Interesting responses, I think that the assessment can change when comparing a Super Puma to something like an A340-500. I know personally that the hardest conversion course I did in my life was the first conversion onto a fully intergrated fixed wing, possibly the only thing I found in common was what little situational awareness I sometimes possessed. Generally modern FW fly so well on the autopilot that we are actively encouraged to engage it as soon as possible after take-off and keep it there until the very last minute until landing (though the landing disengagement is not always necessary). Suprisingly for me, flying something like a A320 does have it's commonality with a 332L, it has a cyclic (of sorts) and the pitch and roll responses are very similar. Any of those out there who used SFENA on a 212 will remember that when the system infrequently worked it was transparent, well thats exactly what happens when you adjust the flight controls in an Airbus; it stays where you aim it and the autotrim sorts out the rest.
Contrary to what was offered before, we do set the take-off thrust to match the requirement albeit I get the point about doing cushion creep take-offs in a 212 with 2% available torque.
Engine failures are different, I would infinitely prefer a total power loss in a rotary wing, I know I would live to tell the tale. A fixed wing has a larger requirement for luck - such as the availability of a go-kart track which was once a runway being nearby. I always wondered why I have to do single engine ILS's as part of a skill test in a helicopter, the only constraining thing was the go around or as happened to me in Sumburgh, we went backwards with the gentle Shetland breeze (At least there wasn't a problem with the approach climb gradient).
In terms of other failures, helicopters are relatively simple, lowering the collective seems to cover 90% of ills, it is a matter of how much to lower it, I know, but it's usually a good start and the rest gets sorted out later. On the Airbus specifically, it's wonderful when working, it has a huge level of redundancy, but it becomes a real handful when you have a couple of failures on your plate. I suppose the oppotunity for the ever (over) enthusiastic trainer/tester to make your life difficult is amplified.
In the end - vive la difference.
Regards
TOD