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Old 14th Sep 2010, 07:16
  #18 (permalink)  
perfrej
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Saltsjöbaden, Sweden
Age: 65
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Traned it a few weeks ago

In Swedish proficiency checks, failed tail rotor control is always on the list of things to practice (even for PPL(H)).

Like Gordy says: fly the aircraft - you are not in a hurry. Assuming stuck controls in neutral:

1)
Make a shallow approach at fairly good speed, and don't let the speed go down. Having the wind just a little to the right (in an EC120, or left in a B206) is preferred

2) Bleed off speed at very low altitude without applying too much power. Your nose will be pointing right (again, values for clockwise, like EC120) and you should be skid low rear right

3) Slightly flare to bleed off more speed, use collective only to avoid hitting the ground.

4) As the speed goes to close to zero and you apply just a tad more collective to stay aloft, the spin comes to the left. Cut power immediately and make sure that you do not drift left and that the aircraft is level

5) The spin stops and you do a normal hovering auto (wrong word, I know). Just make sure you catch the drift to the left with cyclic!

About the wind direction... If you, in a clockwise heli, have the wind in just a bit to your right, said wind will actually help arrest the spin as the tail swings into it! The effect of that little detail can be amazing!

My type rating instructor for the 206 showed me what happens when you just come in and hover with stuck neutral. The spin isn't that bad and if you don't have too much wind you can actually stay hovering and spinning for quite some time. The 206 B-II does about 1 revolution per second in this condition, and when you cut power the spin stops perfectly just before the skids touch the ground.

I cannot believe that these procedures are not trained everywhere. Even though it is a rare event (I think), the procedure and the coordination skills to do it well are worth training!
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