That what I mean .....
If you hover over grass (tall one), you can see the effect of the downwash spread for some distance around the heli (in no wind condition).
I was taught that this is the ground effect - or cushion.
As long as it is there, in front of the heli (in forward flight - slow one) we are in ground effect.
I don’t remember seeing that on the ground while I was doing Auto's (as a student, it took me a while to get my eyes up front).
Have you seen it ?