Ten Rotary Commandments
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Ten Rotary Commandments
Found this in an old book on the history of helicopters. It was credited to the RAF in the Far East decades ago. Most of us would have seen something similar over the years, but it's probably worth another run.
“THE TEN COMMANDMENTS OF HELICOPTER FLYING”
- He who inspecteth not his aircraft gives his angels cause to concern him.
- Thou shalt not become airborne without first ascertaining the level of thy propellant.
- Let infinite discretion govern thy movement near the ground, for thy area of destruction is vast.
- The rotor RPM is thy staff of life, without it thou shalt surely perish.
- Thou shalt maintain thy speed between ten and four hundred feet, lest the earth rise and smite thee.
- Thou shalt not make a trial of thy centre of gravity, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.
- Thou shalt not let thy confidence exceed thy ability, for broad is the way to destruction.
- He that doeth his approach and alloweth the wind to turn behind him shall surely make restitution.
- He who alloweth his tail rotor to catch in the thorns curseth his children and his children’s children.
- Observe thou this parable, lest on the morrow thy friends mourn thee:
Safety dwells with the safest man
Who flies his bird as safe as he can.
“THE TEN COMMANDMENTS OF HELICOPTER FLYING”
- He who inspecteth not his aircraft gives his angels cause to concern him.
- Thou shalt not become airborne without first ascertaining the level of thy propellant.
- Let infinite discretion govern thy movement near the ground, for thy area of destruction is vast.
- The rotor RPM is thy staff of life, without it thou shalt surely perish.
- Thou shalt maintain thy speed between ten and four hundred feet, lest the earth rise and smite thee.
- Thou shalt not make a trial of thy centre of gravity, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.
- Thou shalt not let thy confidence exceed thy ability, for broad is the way to destruction.
- He that doeth his approach and alloweth the wind to turn behind him shall surely make restitution.
- He who alloweth his tail rotor to catch in the thorns curseth his children and his children’s children.
- Observe thou this parable, lest on the morrow thy friends mourn thee:
Safety dwells with the safest man
Who flies his bird as safe as he can.
Ten Commandments For Helicopter Pilots
I know there are many versions, but this one just came across my desk and not seen before. Retelling of the messages should not fall upon sterile ground.
1. Keep always thine RPMs, for without them the gates of heaven shall close to thee, and though shalt pass directly to Brick City.
2. Guard thy tail rotor as thy loins; it is a sacred thing and its loss maketh the earth spin, and rise up and smite thee.
3. Pickest thou up and sittest thou down with great care lest thy machine roll in the mud like the swine and makest thou an impoverished pedestrian.
4. Loadeth not thy machine unevenly or excessively, les thou wander and stumble like the braying ass.
5. Run not thy fuel or oil dry, for surely it is easier for the camel to pass through the eye of the needle than for a fool to autorotate into the wilderness.
6. Linger not in the curve of the deadman, for it tempteth fate, and shall bring thee back pain.
7. Swoop not low without good reason, for many are the snares of Edison and Bell; their wires yieldeth not, and maketh thee a yo-yo.
8. Loseth not sight of the earth if thou are not a master of the black art of “hard IFR”, else thy machine shall seek the earth without thy counsel, and thy friends shall mourn the passing of a fool.
9. Loseth not thy Gs for the sake of a pushover or other folly, lest thy blades shall smite thee, and journey on without thee.
10. Descendeth not without airspeed, for the air beneath thee is wrathful, and wouldst conspire with the granite to swallow thee up, far from the seeing eye of SAR.
For the non-birdy/non-helicopter folks:
• Rpm = keep the rotor blade speed within limits, or the blades may ‘clap hands’ and you die.
• Tail Rotor = Lose it through hitting something and you will crash. Also, walk into it and die.
• Landing = Pick level ground to land on or you may experience ‘dynamic rollover’ with the possibility of dying.
