Problems with Autos
Howdy,
As a newly-minted PPL(H) (Robinson R-22) :-) -- I agree with the folks here. You NEED to 'slide over' to another instructor -- and here's the kicker -- to an instructor who's not "constantly guarding the controls" but who gives you, over your headphones, the necessary pointers that results in a successful maneuver.
Also agree with taking the ship up to 3000' - and SLOWLY lowering the collective - then establishing a 60kt. attitude and seeing for yourself!!! - that once you 'set' the attitude/airspeed and 'set' the collective so that the RPM is in the green - that you can, literally, hold "that" for a really, really long time. It then 'sticks' in your noggin that "chasing" the needles is a whole waste of time -- instead, just 'set' it and 'monitor it' as you descend. SMALL inputs is all that's needed. Emphasis on SMALL!
If everything else (i.e. other maneuvers) is going swimmingly -- sounds to me like you are ready for your 'final prog check' or 'checkride' itself -- and all you need to do is be able to 'on demand' (do) several (let's say 3) "straight-in" autos - one after the other - and each within PTS tolerances.
I personally found that if you can do the maneuvers - on demand - and do three of them - in sucession -- then you are 'ready'.
Good luck -- and remember...
Down collective (slowly!)
Right Pedal
Aft cyclic
"Baby" check (of the collective -- because the descent AND your aft cyclic input WILL make the RPM's "go up".)
..and then just...
"RPM -- airspeed -- spot" -- using GENTLE inputs
until the point when you should be starting the flare. If the RPM needle is 'top of the green' -- then 'check' the collective so as to bring it down to the bottom of the green -- because when you pull back on cyclic for the flare - she'll "spike" -- and it's a lot better to 'spike' from green into the yellow than spike from yellow into the red ! :-O
Adjust the 'agressiveness' of the flare depending on the winds. If the winds are zero or very light - then you'll have to flare 'a lot'. If the winds are 'high' - then you should 'baby flare' first - then increase the flare so that you 'dissipate energy' rather than balloon.
Then pitch forward -- and as you're pitching forward -- roll the throttle back on so that the needles are 'encouraged' to join -- and then pull on the collective (and add left pedal) so as to end up about 5' away from the earth.
Yep, yep, I know, autos from 700' or so are over lickety-split - and thus, there's very little time to - not only complete the maneuver safely - but to also LEARN -- BUT -- trust me, we've all been there -- and it will come.
Cordially,
Gerry
CPL-A/S-MEL-IA
PPL(H) <-- :-)