Why helicopter takes off one side first?
I´m helicopter pilot in Brazil and CFI.
When I´m teaching a new student, they keep asking me why a Robinson helicopter takes off the right side first.
I lot of friends here, explain that the reason is ´cause the main tank is at the right side, so the aircraft is havier in this side. But I really dont believe in it. The tank is so near to the main rotor shaft that I dont believe that the small amount of weight can change so drastically th CG.
When you have to taxi the helicopter and you are in a low fuel condition, the R66 for example, seems to have this condition maximised.
At second, I thought It could be as a result of tail rotor thrust, so to compensate this force, the main rotor shaft is tilted a little to the right. But this is just a guest. And I couldnt find anything in the maintenance manual that could validate my guest.
This morning I was in a Helicenter here and I was watching a Squirrel (Eurocopter AS-350) landing and it was easy to see the same thing happening.
Well, I still think that it has something to do with the engineering stuff, not just a matter of weight.
Can someone help me with this and explain why the helicopter takes off and land one side first?