Originally Posted by
gulliBell
You shouldn't have to. What you need as an absolute minimum in such a dire situation is an aid to track towards (or away from), speed indication (ASI + VSI), and power indication. An IFR trained pilot should be able to fly all day like that, climb and descend, no AH required, but once you need to turn then you have absolutely nothing left in your favor. The really tricky part, apart from not flying into something, is getting out of the cloud. For that you need a procedure, and proper equipment, and if you had both right from the beginning, and the proper training and qualifications to use them, then you shouldn't have found yourself in such a sticky situation in the first place.
I agree 100% on the sentiment here, the accident pilot was totally responsible for the inevitable outcome. You just can't be doing that sort of thing in any helicopter, let alone a Robinson. Just don't even attempt your hand at it, it's just pointless doing so. Keep out of clouds in VFR helicopters.
You wouldn't need an AI as an IFR heli pilot to fly straight and level or climb all day in solid IMC?
I doubt that very much. From a FW perspective I rely on the AI or Turn Co-ordinator in the event of AI failure in IMC with no autopilot (eg hand flying).
Complete lack of horizon makes me solely reliant on instruments, and the AI is a key one for me at least.
If a pilot gets disoriented even in the slightest he has no AI as reference to verify he is level..