Land the Damn Helicopter!

[Anthony Supplebottom]

HeliHub has today published a message by Matt Zuccaro, HAI President, in which he airs his opinion about helicopter safety and, in particular, preventable accidents:

With the above in mind and assuming an acceptable landing site is available, why don’t pilots exercise one of the most unique and valuable capabilities of vertical flight — namely, land the damn helicopter! In a high percentage of crashes, this simple act would break the chain of events and prevent the accident.

I once spoke to a pilot who had survived an accident and asked why he hadn’t used his option to make a precautionary landing. He indicated he had not given it direct consideration and had focused instead on destination and mission completion. He admitted, though, that in the past he had worried about the scrutiny he would incur for making a precautionary landing. This didn’t surprise me. In my early days of flying, I, too, pondered the same issues at times, although luckily I don’t any more.

Pilots normally associate precautionary landings with the police showing up, their company incurring logistical and legal costs, upset passengers refusing to fly with them again, the FAA wanting an explanation, the press asking questions, and peers expressing opinions on their abilities.

Yes, these are all possibilities, but think about the reality of the available options. Option one: focus on the situation and its safety concerns, make the precautionary landing, prevent the accident, and have confidence that once you explain your decision, all those you were concerned about will support your actions. Option two: don’t make the precautionary landing and instead kill everyone on the aircraft and maybe some on the ground. Call me crazy, but this seems like a no-brainer.

Obviously, your primary goal should be to not get into this situation in the first place. However, the last time I checked, none of us are perfect. Accordingly, when such landings occur, the industry and authorities should recognize the event as being part of a healthy, positive safety culture. Bottom line: when appropriate, “land and live.”

I support this attitude, completely.

Do you suppose the BHA, CAA, helicopter operators and others would be willing to take steps to encourage an attitude which is more tolerant/forgiving of pilots who make precautionary landings?

Do you agree that making a precautionary landing is better than pushing-on in difficult circumstances?


HAI President Message ? Land the Damn Helicopter! | Helihub - the Helicopter Industry Data Source (http://helihub.com/2013/08/02/hai-president-message-land-the-damn-helicopter/)

[FC80]

I do seem to recall reading a safety leaflet from the CAA encouraging pilots to do exactly that - basically pointing out it's better to land in a field than push on and crash.

I'll see if I can find it.

[VeeAny]

The CAA have certainly tried to do this, and by their involvement in the Small Helicopter Safety Group so have the BHA.

The CAA published AIC Pink 146/2012 at the end of last year, looking at precautionary landings in deteriorating weather. It was circulated to all the members of the SHSG by its author prior to publication and several of us did comment on it, which resulted in some minor tweaks.

I agree a precautionary landing is sometimes the best option rather than pushing on, more education is needed to convince pilots they wont necessarily get the book thrown at them for doing so.

[Anthony Supplebottom]

Based on the initial two responses - can one assume that this is more of an issue to do with individual pilots and their perceived need to push on?

Can operators take a more active role in supporting pilots who elect to land rather than push on?

I am encouraged to hear of the statements by the CAA/BHA - a small glimmer of hope perhaps (in terms of attitude).

[206 jock]

Yeah but...there's also the flip side which is guys who put down where they don't have permission to visit nearby mates claiming that they 'had a light come on'.

Amazing how these defects suddenly rectify themselves....

[Anthony Supplebottom]

206 jock, this is a valid point.

Is it really a problem though - does it happen often?

Pilots abusing precautionary landings should certainly be penalised.

[muffin]

The whole question of landowners permission for landing has been debated at length in this forum, and in the UK at least it would seem that no offence is committed if you just do it ( safety considerations of course being observed).

Cue Flying Lawyer who will no doubt refer us to his post on the subject.

[Gemini Twin]

How can you get into trouble if you obey the approved flight manuals instructions. In most cases a RED light means land as soon as possible or failure which requires immediate action.

[Anthony Supplebottom]

If I have understood Zuccaro's comments correctly, this is not so much about land owner permissions or setting down in the event of an emergency but addresses those occasions where continued flight is at the discretion of the pilot.

