To: RW-1
If you will note, those that have responded to the test request have not posted any objections or saying “that” here we go again. The original test request response from most of the respondents stated that it would be against sound flight principles or would impact flight safety or, it would require a test pilot to perform the test. None of them if I remember correctly took your point of view in that I should perform the test myself. This new test is something that every helicopter pilot would do just prior to lift off in that he is checking control response to control input. The only deviation from that normal test is that I put a restriction in that the movement must take place from the rigged neutral position and that it be done on the ground.
I would expect that most helicopters would have the desired response in that with the cyclic moved forward from the rigged neutral position the disc would tip down over the nose. The same would be true for other helicopters that the disc responds in the same sense of cyclic movement with the cyclic displaced left or right. I also don’t appreciate your stating that if the test was performed correctly and the feedback was contrary to my theory that I wouldn’t believe what I was told. The final arbiter in this matter is the NTSB and based on what I was told they may not perform the test for reasons that may be explained in another post.
I proposed that this control input / response test is performed from the rigged neutral position. If you don’t know where that is, ask your mechanic or, check the maintenance manual as it tells you the exact position the cyclic must be placed when rigging the helicopter.
To: SPS
In performing the test in the hover you have displaced the cyclic to compensate for lateral CG and tail rotor propeller effect. Do the same test on the ground with low pitch. The reason for this is to keep the blades in the pure radial (centrifugal loading with no coning) position. This will minimize pitch coupling and the disc will only teeter and the blades will not flap.
To: The Nr Fairy
Sounds good, but was the stick in the rigged neutral position when you performed the test?
To: Flight Safety
I have the report. Assuming that the test was demonstrated in forward flight the results show that the cyclic was always to the right of its neutral travel (Fore and aft). You will note that the test began at thirty knots most likely when they had passed through transverse flow effect (inflow roll) which would have required left cyclic input..
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The Cat
[This message has been edited by Lu Zuckerman (edited 18 March 2001).]