Moving deck - no

Taxiing - yes As far as I know, every S61 I ever saw taxiing at Aberdeen had the AFCS in.

Don't have that issue here in the Falklands - we never taxi anywhere........:)

I flew the S61 for Bristow between 1990 and 2002 and the AFCS was always OFF when on the ground. It was disengaged immediately you lowered the collective on landing. A possible exception would be if you were doing circuits on an OPC say, where it could be left engaged as you were about to take off (ATC permitting) imminently.

As far as the company check-list was concerned, the last item on the take-off checks was AFCS ON and the first item on the after landing checks was AFCS OFF.

I seem to recall the reason for not having it engaged during ground taxi was to prevent the AFCS fighting with the moog valves in the aux hydraulic pack. Also, an AFCS hard-over on the ground would be too exciting for words if there was someone under the disc.

Certainly on a moving deck, if the AFCS was left engaged the rotor disc would try to maintain earth horizon rather than deck horizon. There was also the risk of the yaw channel making inputs unless the pedal micro-switches were pressed.

Completely agree, especially if you plan to taxi over even slightly uneven ground - she is much happier with it off. On a moving deck there is no question that I would turn it off.

... ahhh, ... leave it in MAG?:\

Not sure where you are coming up with FMS when referring to the S61.......the only FMS the 61 has is the 2 guys sitting up front ;)

... so that's what we were!

I wondered why we got paid so much money;)

Well spotted, now changed FMS to AFCS. However did have that Decca paper moving map thing, in heavy rain and the roof leaked and then turned the map to mush. In rain with the wipers on, the motor had a habit of catching fire, smoke rising up from behind the instrument panel. And to finish, the winscreen heater, shorting out, followed by a flash of light and a cracked screen, anyone remember the days before the MGB emergency lube system.
What a great old lady. That's me back into obscurity. :hmm:

That's nothing, mate.;) In our high Arctic days (nights) we had the infamous OnTrak III LFN, otherwise known as the NoTrac III. With any P static (dry blowing snow, ice fog etc) it promptly went into DR mode - all in 24 hour darkness with no ADF's (that actually worked) of course. Amazing we didn't get lost more often.:uhoh:

And yes, I do recall flying the occassional L model during the winter in the Arctic (no sponsons) with no Emerg Lube.

She was (is) a grand old lady all right!