Given Zuccaro's comments at the beginning of his statement (in the linked full text version) where he cites technical/mechanical failures being in the minority [in relation to accidents] I would say that much of his advocacy to "land" relates to flying in conditions of poor visibility.

[PANews]

Frustration in extremis!

As you know he is involved in this difficult to achieve plan to reduce helicopter accidents.... and it is simply not working out too well.

You could take it as a tirade against those [US] pilots who constantly put their head on the block by flying when everyone in their right mind would put down in a field or simply never get in the cockpit in the first place. It is not all US pilots of course - there are others who fly regardless - but that area is closer to home for him.

He writes articles to the industry regularly and I would assess that this example is his first where there are signs of sheer frustration - or perhaps even anger.

:ugh:

[SASless]

How can you get into trouble if you obey the approved flight manuals instructions.

That is the very least of One's problems in reality.

Worrying about Land Owner's Permission is sheer stupidity.

When you realize the weather is deteriorating.....or the aircraft is acting up in a dangerous manner.....or if the situation is beginning to exceed your capabilities....personal limitations.....and parking the birdie is the exact right way to stay alive and unhurt.....PARK THE DAMN THING!

If you are Alive, Un-hurt, and the Aircraft undamaged......who gives a stuff what the CAA/FAA, other Pilots, your Pax, or your Boss thinks......compared to NOT Landing and becoming yet another dreary statistic that shows you killing yourself for the same old worn out reasons.

Get a grip folks.....sometimes....it just makes good sense to find a place to park the helicopter, find a Pub, have a Pint....and admit you are not the Sky God you think you are!

[Joker's Wild]

As the old saying goes, "It's better to be on the ground wishing you were flying, than to be flying and wishing you were on the ground."

or

"A superior pilot is one who uses his superior judgement to avoid getting into situations requiring the use of his superior skill."

Sayings aside, we are all flying helicopters and if there is one thing helicopters do very, very well, it is being able to land quickly and almost anywhere.

I for one could/would care less what anyone might have to say if I choose to set my ship down, for any reason. Something tells me my passengers wouldn't mind either.

[500 Fan]

I am with SASless on this one. If in doubt, there is no doubt, just land it.

I think I have made 5 or 6 weather-related precautionary landings up to now, as a PPL. Only one of those resulted in the Gardai being called and they couldn't have cared less. I think a helicopter-related call was something out of the ordinary for them and with nothing but a parked helicopter to deal with, they were happy.

The most memorable precautionary landing I made occurred in some field near Athenry. I landed and shut-down with the weather closing in. I hadn't spotted the farmer's tractor until I was just going into the field. I got out and apologised for landing in his field and explained why I landed. He was delighted. He got on the phone to his wife and five minutes later his wife and kids arrived with tea and fruit cake and I waited out the weather in their car. If you have to land off-airport, do it in Ireland. No-one seems to care.:ok:

I did get slagged-off for regularly making precautionary landings but it seems ridiculous not to use this option when faced with bad weather en-route. I can't see what the police, IAA, land-owners or anyone else can do to you that is worse than death. There is very little worth worrying about that they can even do legally. If, as a commercial pilot, the heli owner and passengers aren't happy with your decision-making, if they search hard enough, they probably will find a pilot that will push on through and will kill them!

500 Fan.

[Gordy]

In the words of SASless:

"Ass, Tin, Ticket"

[SASless]

Aye Gordy.....that was how I lived my life herding Helicopters about the World.....and I am now just a dottering old geezer enjoying retirement. Along the way i met some really lovely people in some out of the way places....took a couple of Pickup Truck rides home, found some really nice Pubs with warm fires on some very foggy, wet, nasty days, used up one helicopter taking care of priority number one, and only had an extended index finger waving by the Authority (who left pencil in pocket) on one occasion and never had a violation filed away in my otherwise pristine but dog earred flying License. As I recall verbal chastisements were free! That incident with the kind Fed was about almost landing....only got within a few feet of the surface where he was fishing on a lake. How was I to know?

