View Full Version : flare in the turn
lmlanphere
30th Jan 2001, 23:50
was just wondering this morning while daydreaming about engine failures, would the flare at the end of an autorotation be any less effective if you were still in a turn? low altitude 180 turn for instance... they always have you line it up nice and straight before the flare in training but I can imagine instances where you might not get all that time...
HeloTeacher
30th Jan 2001, 23:55
It is less effective in that you are not as able to arrest you rate of descent with a tilted disc. The benefits of increased RRPM and reduced speed are still there.
It can also be more difficult to judge height and timimg and results in more stinger strikes.
Many training rules are part right way to do it, and part practice bleeding avoidance.
To me, if I were caught off guard like that, it would be more important to get it level for the flare and take it from there. By being able to arrest forward A/S and R/D you would (IMO) stand a better change of walking away than if you stayed banked at that point.
(We're assuming you are not near you intended spot too right ?)
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Marc
The perfect 180 is just there as a co-ordination and handling exercise, which has the added benefit of demonstrating your a/c type performance and characteristics.
It also illustrates the effect of W/V the wings level height parameters are there for those learning the technique(ie safety) and for future practices of the technique.
Practically - applied the pure 180 should become a composite part of many autorotative skills applied to make good a safe area for the subsequent forced landing. Heloteacher is correct.. the flare in the turn (ie tilted disc) does reduce the flare performance but you should always aim to be skids/wheels level with no drift with a personally assessed sensible amount of height remaining to use any remaining useful Nr and be at a safe speed to be able to land safely. Your ability to vary the factors of Flare effect and Nr to suit differing ROD and groundspeeds will develop to suit the landing area, the a/c type and the conditions of the day as time goes by.
Enjoy your Engine off practices!
The flare would be less effective at reducing ROD because the turn incraeses ROD.
And YES, I'd rather be skids level too!
rotorque
31st Jan 2001, 14:39
Actually a flare in the turn can be a perfectly good way of getting your aircraft where you want it. There have been numerous cases where it has saved the machine, in these cases it has usually been used to avoid obstacles. There have also been cases where a turn around the tail in the flare has saved a machine.
The techniqe can be used to allow you to remain downwind longer (positioning) before turning the aircraft into wind whilst flaring.
I should probably make it clear that in the above cases the helicopter has been close to the ground to begin with and the pilot has a very defined landing area that he must get into.
The bottom line is do what you have to, to make it happen. If flaring in the turn is required then do it. The ability to level the aircraft is not hampered in any way.
Cheers.