Lutefisk989 -
I would have to think hard about what is safer and even able to prove. If you accomplish an auto to a point in space, in a max gross weight machine, and are trying to prove ZERO rate of descent and acceptable forward speed, you will need to have DGPS, cameras filming the point in space ect.. When you perform the maneuver you will be flying that max gross weight machine to a point in space, performing a good flare, getting the forward speed (hmmm are we referencing ground speed with no wind via a GPS or relying on an airspeed indicator during a large flare) to an acceptable speed- then we will push forward cyclic to get the nose down to at least level if not an accelerative attitude, which will further decay NR. Now we will be getting the PLA back to the fly position, NR will be below normal and we will be re-entering autorotation while the engines are coming up to catch the NR. I think I like touchdown autos, and in the heavy ship I will take the groundslide/roll, at least I have normal pilot references to the ground, and am proving confidance in the machine design. You will also be accomplishing work-ups from faster touchdown to slower as you gain experience and probably will start at a lower gross weight at first as well as doing a few power recoveries in the flare during work-up.