Nice post I made but it still feels wrong, looking at the bigger picture:
Going 50 knots I know, that
- climbing at 400 fpm needs a lot of power
- climbing at 200 fpm needs less
- straight cruise needs even less power
- descending at -300 fpm definitely needs less power then straight cruise
- autorotating at -600 fpm needs no power at all.
Why would that change if hovering?
Steadly lifting something upwards, needs more energy
("stored" as altitude energy, converted into kinetic energy upon free fall and heat upon impact
).
Steadily descending vertically should "produce" energy, or need less than hover.
*sigh* I definitely need an aerodynamic explanation.