Emergency landing

[rnav44]

If in an emergency close to a airfield one is forced to land what is better, the main runway or the foward speed landing area which is grassy but plain surface.

Which one to choose if adequate length is avaliable on both surfaces???

[evil7]

If you can reach either - always the airport.

Why? Fireservice available

[rnav44]

what i ment was if iam at the airport.

emergency on board and want to carry out a foward speed landing with an aircraft fitted with skids.

what to do go for runway or grassy patch next to it.

both of the same length and clear of obstructions

[Flyting]

You slide better on tar/concrete

[EN48]

You slide better on tar/concrete

Yes ... but, some runways are grooved (grooves run across the width of the runway) for water dispersion and improved braking for wheeled aircraft. This can be hazardous to skid equipped helicopters especially if one gets a little or a lot sideways. Assuming no acute urgency, I'd probably prefer a smooth (ungrooved) taxiway everything else being equal.

[SilsoeSid]

I would have thought taxiway lighting to be more of an issue than runway grooves and bearing in mind the width differences, surely a runway would be a better choice than a taxiway. Having run 'there and back' along the runway of an international airport during the volcanic ash episode, I would conclude that one must have extremely thin skids for any runway grooving to be considered hazardous.

[krypton_john]

I've seen slab joints I swear a whole Robinson could fall into, but still preferable to a bumpy grass field.

[MightyGem]

Grass is quieter.

[Ascend Charlie]

If you land on the grass, you won't have a bunch of jets making expensive diversions because the runway is covered in disabled helicopter.

[Sloppy Link]

Danger of digging in a skid on grass, go for tarmac.

[John Eacott]

Whilst the OP later explains he is referring to a skid helicopter, there are multiple scenarios which could dictate either option.

A skid machine generally has plates under the skid to allow for running along a sealed surface, which can (& does!) leave significant surface damage to a runway seal. Does the emergency landing warrant this?

How large is the helicopter, what is the emergency, how far is it likely to slide? Shortest run-on is likely to be a limited power approach, eg single engine failure on a multi. Longest; maybe a tail rotor failure of some sort. For a short run on then take a firm and level grass and leave the runway clear. Longer run for a T/R failure make a judgement call, but I'd lean toward a runway as a more forgiving surface to an off-centre touchdown.

Then there are the wheeled machines and their foibles, most of which would dictate a better sealed surface.

But as already mentioned, that seal doesn't have to be a runway. It could just as easily be a taxiway or even a clear parking area, especially if there is a significant crosswind on the only available runway. The same holds true of a skid run-on landing on grass, lessening the crosswind issues of going for a seal.

Since the OP is from India there could be further considerations dictated by local norms and requirements?!

Edit to add: never, ever, let the considerations of other operations influence a safety call in an emergency. It should be of no consideration that other serviceable aircraft may need to divert when assessing the safest way of getting yourself and your crew or passengers away from the landed aircraft in one piece.

[helonorth]

I'd always go for the hard surface. No surprises there. The hell with airplanes and their expensive diversions.

[tqmatch]

At least with the hard surface you have less chance of a skid digging in, or the cab bouncing fore & aft possibly causing the trailing blade to contact the tailboom

[paco]

In North America it is routine to do emergency landings on the hard standing, even for practice. Too many potential gopher/rabbit holes in grass. Just be careful about how quickly you put the collective down for the braking action

Phil

[BOBAKAT]

In France...Inverse, most of the time, we landing on the grass: is smoothly and so quiet...
I make my first full R44 autorotation in Torrance on the runway. The concrete runway is so noisy.....

[Falcon Al]

Each way bet, one skid on the tarmac and one on the field.

[oleary]

This is all about risk management

ALWAYS choose the hard surface.

Skids: Get sideways in the grass you and might tip over.

Wheels: Same idea.

Wheels on pavement: Nose dragger it will kick straight. Tail dragger you can pedal it straight.

Important thing is, tipping over is much less likely to happen on a hard surface.

And don't worry about grinding the skids (or wheels) - we can always buy new ones

[oleary]

What John said

Edit to add: never, ever, let the considerations of other operations influence a safety call in an emergency. It should be of no consideration that other serviceable aircraft may need to divert when assessing the safest way of getting yourself and your crew or passengers away from the landed aircraft in one piece.

[John Eacott]

Originally Posted by oleary

ALWAYS choose the hard surface.

I guess regional outlooks may have overlooked that in many places, eg Australia, the grass usually is a hard surface!

[Wageslave]

Originally Posted by oleary

ALWAYS choose the hard surface.

Skids: Get sideways in the grass you and might tip over.

Amazing how different countries do the same thing in different ways or have misunderstandings about the "other" way.

In my 4000 odd (european) civ and mil rotary hrs I have never once done a run on landing of any kind on a hard surface on skids, nor heard of anyone that did by choice except in the case of some (but by no means all) tail rotor failures as described by John Eacott. On wheeled aircraft we used the tarmac of course. Can't really imagine why you'd want to wear your skid plates away on a runway or mix it in the circuit with the siezed-wings when you have smooth, slippery grass all to yourself.

Never had any concern about "tipping over" on grass nor felt it likely to happen, largely because it isn't, as millions of European training hours have proved.