R44 POH Amendment
I've just received by sea-snail mail the April 2003 POH changes. Please allow me some slack here in case you 44 instructors have already handled this one.
There is an operations change as to when to switch on the governor and to leave it on when shutting down.
I have a feeling that starting and performing the start procedures with the governor on might allow a student to let the RPM's creep up to 80% at which point the governor will kick in and give him the "flying" RPM. This could be a big surprise.
The shutting down procedure that I had been taught, different from the original POH was, on stable touchdown, with the collective down, switch off the governor and wind off the throttle to cool down RPM. Then apply the frictions. That was on the basis that if you get the RPM's below 80% then the aircraft will not fly and you are unlikely to move it around as you reach forward to wind on the cyclic friction. (Think slippery surfaces here; ice, mud, whatever).
As to leaving the governor on during start and shut down, I just wonder if a pilot might not notice the RPM's creeping up during the warm up and cool down. It does happen. If the governor kicks in at 80% it could spoil the entire day.
The new procedures are obviously safe, but does anyone know the philosophy behind the change in the procedures?