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AIRMANSHIP Touchdown Autorotation
AIRMANSHIP Touchdown Autorotation
The purpose of this Airmanship Bulletin is to provide the aircraft with the full touchdown maneuver is not worth
specific techniques and procedures to enhance full the benefit gained over a power recovery to the hover.
touchdown autorotation training and safety. They feel that with the increased reliability of today’s
modern engines, the helicopter community will
Objective damage/crash more aircraft practicing for an event that
rarely occurs. This Airmanship Bulletin does not take
The objective is to reduce the likelihood of an accident either side but does acknowledge the controversy
during full touchdown autorotation training. For the continues to exist.
sake of discussion this bulletin assumes a helicopter
with skids and with the rotor turning The FAA Practical Test Standards do not require the
counterclockwise as viewed from the top. applicant to demonstrate proficiency in full touchdown
autorotations during the practical test for a private,
commercial or ATP certificate. However, the Flight
Instructor Practical Test Standards do require a CFI
applicant to demonstrate
proficiency in full
touchdown autorotations.
The thinking being the
flight instructor, who is
frequently splitting the
needles with practice
autorotations, is much
more at risk to actually
have to perform a real
autorotation. 14 CFR part 135 training during the initial
and recurrent category of training, also, does not require a
touchdown autorotation. Most law enforcement agencies
Background and many commercial operators require full touchdown
autorotations during recurrent training but it’s a very
The value of full touchdown autorotation training has been common practice to contract out this training rather than
the subject of constant debate within the helicopter perform the maneuver in their own aircraft.
community for many years. One side argues the benefit the
pilot receives in actually experiencing an autorotative Teaching full touchdown autorotations requires a high
landing and the opportunity to build proficiency in the degree of experience and proficiency on the part of the
technique greatly increases pilot confidence, thus reducing
instructor. It is recommended these autorotations be
the chance of a catastrophic outcome to a real engine practiced only with an instructor experienced in the
failure. There is also a view that the power recovery aspect particular make, model and type (if required) and be
of the autorotation does not resemble the real situation and proficient and current in performing full touchdown
may even build a false sense of security on the part of the autorotations.
pilot. The other side claims the increased risk of damaging
Environmental/Aircraft Conditions can be conducted per day. This will reduce the stress and
fatigue level of the flight instructor.
Due to the critical nature of the full touchdown maneuver,
all environmental conditions and variables that the pilot Preparatory Maneuvers
can control, should be used to create the safest conditions
in which to conduct the training. It is recommended that Prior to the actual full touchdown autorotation a number of
wind velocity be at least 5 knots and no more than 30° preparatory maneuvers can be practiced to help gain an
from the final approach heading. The stronger the understanding of what the actual full touchdown maneuver
headwind, the more energy available and the larger the will be like. This is especially helpful for students just
margin for error. Aircraft weight is another large variable. beginning their full touchdown autorotation training and
The lower the aircraft weight the better the relationship pilots going through recurrent training in which the full
between the amount of energy available versus the amount touchdown maneuver has not been practiced for an
extended period of time. Power on running landings will
help prepare the student for landing in the autorotation
with forward speed. Hovering autorotations from both a
stabilized hover and from a hover taxi simulate the final
stages of the full touchdown autorotation. Finally, two or
three power recovery autorotations should be practiced to
properly gauge the effects of wind and aircraft weight on
the autorotation technique for that particular day.