Randy Rowles on Autorotations and Hovering
As a highly experienced DPE and trainer, Randy has some tips for pilots attempting to master two challenging helicopter maneuvers.
“Instructors have different approaches to teaching hovers. I use a long, smooth taxiway during calm winds. We start with pedals and collective manipulation. Then we introduce the cyclic, using a slow, forward hover over the taxiway. The centerline becomes a reference point. Once the centerline can be held between the skids of the
helicopter, we slow the helicopter and begin stationary hover practice.”
“Applicants will enter autorotation too aggressively and wonder why the rotor rpm responds rapidly or even overspeeds. The controls should be moved smoothly with an expected energy transfer. The deceleration during entry will drive the increase in rotor rpm. This is more prevalent in low-inertia rotor systems. The more stable the entry, the more predictable the outcome.”
Today, Helicopter Institute is a worldwide leader in heli-
copter training, with 19 employees and seven aircraft: a Bell 206B-3 and 407, a Eurocopter AS350 B2, an MD 500, two Robinson R22s, and an R44. Te organization provides factory- alternative training for Airbus, Bell, MD Helicopters, Robinson, and Sikorsky aircraft owners. Rotorcraft training is offered from the private-pilot to ATP levels, as well as training for CFI, CFII, and night-vision goggle certificates. Randy also provides night-vision goggle instruction to US
government agencies, including the State Department, the Justice Department, and the FAA. “I’m one of the few DPEs authorized to issue endorsements for night-vision goggle instructors,” he says. Helicopter Institute also offers a man- agement boot camp for aspiring Part 135 operators. Randy is quite proud of his latest client, Embry-Riddle
Aeronautical University. Helicopter Institute has been selected as the university’s primary helicopter trainer, beginning with the fall 2022 semester. “It’s a huge feather in our cap,” he says. “We competed against many other companies.” Te contract is special to Randy for another reason: “I’d always dreamed of going to Embry-Riddle.” One way the Helicopter Institute strives to stay on the
cutting edge of the industry is by participating at HAI HELI-EXPO®. Randy first exhibited in 1993 with a Sikorsky S-55 turbine and has been there every year since. “HAI HELI-EXPO provides a single venue where I can engage clients both domestic and international,” he says. “Te
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educational courses and working groups also provide tre- mendous opportunities to expand knowledge, experience, and skills. Te show is always worth the trip.”
Priorities for HAI Randy’s volunteer work with HAI began in 2005 when he led the formation of an HAI committee focused on flight training issues, serving as its chairman for six years. He sees the association as a vital representative for the rotorcraft industry. “Te biggest issue for our US operator members is their
ability to navigate FAA requirements and processes,” Randy says. “We need to make sure operators are getting the infor- mation they need to succeed.” However, he believes that HAI President and CEO James Viola’s experience as an FAA employee and executive and his keen understanding of both the FAA and the industry have helped HAI to be an effective mediator for the industry and a trusted source of information for the US regulator. Randy would also like to see HAI expand internationally,
pointing out that the problems and challenges of vertical lift are the same everywhere: improving safety, helping operators deal with noise issues, and integrating UAS pilot certification and training. “HAI has some 70 years of experience in embracing new categories of aircraft, and the global vertical lift industry can benefit from that,” he says. Tackling the pilot and mechanic shortage is another priority
for Randy. “We need pilots and mechanics with the experience for more high-end work. Terefore, we need operators willing to mentor and train.” High schools can also be partners in addressing aviation workforce development, he notes. “I’m so supportive of vocational training for high school students. An opportunity to have selected a vocational path related to aviation would have kept me in school.” Another way to address the pilot shortage is by integrating
drones into helicopter operations, Randy says. Using uncrewed aircraft systems (UASs) instead of helicopters for dull and dangerous operations such as pipeline and power-line inspections frees pilots for other tasks. “When the risk is in the yellow and red areas, the job is ideal for UASs.”
Challenges in Training Reflecting on his 32 years in flight training, Randy says the latest generation of flight students learn differently and focus more on technology. However, upgrading older aircraft from steam gauges to glass can be tough. FAA policies, procedures, and guidance are very strict, and most haven’t changed much since the 1960s and ’70s, he says. “It’s challenging to get the FAA to approve new technologies.” As an example, Randy says the supplemental type certificate required to install a Garmin G500 electronic flight display
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