Ugly Copters

[steve d ferguson]

Better be careful, some of those "ugly" copters can bite back.{:>)

Roger,
You bet they can.....I was on one when it ran out of magic. 6 of us and
no one hurt. I saw one lose a tail rotor and make it safely to Kuwait
and land. Spooky things.
Regards,
Steve
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[patrick flowers]

I understand they fly well enough without the tail rotor, but landing is
a bear. Right Roger?

Patrick

>
> Better be careful, some of those "ugly" copters can bite back.{:>)
>
> Roger,
> You bet they can.....I was on one when it ran out of magic. 6 of us and
> no one hurt. I saw one lose a tail rotor and make it safely to Kuwait
> and land. Spooky things.

--
Patrick Flowers
Mailtoatrick

The GMC Motorhome Page
http://www.gmcmotorhome.com

 

[roger black]

No need for tail rotor in the air as long as the airspeed is OK. However,
without the tail rotor, you must use the throttle, a bear on with a turbine
engine, to offset the torque to keep the aircraft straight. Then you land
it just like a plane ole fixed wing, with airspeed high enough to keep the
tail behind you. Landing on grass is preferable than PSP(metal) runways.
At the end of the run as you lose airspeed, you will turn right.

During my transition into the Cobra, my instructor told me to plant my feet
on the floor, he subsequently jammed full left pedal and then politely asked
what I was gonna do. Land was my only option. Nothing like making a final
approach almost to touchdown looking over my right shoulder at the landing
strip. Really, kind of exciting!!!!{:>( Just before touchdown, began
rolling off the throttle and straightened it out and rode it in.

One of my pilots, another 19 year old, had his tail rotor shot out by a 51
cal anti-aircraft gun. But, that's another story by itself.

BTW, loss of tail rotor or hydraulics are the only time a running landing
is needed or wanted in a copter.

Roger