1) Vortex Ring State (VRS) can happen at as little as 300 foot per minute descent, it does not have to be a higher descent rate
- If you are in a hover, I could buy that. Just can't imagine that happening with forward airspeed, above ETL.
2) VRS is more likely at high altitude and high gross weight
- Possibly, however, demonstrations in the 407, with half a bag of gas, myself and the Instructor were the only two in the aircraft, it was very easy to get it into VRS once the airspeed was at ETL or below.
3) Hovering with the nose off wind consumes much more power
- Much more? Where is the wind? Less power with right pedal application, because you are using the engine torque (in Bell aircraft that is).
4) Blade stall is always preceded by vibration
- Haven't the slightest idea, I'm not a test pilot and hope I never find out...got to be honest and know my limitations!
5) Winds affect the power we require when we are in forward flight
- Doubt it...fuselage and tail will weather vane into the wind during slight crab angles...if the wind is 90* off the fuselage, there wouldn't be any further power requirements, and if the wind was off the tail, we would have a higher ground speed.
6) Downwind takeoffs are absolutely forbidden
- Well, it's not a smart thing to do with smaller A/C (206B,L, schwietzer 300's, MD 500"s, etc.) If you've got an A/C with good power, I see no big deal. I see Blackhawks, 53's, 47's do it all the time. Fact is I was taught to use the wind to your benefit, and it is a safety concern in the A/C I fly.
7) The Height Velocity curve is a precise guide to the engine failure danger zone
- Not precise, just a limitation by the manufacturer to prevent lawsuits
8) Engine failure is the most common accident cause, so full CAT A is the most cost effective safety enhancement we can incorporate into new helicopters.
- Nope, Pilot error is the most common. CAT A is a relatively safe way to take-off and depart, but Pilot error could still screw that up.
9) The legal definition of VFR is sufficient to assure flight control and safety using outside references
It's a great discussion on the subject, in the U.S anyway...
10) "They" sometimes hide things from us. We should not trust them, the only reliable information we can trust is our own wits.
- "They" need a life and perhaps get laid.
11) The helicopter is perched on a ball of high pressure air when close to the ground, and "falls off" this ground cushion when it moves forward.
- I could by that...the reason for adding a tiny bit of collective on takeoff before and during ETL.
12) Phase lag is cause by gyroscopic precession, and is always exactly 90 degrees
- Sure, in a two bladed helicopter.
13) LTE is when you run out of power pedal and can be experienced by any single rotor helicopter.
- I am sure some will come on and say "only in Bell OH-58, Bell 206B,L etc. etc.) But I have seen videos of other manufacturers experiencing the same thing, especially the Aircrane video, that's at the top of my list! So yeah, it can happen with single rotor heli's with a tail rotor.
14) NVG are dangerous and should only be used by gifted military pilots.
- What a crock...that's an improvement on safety...especially when the Pilot receive proper training.
15) You have to first learn to fly fixed wing before you take helicopter training
- I didn't...and quite frankly, fixed wing Pilots have the hardest time, having seen those coming through the Academy.
16) Torque limits, overspeed limits, temperature limits, hours and airframe limits have huge safety factors built into them by the engineers, so it is OK to bust them every now and then.
- Well, I'm in it not only for flight, but to live to fly again. If I am in flight and exceed the flight time, or my survival depends on it, that I can live with...but anything intentional or my survival option is within my boundaries, I trust the engineers, having seen what they do to test those limits.
