Originally Posted by
Ewan Whosearmy
When I did my PPL(H) in 1998, an AFI demoed an auto from the hover at 1,000'. Rolled off the throttle, dumped collective, pedal turned through 180, controlled RRPM with lever, nosed down for forward airspeed, flared and cushioned landing with lever in the normal way. Type was R-22.
I was only shown it because I asked to see it, but when I asked what its real-world applicability was, they said it would most likely be a skill for pilots doing line work and pylon work. They seemed to suggest that if you took out the pedal turn, you could achieve the same from significantly lower than that.
But that was a simulated engine failure: The only yaw reaction is the one induced by the planned actions of the AFI. This accident looks like a catastrophic anti-torque failure in a helicopter with a much higher mass. The response will always be behind the event and the attitude of the aircraft at the point of failure and immediately following failure is not known. I really don‘t think a comparison can be made.
As an aside, the R22 will also indulge maneuvers that an AW169 almost certainly wouldn‘t. Zero speed auto? Expect an extremely dangerous rate of descent once the aircraft has finished accelerating (this in itself would require hundreds of feet) - lethal at low altitudes; 180 pedal turn during such an auto would also likely cause huge structural stress. Can’t imagine test pilots having that high on their list of things to try.