Originally Posted by
megan
In all the training I received, Oz and USA military and civil it was stressed running landings in single hydraulic 204/205, (dual hydraulic system not a problem because you have one remaining) don't attempt to hover, so never tried, I prefer to follow the manual and what I've been trained to do, realising of course if you're presented with a situation where you have to you do your best, if you bend things then in the doing because you were unable to comply with the manual or training you can hardly be hung out to dry, only 3100 hours in the single hydraulic 204/205. If hovering hydraulics out is so easy why then the emergency procedure as written, even the humble 206 recommends a run on? Test pilot I ain't, I like to follow the manual.
From the Huey manual, bolding at 5 mine.
9-37. Hydraulic Power Failure. Hydraulic power failure will be evident when the force required for control movement increases; a moderate feedback m the controls when moved is felt, and/or the HYD PRESSURE caution light illuminates. Control movements will result m normal helicopter response. In the event of hydraulic power failure:
1. Airspeed - Adjust as necessary to attain the most comfortable level of control movements.
2. HYD CONT circuit breaker - Out. If hydraulic power is not restored:
3. HYD CONT circuit breaker - In.
4. HYD CONT switch - OFF.
5. Land as soon as practicable at an area that will permit a run-on landing with power. Maintain airspeed at or above effective transitional lift until touchdown.
Points 2+3+4 are very important, the last thing you want is for the hydraulics to suddenly decide to come back on when you are busy applying lots of force to the controls at the bottom of your approach. A surprising amount of guys missed point 3 “Hyd Cont CB-In” during training in the 206. A demonstration of pulling the CB and then having the student turn the hydraulic switch to OFF solved that problem.
One pilot for another company experienced a failure that had the hydraulics rapidly going on-off-on continuously …it was caused by contamination of the fluid which caused actuator problems..He stated it was very interesting until he got the system off. Of course it all happened during bad weather in a steep turn at low level as he was doing a recon of a confined area. (The aviation Gawds were just bored and needed a good laugh he guessed).
I experienced one actual in a 206 (total loss of hyd fluid) and 3 in AS350D ASTARS…2 belt failures and a pump failure. All ended in a no hover, zero speed landing on a small pad. Flying an Astar with no hydraulics for 20-30 minutes was good right hand / arm exercise. ( rule #1 turn off that ***** Car horn so you could think!) .
I had a # 2 pump failure in a 412 once too but that was just a “Land ASAPossible event”.
Never had an actual in a 204/205A or A-1 or 212. However, in our company training you were expected to land zero speed. We did, however, practice the slow speed run on too.