EOLs
Well ... remember how I opened this thread .... three pilots - at least four answers! I haven't actually counted the variation of engine-out handling procedures offered, but I think I qualify for a QED.
Thanks S for the 206 video, but I'd estimate the ASI was showing 50 knots most of the way down and was not what I would describe as a constant attitude/no flare technique. Using the ubiquitous Enstrom as my example, and for the right student pilot, I occasionally teach the 'constant attitude technique to achieve a pin-point touch down.' The exercise is ... 20-30 knots maximum ASI reading while holding a 'steady state,' near vertical autorotational descent (w/v dependent) ... wings level, stable lever position (mostly fully down) when, in the Enstrom, the cyclic can be trimmed to a 'hands-off' position.
Looking through the chin windows, the target needs to be held in a constant position relative to the yaw pedals. (at this point I often mention to the handling pilot ... that if he does nothing else - he will at least hit the target with his feet! Holding this attitude ... 'til around 20-30 feet, firm collective lever only is introduced to arrest the ROD and bring the skids to a short duration hover say 4 - 6 feet above the surface. Note absolute nil use of cyclic to this point. The helicopter is allowed to sink the final few feet using the remaining rrpm to cushion the final skids touch-down. The required judgment at the point of the first lever movement is quite critical and to get the timing right, that wonderful old CAA war horse, Ken Reid used to teach me to say to myself .... " Not now .... pause ... NOW!" I call this method 'the flopper' and is what I would use for real to make a landing in one of London's back garden sites or at night since there is absolutely no 'run-on.' With a few practices, a slight refinement becomes available since the first raising of lever results in the airframe picking up a couple of knots forward speed which can be corrected by combining the smallest amount of aft cyclic as the lever is first raised.
When that lovable guy John ZZ was instructing, between us and using the constant attitude technique, we'd lay a £5 bet on who could get the nearest to a nominated target in the training area. The target was the said note pinned under a brick BUT the winner had to collect his winnings without getting out of the seat!
The usual side note ... please don't try this at home without a type experienced instructor and a few knots of breeze always assists practice dramatically. Bye for now to all ppruners.
Dennis K.