want to achieve and how you are going to do it — fly it through mentally. Go through all the checks, including the preflight inspection thoroughly in your own mind. If you’re simply going to head straight off on your own, wait for a nice day with good visibility and calm conditions. A gentle general handling session would be a good start rather than a trip somewhere or throwing yourself straight into a busy circuit fraught with all the pressures and hassles that entails.


Weather, it’s all well and good to look out the window and see a nice day, but check the TAFs & METARs for both yours and the surrounding airfields. What’s your alternate going to be like should you need it? Does it have a runway within your crosswind limits? What are the winds aloft; it might seem relatively calm on the ground but a 20-30kt wind at 1000ft will have a significant effect on the shape of your circuit if it isn’t allowed for. Look at Met Forms 214 & 215 to get the bigger picture and see what changes are likely, if any. And with the amount of rain we’ve had


this spring, if you’re flying out of, or into, a farm strip, check the state of the ground; some strips take a considerable time to dry out as a few pilots have found out… and when was the grass last cut? The longer the grass the longer your take-off run, as well as other things.


Notams, nav warnings, using the NATS site here you can programme your ‘flight briefing’ days in advance and just do an ‘update’ on the day to see if there are any changes. While on the NATS site, besides being able to access the IAIP, go into VFR Charts to check for updates; if you click on ‘Frequency Reference Cards’ you can print off a list of all the airfield radio frequencies, listening squawks, DACS, LARS & parachute drop zones onto one A4 sheet and it’s updated every 28 days. Are you signed up for the ‘SkyWise’ app? if not, why not? It’s a free subscription service that allows you to stay up-to-date with news, safety alerts, consultations, rule changes, airspace changes and more from the CAA.


Another useful website is “Airspace & Safety Initiative” (airspacesafety.com). It’s ‘Good Practice for All Pilots’ aiming to help you avoid Airspace Infringements with lots of help, tips and updates plus direct access to The Skyway Code, Listening Squawks and how to use Threat & Error Management. With many pilots using GPS systems for navigation, chances are they’ve all got updates since you last flew, so make sure your software is up to date with the latest versions. Here’s a tip, when programming navigation devices always check there’s a good satellite reception, one unfortunate person programmed his without realising he didn’t have any satellite reception, resulting in him flying straight through the middle of an air display. In a nutshell — take your time, think it through, be prepared, and don’t rush. While this article might not apply to all, if it helps a few pilots get back into the air safely so they can enjoy their flying again, then it’s been worthwhile writing.


UPS AND DOWNS OF


When it comes to rotary aircraft many of the considerations for a safe return to flight are similar to fixed wing although, because many rotary wing manoeuvres take place closer to the ground, specific factors must be taken into account.


Here are a few immediate thoughts, they aren’t intended to be definitive and those which apply will depend on the complexity of your intended flight. Low level airfield operations and circuits have the highest workloads and need greater concentration on handling, increased situational and spatial awareness, quicker reactions and decision making, and have a higher RT workload. With this in mind, consider heading for the local area first to refresh basic manoeuvres and, when more comfortable, approaches and confined areas. If with an instructor, sharpen up your autorotations, emergency and other non- routine procedures. Autorotations must only be undertaken with an instructor. Confirm who is operating the throttle. If out of practice, let


6 CLUED UP SPRING 2021


ROTARY RETURN


the instructor operate the throttle until you are comfortable with other aspects of the autorotation.


Common errors include too slow or rapid entry into autorotation, allowing the nose to drop, and putting in the wrong pedal when compensating for power loss/ recovery. Once into autorotation use gentle application of collective to control, and avoid chasing, RRPM. Incorrect and inaccurate inputs will simply exacerbate the situation; for example, a slow response may lead to loss of RRPM while harsh use of the throttle and collective, especially during recovery, can cause rotor overspeeding and component stress. Revising emergency and non-routine procedures is always extremely important, especially if they haven’t been practised for a while. In the heat of the moment a pilot can take the wrong action, for example unnecessarily entering autorotation for an electrical fire in the cockpit or a clutch or alternator warning light. Reaction to an occurrence needs to be instinctive and


correct, so practise emergencies regularly and revise the emergency section of the appropriate Aircraft Flight Manual(s). The joy of helicopter flight is that we can drop in and dine out in our favourite hostelries. When the time comes, confined area skills need to be honed; something many instructors are happy to help with as long as they’re not buying the coffee! Again, start gently with somewhere relatively unobstructed and with good approaches. Undertake a site recce before making an approach. Check the wind direction so you can land and depart into wind, where possible, and maintain sufficient forward airspeed to avoid vortex ring.


While a planned downwind approach is often achievable and, in some sites necessary, if you don’t appreciate you’re downwind and consequently fly inappropriately, you might find your approach is too high, too fast, with a high rate of descent and insufficient power to recover. You also could get into vortex ring and loss of tail rotor effectiveness (LTE) territory and, if too focused on what’s becoming an increasingly difficult approach, may not recognise the warning signs in time to recover. Plan for, and don’t be afraid to, go-around or abort.


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