Can I throw my pennies worth in?
Most of this is excellent advice if you have or can acheive forward flight!
Most helicopters, particularly military & emergency services, spend large chunks of their life in the hover. Where you're pulling the most power & as such putting the most strain on the machine.
I've had a tail rotor drive failure at 40' just prior to landing & a rather too well publised tail rotor control failure at 380' in the hover.
I can assure you thinking time was at a premium, ie there wasn't any.
By 'eck what I'd do to have one fail in the cruise! <img src="rolleyes.gif" border="0">
The wind issue is to do with the tail & the old weather cock effect, as previously mentioned by those far more astute (is that a word??) than I.
On the subject of simulators...they cannot show you exactly what will happen & perhaps aren't entirely realistic BUT they do place that seed of thought in your mind. I felt the sim time I've had helped alot. If nothing else it allows your brain to make the connection quicker.....'hmmm we're turning.....aaah.....b*gger'.
Cracking replies though....aaah we never stop learning! <img src="smile.gif" border="0">