If you find yourself doing this landing out thing on an all too frequent basis....you need to brush up on your preflight planning standards. It should be a rare event....but one that is done without a second thought. As one mulls through all of the options on the Decision Tree.....it should be the one that is down at the bottom....but still an Option.

When you run out of Options....that is when bad things happen.

A smart Fox always has a bolt hole to use when needed.....and uses it when the Hounds start getting too close for comfort.

[ShyTorque]

The big problem that ought to be addressed first is not taking option three (which ought to be option one).

Namely, not taking off in the first place.

If you aren't instrument rated and flying an IFR capable, stabilised / autopilot equipped helicopter, it is highly dangerous to consider operating in weather conditions that might eventually become IMC.

I used to be required to fly totally unstabilised (floppy stick) helicopters at night on public transport missions, including police work where many jobs required a hover at altitude, not easy at the best of times. The UK's CAA eventually legislated against it after some high profile fatal accidents, including one occurring with a police helicopter flown by an ex-military trained pilot (who encountered very poor weather immediately after departure and became disorientated resulting in loss of control). The CAA's decision caused a lot of upset in the industry at the time, but in retrospect it was possibly the boldest and best thing they did for RW safety in recent years.

The industry and regulators in some supposedly advanced parts of the world haven't yet gone the same way and therein lies the problem. If the industry can't self regulate safety for commercial reasons, the regulator must level the playing field for all.

[SASless]

it is highly dangerous to consider operating in weather conditions that might eventually become IMC.

Shy.....is that not what analyzing the Weather Reports, Weather Forecasts, and consideration of localized Weather issues for your route of flight not supposed to be all about?

As in the USA....just because the FAA and your Operator will let you fly....doesn't mean you should or have to do so.

What we are talking about is what do you do...when you realize (or should realize) a Pub visit is in order!

[ShyTorque]

Exactly. You and I are still able to discuss the subject which means we are either both extremely lucky and/or made some difficult but fundamentally correct decisions in this respect. :ok:

I learned to say no sometimes because although a cautious decision might sometimes mean I make myself very unpopular for a while in my life, I prefer it to the thought of being forever unpopular and dead.

[SASless]

I wish the Ladies would say "Yes" as readily as do Helicopter Pilots.

Think of the money I could have saved on Drink and Dinners!:mad:

[bast0n]

SAS
You have your moments and this is one of them. Absobleedinlootley correct old son!! Who gives a Sh1t what people think if you are able to ring the wife and tell her you may be a bit late for supper - rather than a visit from the Padre................been there - done that!!

When you realize the weather is deteriorating.....or the aircraft is acting up in a dangerous manner.....or if the situation is beginning to exceed your capabilities....personal limitations.....and parking the birdie is the exact right way to stay alive and unhurt.....PARK THE DAMN THING

[mickjoebill]

Is this a normal collection of tall tales from 2000 hours in the charter world?
Precautionary landings experienced from the back seat shooting aerials.
Last incident was four years ago, touch wood.


Police ride along mission, AS355 elevated temp in something or other, immediate land in field at night and go home. (crack in exhaust found)

Media mission, AS355 oil indication problem, shut down one engine increase speed do a few orbits and figure out if we can continue to film, then return to base.

Media mission AS355 tail rotor chip light, travel and land near lunch, check chip, eat chips, and take off again. (repeat 2 more times in next 24 hours) Tail rotor gearbox replaced following day.

Media mission, R44, loud bang followed by smoke filling cockpit, immediate landing in long grass. (landing light blew)

Survey mission, AS350 failed electric fuel pump, travel and land close to the pie shop, eject passengers then fly back to base.

Media Ride along, Sea King, immediate landing due to reduction in control as well as vibration apparently due to foreign body standing on wheel strut.

One unplanned landing mid mission due to deteriorating weather.

One curtailed mission when pilot "had enough" after 6 hours of busy shot gathering/flying.

