Saw this posted on another helicopter Web site - thought it might spark a good discussion regarding proper procedure for stuck pedals:
http://www.myfoxcolorado.com/myfox/page ... geId=1.1.1
Steve
Stuck Pedal
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Steve Chenoweth
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Re: Stuck Pedal
Yes I saw that pretty amazing. Well I had to edit this post it does make sense. When he came off the power of course the helcopter would have wanted to go the left and required right pedal to stop the rotation. Since the pedal was stuck and the torque removed it rotated to the left and plopped down. Amazingly it landed fine!
Last edited by seneca2e on Sun Mar 02, 2008 9:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Stuck Pedal
This fellow was pretty lucky. It looks like he reduced power just before he touched down, which would increase the rotation by removing the torque. That sounds strange, but I'll explain....
The Enstrom's rotor system turns counter-clockwise like the Huey and most other U.S. built helicopters. The video shows the nose of the aircraft yawing to the left under power, so the tail rotor stuck with a lot of left pedal. This would indicate a high power application, like a climb out.
Ideally, In this situation you should take manual control of throttle (turbine and recip engines), reduce power to low green, setup a running landing. Just prior to touch down (with this rotor system) as you lower the collective to touch down, slowly roll the throttle on to bring the nose back around to the right. You can maintain control of the nose with the throttle as you slide to a stop.
A little tip with this rotor system (counter-clockwise rotation), the nose of the aircraft will swing in the same direction as your KNUCKLES on the bottom of the throttle when you add or reduce power.
Most Foreign/European rotor systems turn the opposite direction (clockwise), so the nose would follow your THUMB on the top of the throttle.
The Enstrom's rotor system turns counter-clockwise like the Huey and most other U.S. built helicopters. The video shows the nose of the aircraft yawing to the left under power, so the tail rotor stuck with a lot of left pedal. This would indicate a high power application, like a climb out.
Ideally, In this situation you should take manual control of throttle (turbine and recip engines), reduce power to low green, setup a running landing. Just prior to touch down (with this rotor system) as you lower the collective to touch down, slowly roll the throttle on to bring the nose back around to the right. You can maintain control of the nose with the throttle as you slide to a stop.
A little tip with this rotor system (counter-clockwise rotation), the nose of the aircraft will swing in the same direction as your KNUCKLES on the bottom of the throttle when you add or reduce power.
Most Foreign/European rotor systems turn the opposite direction (clockwise), so the nose would follow your THUMB on the top of the throttle.