In the Huey and the Jet Banger, we practised 90 kt / 100 feet auto entries. The first action is flare to get an upward vector and keep revs with the flare effect, then the lever went smoothly down. Approaching 60 kts, adjust the attitude and allow descent at normal auto speed. (If you don't, the flare continues at 120 feet or so, you run out of flare effect and fall to the ground with 20 kts and decaying revs - could be messy. Anybody who did this was power terminated.) The flare height was lower because you didn't have that 1800'/min rate of descent, and it worked beautifully.
If you lower the lever FIRST, you are already descending at normal flare height. This results in an early flare to stop ROD, and it could not be fully developed due to ground proximity, so a high run-on speed resulted. Again, could be messy.
Constant attitude requires a certain amount of judgment, but if there is only one spot available and anywhere else is certain death, then put that spot in your chin bubble and come down at 30 kt. Go through the normal flare height.
When you think "Holy 5H1T!" and your clacker takes a bite of the seat cushion, take a bubby flare and a sharp pull on the collective to about 1/3 travel. The ROD stops, and the machine starts to move forward. Cushion on and dump the lever to stop before you hit the trees / fall off the cliff / zip into the bushfire. It might nose over, but you are on the correct side of the danger zone.