• Weight and Balance = Keep it within limits or the helo will crash and you may die.
• Autorotation = ability of the helo to land if the engine dies (lack of fuel or oil) using high rate of descent to keep the rotor blades turning to help you land safely. Requires fine judgement, which if stuffed up, may cause you to die.
• Edison and Bell = Running into power and phone lines will cause you to crash and die.
• Curves of the deadman = a section of the flight envelope where, if you experience an engine failure, you won’t recover before striking the ground (and potentially dying).
• Hard IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) = Flying in cloud when you don’t know how to will cause disorientation, loss of control and...you die.
• G = In some rotor types, inducing negative G will cause a ‘mast bump’ and possible rotor separation. You will certainly die if this happens
• Descending without forward airspeed can induce ‘Vortex Ring’ with catastrophic results. You may die.
1. Keep always thine RPMs, for without them the gates of heaven shall close to thee, and though shalt pass directly to Brick City.
2. Guard thy tail rotor as thy loins; it is a sacred thing and its loss maketh the earth spin, and rise up and smite thee.
3. Pickest thou up and sittest thou down with great care lest thy machine roll in the mud like the swine and makest thou an impoverished pedestrian.
4. Loadeth not thy machine unevenly or excessively, les thou wander and stumble like the braying ass.
5. Run not thy fuel or oil dry, for surely it is easier for the camel to pass through the eye of the needle than for a fool to autorotate into the wilderness.
6. Linger not in the curve of the deadman, for it tempteth fate, and shall bring thee back pain.
7. Swoop not low without good reason, for many are the snares of Edison and Bell; their wires yieldeth not, and maketh thee a yo-yo.
8. Loseth not sight of the earth if thou are not a master of the black art of “hard IFR”, else thy machine shall seek the earth without thy counsel, and thy friends shall mourn the passing of a fool.
9. Loseth not thy Gs for the sake of a pushover or other folly, lest thy blades shall smite thee, and journey on without thee.
10. Descendeth not without airspeed, for the air beneath thee is wrathful, and wouldst conspire with the granite to swallow thee up, far from the seeing eye of SAR.
For the non-birdy/non-helicopter folks:
• Rpm = keep the rotor blade speed within limits, or the blades may ‘clap hands’ and you die.
• Tail Rotor = Lose it through hitting something and you will crash. Also, walk into it and die.
• Landing = Pick level ground to land on or you may experience ‘dynamic rollover’ with the possibility of dying.
• Weight and Balance = Keep it within limits or the helo will crash and you may die.
• Autorotation = ability of the helo to land if the engine dies (lack of fuel or oil) using high rate of descent to keep the rotor blades turning to help you land safely. Requires fine judgement, which if stuffed up, may cause you to die.
• Edison and Bell = Running into power and phone lines will cause you to crash and die.
• Curves of the deadman = a section of the flight envelope where, if you experience an engine failure, you won’t recover before striking the ground (and potentially dying).
• Hard IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) = Flying in cloud when you don’t know how to will cause disorientation, loss of control and...you die.
• G = In some rotor types, inducing negative G will cause a ‘mast bump’ and possible rotor separation. You will certainly die if this happens
• Descending without forward airspeed can induce ‘Vortex Ring’ with catastrophic results. You may die.
A few others....
For me Rule One was "Ass...Tin....Ticket....in that order." (Take care of you first...the aircraft second....and worry about your License afterwards).
Rule Two.....Always know where your next fuel point is....KNOW where it is.
Rule Three.....Never fly below Wire Height without first doing a very careful Recon....KNOW where the Wires are.
Rule Four.....When flying under bridges....look up. Make sure there is not a drunk throwing a bottle at you.
Rule Five....If you need a longer long line....GET ONE!
Rule Six....Chicken out early!
Rule Seven.....No mean NO!
Rule Eight.....Weather Checks are done on the ground....not in the air.