Scores of landings off field to clean the lens. Usually briefed in advance as to where landings can or cant occur.



Flights that were on the edge or marginal

In the '90s, SAR, dramatic reconstruction of night rescue over coastal cliff, strong winds driving rain, poor visibility, pilot described conditions as atrocious.

Media Mission, R44 in worst weather conditions experienced on Irish coast in years. Local SAR had cancelled training missions and critisised producer for flying.

Media Mission AS355, shooting presenter with dialogue on boat off Belgium coast in nil wind calm seas and fog. White out in one direction coast visible in the other. (pilot described as most nerve wracking and difficult flying he had ever done)

Media mission Bell 206, 5 pob, doors off, standing on skid shooting two presenters in rear, high and a little slow, 1.5 spins. Carry-on with a little more speed.

Media mission BO 105 almost hit trees on take off due to being overloaded, mission continued.

Media mission AS355 loud bang heard whilst over a bay, aircraft handling normally, continue mission, later fully examined by engineers, nothing found.

Media mission, AS350 persistent thin smoke/haze in cockpit, no sign of flames so continue with mission. 2 liters of oil found in rear bellypan a day later.

Media mission AS355 landed with very low fuel remaining at foreign domestic airport after primary and secondary airfields found to be closed.

[Stallion85]

A lot of them could very easy end as a statistic!

I slowly realise why insurance is so high for helicopters.
Some people need to ged rid of the "I need this job done - whatever it takes" attitude.:ugh:
All you* need is to bring all back safely!

Even military pilots cancel SAR missions when there is something wrong with the helicopter (OEI for example).
Do you* really think your job is more important than someones (yours, the PX and someone you might hit on the ground) life?

*I do not mean someone specific when I write you!

Question: How do flightschools handle this? Do they teach students anything about it? (risk management or whatever you want to call it) My school and after that my company had regular days where accidents and incidents were presented and discussed. Most of them covered this topic. Pilots pushing to far!

[John Eacott]

Question: How do flightschools handle this? Do teach students anything about it? (risk management or whatever you want to call it) My school and after that my company had regular days where accidents and incidents were presented and discussed. Most of them covered this topic. Pilots pushing to far!

Since 2008, CASA has had a Threat and Error Management (TEM) (http://www.casa.gov.au/scripts/nc.dll?WCMS:STANDARD::pc=PC_90084) component of the CPL and ATPL syllabus.

An old thread about it: CPL Human Factors & TEM (http://www.pprune.org/pacific-general-aviation-questions/392194-cpl-human-factors-tem.html) has some more links.

GAPAN Australia have a TEM training package available, sponsored by CASA.SafeSkies (http://www.casa.gov.au/wcmswr/_assets/main/lib100030/banks-tem.pdf) had a presentation in 2011.

[Two's in]

It also comes down to a fundamental lack of imagination and curiosity in some cases. If you can't imagine how a CWS caption or some other indication of a problem can become a smoking hole in the ground (with you in the middle of it) in 30 seconds or less, you probably shouldn't be flying. That very old adage about helicopter pilots looking old and worried because "if something hasn't gone wrong, it's about to" will keep you alive.

As for the "illegal landing" conundrum, again if you don't have the intellectual capacity to make the correct decision between selecting a potentially life saving course of action (landing), or having a legal dialogue over your choice of landing site, you should turn in your license now, or at least the captaincy part.

[SASless]

If you can't imagine how a CWS caption or some other indication of a problem can become a smoking hole in the ground (with you in the middle of it) in 30 seconds or less, you probably shouldn't be flying.

Name one Warning Caption that meets the 30 second Criteria you just set forth!

[HeliHenri]

.

A real pilot :

http://www.dailyrecord.com/article/20130801/NJNEWS/308010022/Helicopter-makes-emergency-landing-Roxbury-s-Fenimore-Landfill?nclick_check=1

And what the authorities think of it :
"The pilot simply made the responsible decision to touch down until the rain let up, according to police, who said firefigthers and police responded as a precuation." :D

.

