Comments on: Running landings

By: Bill

Bill — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 04:24:36 +0000

When I was training for running landings on a Bell 206 Jet Ranger, we only did running landings on the grass. We never attempted them on the runway due to wear and tear. Either way, there is always a potential for the skids to snag.
In my training, the first thing you always do when there is suspected damage is immediately set the helo down and verify damage. From the report, it doesn’t say if the pilot was able to exit the active runway to the taxiway prior to engine starvation. I would not even of attempted to leave the runway environment with suspected damage. Call tower, roll the fire trucks. That is what they expect. Even if you clog the only available runway for hours, it’s the prudent course of action.

By: Alan Barnes

Alan Barnes — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 16:23:57 +0000

“and the collective control to apply braking force.” it’s important to note that *very* little adjustment of the collective should be made after touchdown. A very slight decrease but no more. Also, don’t apply aft cyclic to slow the helicopter.

Chapter 10-7 of the new FAA Helicopter Flying Handbook, FAA-8083-21A, says this

“After surface contact, move the cyclic slightly forward to ensure clearance between the tail boom and the rotor disk. Use the cyclic to maintain the surface track (position 4). A pilot normally holds the collective stationary until the helicopter stops; however, to get more braking action, lower the collective slightly.”

(You did know we FINALLY have a new manual, right?

http://www.faa.gov/library/manuals/aircraft/media/faa-h-8083-21A.pdf

By: Bob Twomey

Bob Twomey — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 22:20:36 +0000

This particular runway is 150 ft wide, or 1800 inches. The lens face of the “recessed” liigt is 2 inches wide. This is equal to 0.001 of thr runway width! The centerline light is recessed, but the shid shoe is approximatelt 0.25 inches thick. What could the probability have been that this narrow skid shoe would jam into the morth face of the light port?? It’s probably a good thing that the ground run was greater than ETL. Had the aircraft been sliding slower or at ETL, the skid may not have sheared off the helicopter, leading to an end-over-end rollover at full power. A pilot & a CFI could have easilly been killed.