Pete
I think that non helicopter pilots such as myself initially visualise the control movements you describe as large, abrupt movements, when in fact nothing could be further from the truth. The various safety videos all make the point that the helicopter flying controls must be handled with authority but also with a light touch. So for example the cyclic controls should never need to be moved to their full extent in flight. I think it is the amount of aft cyclic movement required that is perhaps confusing people. The answer naturally depends on the individual circumstances at the time, the aircraft performance characteristics and the pilot's experience.
I had the good fortune to fly with an RAF instructor who made me form a ring around the joystick with my fingers and thumbs. He then flew a loop, barrel rolls to the left and right, and a stall turn, all without the joystick touching my hands, so demonstrating how sensitive aircraft controls actually are.
So when you say apply aft cyclic and lower the collective lever, you are not advocating pulling the cyclic back into your chest, it is a far gentler but authoratitive movement of the cyclic control back as far as necessary to deal with the immediate situation?
Until the tragic Glasgow crash, I had no idea of the consequences of an engine failure and main rotor stall in a helicopter. In my fixed wing mentality, I just assumed you pointed the helicopter at the ground, picked up speed and carried out an autorotation. The swiftness with which the main rotor rpm can decay and the absolute certainty that below a certain limit, it can never be recovered is quite shocking. Not a secret within the helicopter community, but something that few members of the general public are aware of.