[Heli-News]

BBC News - RAF helicopter forced to land in field in Old Colwyn (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-west-wales-23603388)

[ShyTorque]

Name one Warning Caption that meets the 30 second Criteria you just set forth!

I know of a few on the RWR that might be a bit worrying...

[SASless]

Shy,

We are not talking about "worrying" here.....this was the statement I took issue with.


If you can't imagine how a CWS caption or some other indication of a problem can become a smoking hole in the ground (with you in the middle of it) in 30 seconds or less, you probably shouldn't be flying.


Hit the Stop Watch and count off 30 Seconds.....can you point out exactly which CWS Panel Segment Light you would classify as such a Situation?

[ShyTorque]

That was possibly a bit of an over dramatic statement but "Rotor Brake ON" on a S-76 with an electric rotor brake might do it for you.

[Dick Sanford]

Knowing when to put the aircraft on the ground in a given situation comes under the realm of 'risk management'. One of the problems faced in a situation is that without knowing the real risks, the pilot is not able to properly evaluate different courses of actions or outcomes. The pilot tends to revert to their training when faced with an in flight dilemma, so if they have not been taught what to do, they have nothing to call on. Training schools need to spend more time teaching 'blogs' how to manage risk. It is risk misperception and not high risk tolerance that is associated with exposure to hazardous aviation events. In other words " the pilot does not go out there with the intention of killing themselves and their passengers". "Keep the RPM in the green"

[SASless]

I rode with some exceptions to that concept.....as they intentionally tried to commit suicide and murder all at the same time. They did not realize what it was they were doing....but the result would have been the same.

Training cannot teach Judgement.

It is the lack of judgement that kills more pilot than the lack of training.

Training can instill bad Monkey Memory as well as good Monkey Memory.

One can read a checklist.....but you do not need a Checklist to "Think".

Reason and Judgement can overcome lack of training.....especially if the problem does not find itself neatly listed in the Checklist or Training Syllabus.

I have seen the Rote Memory......Follow the Checklist....comply with Company SOP mindset kill folks in the Simulator (Thankfully....it was only the Sim).

[Dick Sanford]

I am not talking about 'check lists' I am talking about ' risk management'. Get blogs involved in the flight decisions, pre, during and post. Put them into situations where they need to evaluate the situation, fly them into deteriorating weather, get them to react fully to a caution light by flying the aircraft to the ground. There are plenty of situations you can give blogs (safely) that will allow them to build some basic judgmental/decision making skills. At the moment we tend to send them out without anything. Keep the RPM in the green.

[Tailspin Tommy]

Anti-US attitude right to the grave, eh PA?
BRILLIANT!!!!

[SASless]

How does One "manage" something One does not "control"?

[Dick Sanford]

Not sure about exactly what I am unable to control!

[rhcemployee]

interesting thread here guys.
after experiencing my first (and only, so far) autorotation landing i am sure that this is an option that most pilots use as a last resort. am i wrong on this?
i am not a pilot but i did stay at a holiday inn last night.
sorry...i am not a pilot but i do build robinsons for a living here in torrance and there is nothing but extreme care and multiple oversight that goes into every single part that makes up your R22, R44 or R66.
things can and do still go wrong but, in most cases, you guys still have an option that most fixed wing pilots don't.
gotta go with the "land the dang thing" attitude.
walk away and "grab a pint" sounds good to me. easier on the families on the ground, too.
happy flying guys.

[Dick Sanford]

Welcome rhcemployee. Give my regards to all at RHC and will see you all in Oct.
Keep the RPM in the green.

[Anthony Supplebottom]

Let me add my welcome to rhcemployee.

You must catch-up with one of our members "Vertical Freedom" as he is a keen Robinson fan and would love to know more about your experience building Robinsons and in particular about the "extreme care and multiple oversight that goes into every single part that makes up your R22, R44 or R66" - ;) :ok:

after experiencing my first (and only, so far) autorotation landing i am sure that this is an option that most pilots use as a last resort.

