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Old 20th Apr 2002, 03:03
  #146 (permalink)  
Nick Lappos
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Xnr,
There are about 5 different procedures for the S-76 family, with ground runs and without, all depending on the engine type, gross weight in the WAT curve, and exact procedures for the approach or departure. The basic one in the flight manual is the airport type procedure, where little attempt is made to shorten the landing distance, or the ground roll.

There is also a ground level heliport procedure, with no dip down after the cut on takeoff, and an elevated deck procedure with a dip below the helideck height after CDP. Both of these procedures are virtually zero ground roll on touchdown.

The FAA measures takeoff distance as that distance from the takeoff spot to clear a 35 foot barrier on climbout after an engine failure, and landing distance is that to clear the barrier on landing and then come to a full stop.

With some skill and practice, you can minimize the ground roll of even the airport procedure. You can land an S-76A on one engine at high gross weight, zero wind and roll less than one helo length fairly consistantly. The trick is to carefully control the speed on the way in, get to just above translational lift with almost no descent and at about 10 feet or so, then flare to kill off the speed, and cushion the landing. Practice with light weight, using partial torque to get the feel. Avoid too much nose up (10 degrees max at touchdown), too much rate of descent at touchdown, and too much rotor droop.