SK-92 Elevated Helideck Approach and Landing.

[IsKan]

SK-92 Elevated Helideck Approach and Landing.

To offshore pilots around the world who fly SK-92, in calm wind. What kind of nose up attitude do you see on your PFD when following the Sikorsky published profile 40.knots with a flare maneuver to the landing pad.

Also for the experts, how prone do you think the SK-92 is to vortex ring state during this flare?

[212man]

To the best of my knowledge few, if any, operators use the landing procedure as published. It's a bit late here to go into detail now...

I understand - from the chap who tried to get into it as part of his job - that VR is exceptionally hard to get into in the 92.

[albatross]

At 40 KTS you'll probably be about 5-7 deg nose up to start with.
With 0 wind once you commit you may need to flare to as much as 15 and sometimes a little more - most I've seen is 20 to stop the beast if you commence the flare late. (often caused when the PF aims for the deck edge closest to the helicopter or the "H" VS aiming for the far deck edge and then commits late. (Why do helicopter pilots have a large divorce rate?:confused: - They are afraid to commit!:E)
Being as you are flying to a hover 10-15 ft above the deck that angle is not a problem re the dreaded "tail strike".
I think Vortex ring or settling with power ( 2 different things in my confused way of thinking ) will not be a problem.
Many guys transitioning from a medium machines such as the 76 have an initial learning curve when dealing with the difference in momentum between the medium and the heavy - the beast reacts slower - but learn the "feel" required very quickly - always funny as you zip past your intended taxiway on one or two onshore approaches.:D

[inputshaft]

In line with Albatross' comments, I'd say that 12 to 15 deg nose up is about normal on light wind days.

I can't help feeling that your question has arisen because you've come across one of the not uncommon pilots in the 92 world who try to turn the 10deg tail strike limit into "thou shall not ever flare to the hover above 10degs". IMHO this is a totally unsafe way to operate the 92 as it results in a needlessly slow transition from a safe flyaway speed to a hover over the deck.