AS 350: "Hold my beer son and watch this!"

[megan]

Saw a post by Nick Lappos and some Sikorsky engineers on Facebook a couple of weeks ago where they talked of the severe reduction in component times as a result of the necessary manoeuvres made during test flying. Good enough for me to say stick to the book and no showboating.

Fatigue monitoring and accounting would protect against the consequences on airframe health of unconventional manoeuvres and control activity and provide a check for greater than usual fatigue life consumption.

https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/c...9940008821.pdf

Unlike fixed wing, military at least, we don't have fatigue counters.

Most helicopter manufacturers simply state in the RFM that "aerobatic manoeuvres" are prohibited, or not permitted, without actually stating what the numerical AOB/pitch/yaw limits are intended to be.

Aerobatic flight is defined in the particular certifying authorities regs. FAA where a lot of our machinery originates,

[left]§ 91.303 Aerobatic flight.No person may operate an aircraft in aerobatic flight -(a) Over any congested area of a city, town, or settlement;(b) Over an open air assembly of persons;(c) Within the lateral boundaries of the surface areas of Class B, Class C, Class D, or Class E airspace designated for an airport;(d) Within 4 nautical miles of the center line of any Federal airway;(e) Below an altitude of 1,500 feet above the surface; or(f) When flight visibility is less than 3 statute miles.

For the purposes of this section, aerobatic flight means an intentional maneuver involving an abrupt change in an aircraft's attitude, an abnormal attitude, or abnormal acceleration, not necessary for normal flight.

FARSec. 91.307

Parachutes and parachuting.

[(a) No pilot of a civil aircraft may allow a parachute that is available for emergency use to be carried in that aircraft unless it is an approved type and has been packed by a certificated and appropriately rated parachute rigger--
(1) Within the preceding 180 days, if its canopy, shrouds, and harness are composed exclusively of nylon, rayon, or other similar synthetic fiber or materials that are substantially resistant to damage from mold, mildew, or other fungi and other rotting agents propagated in a moist environment; or
(2) Within the preceding 60 days, if any part of the parachute is composed of silk, pongee, or other natural fiber or materials not
specified in paragraph (a)(1) of this section.]

(b) Except in an emergency, no pilot in command may allow, and no person may conduct, a parachute operation from an aircraft within the United States except in accordance with Part 105 of this chapter.
(c) Unless each occupant of the aircraft is wearing an approved parachute, no pilot of a civil aircraft carrying any person (other than a crewmember) may execute any intentional maneuver that exceeds--
(1) A bank of 60 degrees relative to the horizon; or
(2) A nose-up or nose-down attitude of 30 degrees relative to the horizon.
(d) Paragraph (c) of this section does not apply to--
(1) Flight tests for pilot certification or rating; or
(2) Spins and other flight maneuvers required by the regulations for any certificate or rating when given by--
(i) A certificated flight instructor; or
(ii) An airline transport pilot instructing in accordance with Sec. 61.67 of this chapter.
(e) For the purposes of this section, approved parachute means--
(1) A parachute manufactured under a type certificate or a technical standard order (C-23 series); or
(2) A personnel-carrying military parachute identified by an NAF, AAF, or AN drawing number, an AAF order number, or any other military designation or specification number.

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