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Old 17th March 2003 | 19:28
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Shawn Coyle
 
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 1,835
Likes: 3
From: Philadelphia PA
Sorry, Eurochopper, but that's not the case in an unaugmented helicopter. Having done lots of flight testing and flight test training to show the spiral stability of helicopters, it's exactly the same as a fixed wing.
In constant airspeed above minimum power speed, roll rate is commanded by the lateral cyclic. Roll into a turn requires lateral cyclic, but when the desired bank angle is reached, the roll rate is stopped by re-centering the cyclic.
If you can measure the cyclic out of turn position or force in a small helicopter like the Jet Ranger or Hughes 500, then you've got better eyes and hands than most - there is effectively none.
Try it - in forward flight, roll to a bank angle, and when steady, release the force on the stick - the helicopter will stay at the bank angle.
In a helicopter with an AFCS, all bets are off- the reaction will depend on the architecture of the AFCs.
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