Offshore deck landings “the leans”
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2017
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From: South Africa
Offshore deck landings “the leans”
Anyone up to explaining the cause and corrective action of an offshore landing on a stable deck when the aircrafts oleo are unequally compressed, causing the helicopter to “lean” to a side causing either left/right wing low?


Joined: Sep 2004
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL(H)
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From: Canada
Raise collective to get "light" Lower collective smoothly (because we always do things smoothly) but firmly to "plant' yourself on the deck usually works. If that does not work you may have an oleo problem.
Joined: Oct 2006
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From: UK
Tailstinger has the right answer with a Puma. Touching down with a slight rearwards moment may cause one wheel to stick and hold up the oleo whilst the other slides and lets the oleo compress.
Landing on and pitching the aircraft slightly forward will let both oleos compress together.
Landing on and pitching the aircraft slightly forward will let both oleos compress together.
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 98
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From: Kansas
Depending on type, you can add tail rotor pedal to raise or lower a strut slightly. Especially types with high tail rotors. Best option is to add collective, use cyclic to center the attitude, then return to flat pitch and try to control the attitude as you lower the weight onto the struts. I personally use a combination of pedal and cyclic, typically it's because I didn't take enough pedal out lowering the collective, haha. High tail rotor thrust then rolls into the right strut, compressing it more.

Joined: Jul 2002
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL(H)
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From: UK
Originally Posted by [email protected]
So in summary, if the oleos are serviceable it just comes down to poor landing technique................
Usually caused by slight forward motion on landing, with the brakes on. The oleo(s) compensate for the forward movement by compressing.
Fixed by Tailstinger’s method above. Apply pressure to pedal brakes, turn off hand brake, release pressure on pedals momentarily then reapply hand brake.
How to avoid it? Land vertically.






