Hi all,
just received a factory transition for the B3.
The instructor would not use the HYD button on the console to simulate a failure, but hit the warning light button (incl. the gong) and call out the emergency.
If it was to be a HYDR failure, I would slow down to 65kts and switch off HYD at the collective and then slow further to about 55 to 60.
Reinforced with a video clip from some botched test flight in Mexico, I was indoctrinated to NEVER touch the HYD button of the console in flight when a real HYD failure is suspected, as it would render the TR basically unusable.
The only time ever one should touch the HYD-console button (in flight) is when a loss of TR-control is suspected (pedals stuck, etc.) In this case pressing the console-HYD-button will return the pedal/TR position to somewhere neutral.
After that - 4-6 sec, one would reset the HYD button in the up/on position to restore hydraulics to the rest of the system.
The resulting approach was done at about 75 kts with left slip, slowing down for a running landing at about 35-25 kts, but with hydraulic control on cyclic and collective.
It was mentioned that a few accidents (like the one news-copter in New York) where due to inadequate pilot training:
Something goes wrong with the hydraulics and for lack of knowledge they just hit "some" hydraulic button, with resultant loss of TR-control.
If in a B3 and suspecting anything wrong with hydraulics, the collective is the only place to switch them!!
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