Barrel rolls

[TheFlyingSquirrel]

Is it possible to barrel roll and recover in a H300?

[Tokoloshe]

Anything is possible, but in this case you will be lucky if the recovery takes place in hospital:uhoh:

[Grainger]

Shouldn't think there's enough room to fit a barrel into an H300, let alone roll it about . . .

[Whirlygig]

Well, I'm a barrell on legs and I fit in! ;)

You could probably fit a firkin on the RH seat with duals taken out!

Cheers

Whirlygig

[Flingwing207]

Just the other day I rolled a rubbish barrel down our alleyway with the rotor wash from a CBi - later I had to go recover it! So I am living proof it can be done! :8

[TheFlyingSquirrel]

ask a silly question......

[cl12pv2s]

The ability to go inverted in flight depends largely on the rotor head design.

The fully articulated head cannot take low G situations...the semi-rigid system (R22 B206) is worse but both have the problem that the aircraft doesn't necessarily follow the disc in a low G condition. This can cause mast bumping / droop stop pounding or a general loss of controllability.

Imagine towing a car up a hill, using a slow tractor and a tow rope. Then you have to make a sharp U-turn back down the hill. It's not going to work because the towed car doesn't follow your tractor. The wheels of the tractor would interfere with the tow rope! The only way you could do it was to rigidly connect the car, or to power through the turn (keeping the rope taut). The H269 doesn't have enough power to keep a positive lift throught the roll.

Well that's the best analogy I can come up with. Only a few helicopters with Rigid rotor systems have the capability to go inverted.

The other limiting factor is the fuel system. In the H269 it is a 'gravity fed' fuel system. No need to explain what inverted flight would do to that!

cl12pv2s

[teeteringhead]

In theory of course a barrel roll is a manoeuvre that can be carried out entirely under positive g.......


....... but in practice, please don't do it in any (rotary) aircraft I'm likely to fly (I've got a little list of Lynx numbers) or anywhere the bits might damage me or my loved ones.......:ok:

[magbreak]

Saw a video of a CH53 barrell rolling a few years ago. V impressive, and also V expensive so I hear. Haven't seen the video in a long time though.

[MAINROTOR]

Well... for barrel rolls I recomment you use a Pitts or Extra 300 or any aircraft that was designed to do aerobatic manoeuvres. Not a chopper!

[TheFlyingSquirrel]

Aprt from the Lynx and the Bo105, what other helis can go belly up?

[SilsoeSid]

Gazelle AH1 !

Photo on rotoheads gallery somewhere.

[Capn Notarious]

I have seen a Radio Controlled model; hovering inches off the ground completly inverted: then climb!

[Tuckunder]

Teetering Head has hit it on the nail.

Yes it is possible in a fully articulated (preferably small, maneouvrable helicopter). You would need to get the nose very high before commiting to the roll. Yes you need to keep positive "g" on throughout the roll and yes I have witnessed it in a gazelle on several occasions.

Recommendations don't do it, it is potentially very dangerous. If you fly teetering heads read a different subject.

[Texdoc]

I beleive RC Helicopters do it by complete reversal of blade pitch

[KENNYR]

Barrell roll and loop are possible in a Gazelle HT3. I am living proof that it can be done and before anyone asks I was not at the controls at the time, but I trusted the chap in the other seat without question. It was an outstanding experience......once!!

[SilsoeSid]

http://www.helicopterservice.com.au/photos/pprune/GazelleSuttonBank.jpg

This is taken by myself, but my timing wasn't quite right for 'the shot'.
The photos taken the next day were better, but unfortunately I don't have a copy, although I was in the a/c.
They were also taken by a proper photographer who got the shot.

R/C helicopters can have a decent amount of negative pitch which enables them to do inverted flight.
A quick flick of the control reversal switch makes the control inputs 'normal'.

http://www.netaxs.com/~mhmyers/cdjpgs/matt.jpg


A google search brought up;

http://www.internetage.com/rotorcraft/stephenf/inverted.jpg

Quote from site; "Here is the result of my attempt at inverted hovering."

http://members.aol.com/malexan260/images/concpt46a.jpg


Simple answer, DON'T DO IT! real or model.

[TheFlyingSquirrel]

Fantastic shot there SS - straight to my screen saver !

[whopwhop]

H369 is capabile of the above comments

[Gomer Pylot]

Wow! The space aliens have been to Great Britain in addition to South America! Cool! Maybe they also did the crop circles after they did the horse......... :D

[nigelh]

Lots of helis can barrel roll, EC120, AS350, Hughes 500, Augusta 109 to mention just a few. Done correctly it feels very comfortable !

[Blackhawk9]

Have been in a Blackhawk doing barrel rolls several times and have seen a Blackhawk Loop and AS 350's do barrel rolls......... a long time ago when I was younger and stupider!!

[krobar]

Someone posted a vid of a B407 doing a barrel roll and loop at an airshow on an earlier post. Rumour has it that the pilot lost his license, chopper was grounded and had to be rebuilt.
Was it worth it?
Dunno, but sure as hell makes for a nice movie clip...

[212man]

The 407 was doing a slow roll which is a completely different manoeuvre and with different stresses and risks.