Low speed - No flare autorotations with R22

[alpinehelicopter]

Does someone practice or has experience with autorotations at low speed (15-30kts) on the R22?

Thanks!

[RDRickster]

I've had it demonstrated to a very confined area at the RHC Safety Course, but I would NOT try it myself. In a R22, the timing too critical and it's more of a judgement call.

[Shawn Coyle]

Is this not going to depend on the height AGL that you enter from? 13-30 KIAS at anything lower than a couple of hundred feet is going to put you into the HV area, isn't it?
If you mean being established at that airspeed in a steady descent, then that's a different thing.
My (non-R-22) experience is that 30 to 40 KIAS in a steady descent into wind actually makes for a very easy to do autorotation.

[Camp Freddie]

40 knots constant attitude autorotation to the ground with no flare is the technique reccomended at night/poor visibilty in the R22, as it is easier than trying to judge the flare when you cant see the ground properly. (not to be practiced at night to the ground).

I have done then in the daytime in good vis and timing is everything, you need full lever at exactly the right moment. and they are really easy to f*** up !. not easy at all IMO

not a very clever thing to do at less than 40 knots !

[Robbo Jock]

I had it demonstrated to me a couple of times during my CPL course. In the hover at 500 and a tadge feet, drop the lever and plummet. Seemingly at about 2 feet (perceptions get very very distorted in the descent!) haul the lever up into your armpit and alight like a ballerina dropping off her points.

Not something I'd like to have to do. Timing is absolutely critical and as I say, perception particularly close to the ground, is not too reliable.

[3 D]

If we are talkng about an auto entered from outside the hv avoid area and then established at 35kt IAS I have had them demonstrated to me and have had a go at a couple myself with a very good (and brave) instructor.

My instructor at Cranfield made and continues to make them look easy but they are not. The timing of pulling the collective up is very critical. Do the maths, the books say you descend at approx 1800ft/min in autorotation at 35kt and you should raise the lever at around 10ft from the ground thats not alot of time before its too late. One day I will do them but I believe that to repeatedly do them and be able to use the aircraft again afterwoods takes very good judgement gained from a great deal of experience.

I have never seen or heard of anyone that does them at less than 35kt in an R22.

[Happy Landing !]

I may be wrong, but doesn't the Robbo book say don't do em?
Or at least don't reduce speed to below 40kts?:{