was.......<br /><br /><br />"....to see if anything falls off or breaks"