Left or Right turn? Why?
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Join Date: Jun 2004
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Left or Right turn? Why?
Apologies if it's been covered before. If so I couldn't find it.
2 scenarios: Using Piston engine helicopter with anti-clockwise main rotor rotation, high density altitude, pilot on RHS.
1. Fying up a valley, no wind, getting very narrow, airspeed reducing - dead end and can't outclimb the terrain. Already at max MAP.
Q. Do you turn left or right, and why?
2. Approaching ridgeline at 45 degrees, fog or cloud on the other side and have to turn away, same as 1st scenario (already at max MAP).
Q.Should your approach angle be keeping the ridgeline on your right (meaning a left-hand turn away) or on your left, or does it really not matter?
I appreciate that if you're at max MAP you probably shouldn't be in these positions in the first place but I've been told by an experienced instructor that the turns should always be to the Left and I just can't get my head around this as I would be inclined to go Right. What do you think? Thanks for any input.
2 scenarios: Using Piston engine helicopter with anti-clockwise main rotor rotation, high density altitude, pilot on RHS.
1. Fying up a valley, no wind, getting very narrow, airspeed reducing - dead end and can't outclimb the terrain. Already at max MAP.
Q. Do you turn left or right, and why?
2. Approaching ridgeline at 45 degrees, fog or cloud on the other side and have to turn away, same as 1st scenario (already at max MAP).
Q.Should your approach angle be keeping the ridgeline on your right (meaning a left-hand turn away) or on your left, or does it really not matter?
I appreciate that if you're at max MAP you probably shouldn't be in these positions in the first place but I've been told by an experienced instructor that the turns should always be to the Left and I just can't get my head around this as I would be inclined to go Right. What do you think? Thanks for any input.
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Sorry mate, you blew it two minutes ago. Drop trousers, kiss ass goodbye and sit on the cyclic. 
Join Date: Jun 2005
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It is a very good idea even (especially) in a JetRanger to turn to the left at high power settings, certainly when turning downwind.
When you are making a right hand turn, in an N American machine, at high pwer settings, you can very easily lose tail rotor authority. When you add power, the nose wil go to the right, if you are at that high elevation, you are probably already using large amounts of the available TR authority. If you make a turn out of wind in that senario, you will lose a/s as the turn progresses along with altitude, at that point you may choose to pull more power, now in a downwind state causing more demand on the left pedal. The Jet Ranger for one, will spin VERY quickly in that set-up.
Decending right hand turns at high pwer settings should be avoided.
It's late, hot and I'm tired, hope that helped.
RH
When you are making a right hand turn, in an N American machine, at high pwer settings, you can very easily lose tail rotor authority. When you add power, the nose wil go to the right, if you are at that high elevation, you are probably already using large amounts of the available TR authority. If you make a turn out of wind in that senario, you will lose a/s as the turn progresses along with altitude, at that point you may choose to pull more power, now in a downwind state causing more demand on the left pedal. The Jet Ranger for one, will spin VERY quickly in that set-up.
Decending right hand turns at high pwer settings should be avoided.
It's late, hot and I'm tired, hope that helped.
RH
You're are supposed to be payed a salary so you can make the appropriate decision on the day depending on local environment/conditions. There are too many variables to argue either way.It's a bit like debating going down on a chick, it depends entirely on the terrain! Even better, don't put yourself in that situation in the first place.
