Originally Posted by
gulliBell
Yep, I'm wondering the same thing, why so high? Doing rejected elevated heliport night takeoffs in a S76 from 60' CDP is a pretty harrowing experience on the way down. I'd be uncomfortable being needlessly exposed any higher without airspeed.
I agree with you totally, the vertical profile in the S76 is and aggressive manouvre from the start, and several aircraft have been damaged practising the reject. In fact the RFM actually states that you should go light in the seat when you drop the collective.
The back up profile as used in this case, and on most AirBus helicopters actually is quite gentle. You have power in hand (it should never need full power until you rotate into forward flight), keep the take-off point in view all the time and the reject is a reduction in collective to contain the power (not slamming it down) drop the nose around 8 degrees and the aircraft flies back to the take-off point slowly and under full control, over the pad use collective to cushion the touch down. Like a few of the posters on this thread I use that technique most working days, I trust it, and practise rejects every six months. I never liked the S76 vertical due to the application of full power when on the ground, the loss of site picture and aggressive reject.
Give me what Eric did every time. The back up technique also guarantees obstacle clearance in the event of an engine failure after TDP.
And for those who doubt a goose could down a helicopter, how about the Blackhawk in January 2014 in Cley, Norfolk, UK, But I really don't believe either geeese, mute swans or anything else at the moment.
SND