Hover exit & entry

[gone birdy]

Can anyone give me some pointers on how to safely perform hover exits and entries? The helicopter used will be an R44.

An exerpt from a company procedures manual would be great too.

So far all I have is;
-Slowly shift body weight
-Do not push off of, or jump onto skid
-Secure seat belt after undoing it
-Stay low when under rotor disk

I feel iffy about performing the maneuver without some more information.

Thank you,
GB

[Fun Police]

your manual pretty much sums it up, i'd say. just give the exiting pax a good breifing as to exactly what you want done and how you want it doing. you are the boss.

[paco]

Here you go - feel free to paraphrase as necessary:

This is defined as allowing trained persons to enter or leave the helicopter without its full weight on the ground, and done where you can't land properly. There should be no danger to third parties and minimal risk to the aircraft, crew, seated passengers and those carrying out the activity (the major consideration is engine failure). Usually, being one or two inches off the ground is enough, but sometimes you might have to go up a couple of feet.

One passenger should be seated before the next gets on board. To give you a decent power margin, the weight should not greater than 95% of the maximum, and you should have at least a 15% power reserve in the low hover anyway. The time in the hover should not be more than the time limit for take-off power. Cargo should not shift.

Your safety briefings should include the effects of C of G changes, especially when it comes to toe-ins. Make sure your passengers transfer their weight slowly (no jumping off, and one at a time!) and not move the helicopter when shifting their baggage or closing doors.

A crew leader should be appointed, who will co-ordinate the procedure with the passengers and crew, normally being the last one out. If a gust of wind causes the aircraft to move, passengers should stay in if they are mostly in, or get out if they are mostly out.

Deplaning Procedure

Seat belts must be unbuckled as instructed, then rebuckled. Only one person or item of cargo should leave the helicopter at a time, from the left side, with the weights being gently transferred to the ground. One person should ensure that all doors are closed after everything has been unloaded. People and cargo should remain huddled ahead of the passenger door where you can see them until you depart.

Emplaning Procedure

Seat positions should be determined beforehand, with people and cargo huddled in a safe place beside the intended arrival area. People must only approach when signalled (either thumbs up, or an exaggerated head nod), from the left side, with only one person or item entering the helicopter at a time. Weights should be gently transferred from the ground to the helicopter. Seat belts should be immediately fastened once seated, and doors closed.

Phil

[3top]

DO a dry practise with the people involved first.
In the R-44 the compensation necessary for aircraft movement is substantial.

SLOW is the keyword.

Try to put down the left skid as it will take some moving out of the game.
PRACTISE this first - Like slope practise, but you never lower the right skid.

A lot of times you may not be able to get the whole skid down, but just the forward part or so.

Some pilots prefer to stay completely airborne, but on the R-44 it helps to put one skid in "touch"....

Stay calm and try to move the cyclic as little as possible - it will take quite a displacement to compensate for shifting weight, but this should be a slow smooth move - SLOW!

Best sequence (.... for me) to disembarque.

1) Rear left pax
2) Rear right pax shifts to left seat and exits and closes door
3) Front pax and closes door

Entry in reverse...

Once you get used to this it is quite fun! But watch it, it is serious flying, full concentration, no shenanigans!

Set it up slowly, you need enough power to hover AND possibly take off immediately with full weight.
I would not do it if I have not unlimted OGE capability...
If needed fly them in one by one...

Hover, stabilize, then "slide/drift in" slowly on top of the spot, then start feeling down slowly.
No one gets out until you indicate so!!

Good Luck and have fun!

3top:cool:

[skidbiter2]

Just my 2 cents worth

I mostly agree with all the comments, but my preference is for a little more pace when getting in or out, it is all personal preference. It just doesn't feel nice when people hop on the skid too slow, feels a little like you have a skid hooked on something to me.
If you are operating on a steep face or in a tight place, you don't want them taking to much time, they are either in or out, not mucking around out on the skid.
The helicopter won't be all over the place, if you are onto it!
Practice on the flat in the open first, and you will have no problem!

As I say, just my preference, just have a go!

[gone birdy]

Wow, thanks guys! That was instant gratification. No more iffy feeling.

GB

[Gordy]

Of course I prefer this method...Less chance of a skid catching on anything....

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j35/helokat/LaFonda/mc1.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j35/helokat/LaFonda/mc3.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j35/helokat/LaFonda/mc2.jpg

Of course picking them up again is a little tough...... (These were taken at our bi-weekly currency session).

[TwinHueyMan]

This stuff is fun! I got to do it with the local Sheriffs department during a training day... they do big events about once a year to train all the mountain rescue guys how to do it, along with some other nifty stuff. Very cool and very easy once I saw how it was done. The brief was simple... seatbelts obviously, calm movements, 1 at a time, and the normal watch the rotor blades and don't come till the pilot nods stuff. I wasn't the guy flying (obviousy, I was taking the pictures!) but the pilots seemed to handle it very well. Didn't seem too over tasking at all.

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p265/rotortwin/0636sm.jpg

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p265/rotortwin/IMG_8599sm.jpg

[Out-of-balance]

Great photos - Love to see an R44 pilot doing the police entry.:ok:

On a lighter note anyone see that latest issue of the Crash Comic? A a couple of R22/44 pilots had a chance to practice a hover enty on there own.:{

The old not tight enough friction trick...

[Floppy Link]

Read "Fatal Traps" case study 6:1

aircraft destroyed
2 fatal
2 serious
1 minor

...all from overenthusiastic hover emplaning.

...the pilot believed the crewman was aware of the procedure that had been established for boarding the helicopter from the wheelhouse roof...

Two guys on the skid. The second guy should have waited for the first to move to the other side of the aircraft and strap in, but he didn't. Pilot ran out of lateral cyclic, drifted into radar tripod on top of wheelhouse, skid got stuck, rolled over.