Rule Nine.....You are not Sky King...but just a Pilot trying to earn a living and live to retire.
Rule Ten....The Aircraft is just a reusable container and is expendable....you are not.
For me Rule One was "Ass...Tin....Ticket....in that order." (Take care of you first...the aircraft second....and worry about your License afterwards).
Rule Two.....Always know where your next fuel point is....KNOW where it is.
Rule Three.....Never fly below Wire Height without first doing a very careful Recon....KNOW where the Wires are.
Rule Four.....When flying under bridges....look up. Make sure there is not a drunk throwing a bottle at you.
Rule Five....If you need a longer long line....GET ONE!
Rule Six....Chicken out early!
Rule Seven.....No mean NO!
Rule Eight.....Weather Checks are done on the ground....not in the air.
Rule Nine.....You are not Sky King...but just a Pilot trying to earn a living and live to retire.
Rule Ten....The Aircraft is just a reusable container and is expendable....you are not.
1. Always try to fly in the middle of the air.
2. Do not go near the edges of it.
3. The edges of the air can be recognised by such things as the ground, buildings, trees, and interstellar space.
4. It is much more difficult to fly there.
2. Do not go near the edges of it.
3. The edges of the air can be recognised by such things as the ground, buildings, trees, and interstellar space.
4. It is much more difficult to fly there.
Hmm,... let's see;
- 1. Always pee before a flight
- 2. Always eat before a flight
- 3. Drink plenty of water before a flight
- 4. Always keep a Tums in my shirt pocket
- 5. Always keep a spare set of glasses in the seat pouch
- 6. Always take my door off when its above 60°
- 7. Always check where the fog is before a flight
- 8. Always take extra cockpit lighting
- 9. Always check the lights first
- 10. Don't do anything stupid
If I had to make a list.
- 1. Always pee before a flight
- 2. Always eat before a flight
- 3. Drink plenty of water before a flight
- 4. Always keep a Tums in my shirt pocket
- 5. Always keep a spare set of glasses in the seat pouch
- 6. Always take my door off when its above 60°
- 7. Always check where the fog is before a flight
- 8. Always take extra cockpit lighting
- 9. Always check the lights first
- 10. Don't do anything stupid
If I had to make a list.
Always....always....do a hover check. (If something is wrong far better to find out at three feet above the ground or less at zero knots groundspeed!)
It helps to know which Pubs have a spot you can land in safely.
It helps immeasurably to know the Publican in that case.
Listen carefully to the grumpy old Sods....they got old for good reasons.
Clouds are ok....rocks inside them will kill you dead.
Fog will kill you.
Think....before acting...don't dally when the last engine quits.
Know how to control yaw without your pedals.
A poor landing from an excellent autorotation is a minor thing....a poor landing from a bad autorotation is a major thing.
Before you begin your approach....visualize exactly where the landing gear is going to touch the ground.
When you get down to exactly one single option....you have messed up big time and are only relying upon Luck and Fate....not skill.
Always have a way "out"....be smart as a Burglar in your planning. Make your plan...and then do a "murder" of it to find all the flaws and errors. Anwer the question...."What if....." because that might just happen.
It helps to know which Pubs have a spot you can land in safely.
It helps immeasurably to know the Publican in that case.
Listen carefully to the grumpy old Sods....they got old for good reasons.
Clouds are ok....rocks inside them will kill you dead.
Fog will kill you.
Think....before acting...don't dally when the last engine quits.
Know how to control yaw without your pedals.
A poor landing from an excellent autorotation is a minor thing....a poor landing from a bad autorotation is a major thing.
Before you begin your approach....visualize exactly where the landing gear is going to touch the ground.
When you get down to exactly one single option....you have messed up big time and are only relying upon Luck and Fate....not skill.
Always have a way "out"....be smart as a Burglar in your planning. Make your plan...and then do a "murder" of it to find all the flaws and errors. Anwer the question...."What if....." because that might just happen.
