Flying Techniques - Limited Power Operations

[Steve Chenoweth]

Great posts in the Servicing and Maintaining Forum which led into a discussion of pilot techniques when facing limited power.

Here is a situation which some of us may have faced. You had to do a running takeoff, but have burned off a lot of fuel and need to determine if you need to do a running landing or can do a normal approach to the ground or to a hover. One technique I've read about is to try an OGE hover (of course at an altitude allowing for recovery if the required power was not available). If OGE is attainable within operating limitations, then a normal approach to an IGE hover should be possible.

What other types of performance checks have been used in the Brantly to determine the type of landing to make?

Also, has anyone had experience with a cushion-creep take off?

[Steve Chenoweth]

Here is a link to a document from the New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority that discusses helicopter performance issues and pilot techniques.

http://www.caa.govt.nz/fulltext/Safety_ ... rmance.pdf

It is also available on the Download section of the Brantly Information Forum:

http://www.brantly.info/HelicopterPerformance.ZIP