I assume you mean a practice autorotation? To answer your question, it is a technique primarily used in response to an engine failure in single-engine helicopters but is also used to address other emergencies including engine overspeed (governor failure), some occasions of tail rotor failure and other technical failures, such as engine fire, in which disengaging the engine would be appropriate.

Regarding landing in response to weather and technical problems, as opposed to pushing on, I'm glad to see several common sense responses.

New pilots, and a few not so new, please remember some of the wise remarks made in recent posts. If weather or technical issues are closing in on you, reducing your options or exerting unacceptable pressure on you - LAND!

[Dick Sanford]

Anthony, you have raised a topic very close to my heart; autorotation.

You listed some of the reasons a helicopter pilot would autorotate, they are all associated with an emergency. Therefore it is understandable that autorotations are associated with very scary things happening and therefore create very high heart rates when conducting them. We only teach autorotations as a reaction to an emergency and in my mined this is wrong.
Autorotation is a normal phase of flight, it is a method used to reduce height quickly for reasons other than emergency. Therefore if we taught autorotation as a normal phase of flight, then said to blogs; look we can also use autorotation in an emergency, would this not change the helicopter pilots perception of autorotation? In other words it would not be associated with 'I'm about to die'
but just putting the helicopter in another normal phase of flight.

Apart from what I have just said about autorotation being a normal phase of flight, Can I just point out that you do not autorotate in the event of a governor failure, or in the event of an overspeed, or at any time other than as stated in the POH. These are not emergency s that require that sort of reaction.
One of the major causes of accidents is the pilot over reacting to benign indications in the cockpit.

Keep you RPM in the green.

[rhcemployee]

yes dick, it was, indeed a practice auto-rotation landing and that really doesn't make it any less spooky. to hear the motor noise cut down to almost zero tended to make me a little nervous.
after the pilot said "we are going to do an auto-rotation landing" my first response was...awww man, really.
stop by the weld bay inspection station and say hi when you get into town. i am the old guy with the big white goatee.
happy flying guys.
love this site.

[Anthony Supplebottom]

Dick - I would like to think that most QHI's teach autorotation as something non-mysterious. Moreover I have worked with many drivers who's heart wouldn't skip a beat in the event of an emergency (although I'm willing to admit they might quickly become quite focused). There are some very level-headed "cool" drivers out there!

If you experience a governor failure which leads to an uncontrollable engine overspeed (something which is also possible as a result of t/r failure) and which cannot be manually controlled, there is no alternative but to shut the engine down - and in a single that means entering autorotation!

[Dick Sanford]

Hi Anthony. Not sure that I understand why you would not be able to control a governor overspeed (i take it that you are referring to a runaway up)? The pilot should be able to grip the throttle and take control via the slipping clutch and then switch the gov' off. Which is the reason for the clutch and which is the procedure in the POH. I am also unsure how a T/R failure might cause an uncontrollable engine overspeed. Also, entering autorotation does not necessarily require the pilot to 'shut the engine down' which I take means switching it off. Why would you turn a bad situation into a really bad situation by removing the engine?

Keep the RPM in the green.

[Anthony Supplebottom]

Hi Anthony. Not sure that I understand why you would not be able to control a governor overspeed (i take it that you are referring to a runaway up)?

Not every runaway can be manually manipulated with the FCL/throttle and low side failures obviously necessitate (for singles) entering autorotation. A shorn t/r driveshaft can result in an engine overspeed which, again, may not necessarily be easily controllable via manual manipulation of the FCL.

[Dick Sanford]

Ok Anthony, I am on your page now.
Agreed, some situations would require closing throttle and or engine shut down.
Autorotation is therefore the only option for a single engine pilot.

Keep your RPM in the green.

[Anthony Supplebottom]

This is where the internet sometimes fails us for in a normal conversation one would be able to effortlessly explain one's perspective.

And yes, single engine aircraft obviously offer fewer options in regard to engine related problems.

[Dick Sanford]

Agreed.

Keep the RPM in the green.