A quick poll for everyone (be honest)
 

How long ago did you practice an autorotation? (either to the ground, or to the hover)

Thursday, to a hover.

Couple of weeks ago, to a hover.

I'm a CFI, so just about every day to the hover, and just today to the ground

Today, to a hover.

Last Saturday, to the ground, twice.

20th January 05, (nearly) all to the ground ;)

Feb 14th 05 13:00 GMT To the ground.

FI so most times I go flying one gets thrown in somewhere !

Autos to the ground.

As a FI in the UK part of the syllabus is to teach autos to the ground to all students, however am about to move Abroad, where they dont even teach autos to the ground for CPL's - always hover recovery.
Any thoughts on this?

Unless the wing stays still, I'm an engineer - so never. Have sat in on a few.

G

10 minutes ago. To the hover. Cracking day for flying.

Last week........AS332 to the ground.

Sim of course:p :p

Last Tuesday, to the hover.

Not down here it wasn't! Abandoned my land away in favour of half an hour local area :(

RC

Monday to the hover

15th January 05 Twice to the ground.

3 weeks ago, to hover.
Time to go out and practice again...time does fly

Friday 11 Feb MD500 5 to the ground
Wed 09 Feb S 300 15 to the ground

Helps being an FE and FI though.

Hats off to some of my clients who come out once a month to do some. Others only want to do them once a year !

43 to the ground so far this year. 9 today (R44/206L).
A must when doing a OPC and LST. Only if the conditions suit though. ie day light and grass to land on!
I tend to do a least 2 per LPC one for me and one for the licence holder.
R22 often end up to the hover unless there is 10kts+ wind to lean on.:ok:

What about all you Commerical Ops boys??

6 in a Robbo to the ground a few weeks ago when I last flew, 2 in a Squrriel the day before, again to the ground.

HH:cool:

Doing the HEMS thing, I try and do at least one PFL each day, on the way back from the hospital if location permits.

Beneficial for both myself and the paramdedics to practice our respective "bits", even if they are all power recoveries to the hover. Haven't done a full touchdown in years!

Autos
 

4 weeks ago to the ground.

Single engine - May 2004 during a biennial flight review.

Twin - going to FSI in Aug for recurrency.

Today to the hover plus a gash handful of full EOLs.

5 last week in an AS350 (alkl to the ground) and tomorrow lots more in a 205 after it receiving a new head and swash plate to check all is ok...good fun I like it.:ok:

About two months ago. AS350, 15 to the ground.

Jan 19th, three to the hover in an R22. Twenty knots of steady wind made a touchdown tempting but that machine is not authorised for it. (Owners joint agreement.)

Last auto, to a hover , sunday 13th, R22 .
Working as a cfi at the moment, therefore i do quite a few weekly.I´m looking forward to do one to the ground though.

cheers:ok:

Last thursday into a hover!..

Today

Constant attitude to the ground..

My god the ground comes up fast!!!!!

Great Fun....

18 months ago, the real McCoy. look no noise (206)
zero,zero landing in between trees while longlining.

9 days ago 212 to the ground (practise)
5 days ago 206 to the ground (practise)

Every day to both power recovery and to a hover. Someone early on asked what we think of the FAA practice of teaching power recoveries only. It is true that for both the private and commercial there is no requirement to teach full touchdown autorotations. Having said that any school that does not teach full touchdown autorotations is failing the student. We teach everyone full touchdown autorotations and lots of them.

Chopperpilot47

10 in the last week, mixture of to the ground and to the hover, guaranteed at least 1 tommorrow, CPL flight test :uhoh:

Last time out - Thursday last week, to the ground in both R22 and R44.

G :cool:

So where do I go to find
 

The video's of these happening.
Have seen the Sywell R22 images, but what about the EOL's in a bigger machine. Like our new three turbined EH101, can the training captain select which engine he/she wishes to "die"?

chopperpilot47

Considering a requirement of the PPL(H) skills test is to demonstrate "A simulated Engine Off Landing to touchdown", it would be somewhat remiss of a training school not to instruct students how to do so..... Maybe requirements are a different with the FAA??

In my time as an instructor, I must have sat in on over 1000 practise engine off landings to the ground, including one which went through the ground!! It was a number of years ago that I last did an engine off, but I still get to do an autorotation to the go-around once a year as part of my commercial licence renewal.

....... Just checked requirements for FAA Private Helicopter licence as written in FAA-S-8081-15 - No mention of a requirement to perform a engine off to the ground during the test, only to initiate a recovery at a safe altitude....... Bit hard to do that when the donk has really stopped!!

Today , 5 all the way to the ground in a 206.:cool:

After originally learning in a R22, I still can't get over the fact that you can come to hover before gently touching down:ok:

Come to think of it, most of my practice autos have better touch downs than my normal landings....:confused: :( :confused:

36 replies. Good, but what about all you private owners out there??

January 9th in a 206 to the ground. Did it at Bell (great new facility!). Can't remember how many.

2 again today in a 205, both power recovery. I watched a German Army CH53 do an engine(s) off to the ground once, that was pretty impressive!