Your proficiency at flying a helicopter has an active side. Underlying all the proficiency of such things as off-level and confined-area landings is your skill at being able to manage an in-flight emergency.
You may fly for years without a mechanical problem… but maybe you won’t. Anyone who has dealt with an emergency that ends with a successful completion likely was able to quickly carry out the correct procedures with a healthy dose of gravitas and determination.
Training for emergencies takes a great deal of review and rehearsing of procedures. Airline pilots drill for emergencies thoroughly during each gruelling simulator session. But in the helicopter industry, your simulator is often the actual aircraft.
Many pilots given a simulated emergency during testing are quick to state they would call mayday and land immediately. This overly simplistic response falls short of a well-managed series of procedures resulting in an incident-free landing.
Quick response to a malfunction requires prior familiarization with the emergencies section of the flight manual/pilot’s operating handbook, since it is very difficult to refer to a handbook and fly a helicopter at the same time. Memorizing procedures is the only way to adequately prepare for strange sounds, sudden yaw or illuminated caution panel lights.
Many pilots obsess about engine failures. The truth is that engines properly maintained and nourished with fuel and oil do not have a history of failing that often.
One pilot I flew with worried incessantly about the engine failing during a remote-area flight littered with lakes, which he took great pains to avoid. When I rolled the throttle to idle, the result was much like the car seen wrapped around the sign post at the fork in the road: he followed the helicopter directly down toward the center of one of the larger lakes at high speed and less-than-ideal rotor r.p.m.
In an emergency situation, always ask yourself: who is flying the helicopter? Indecision compounds errors when fear overrides procedure.
Another pilot I knew had a great story about an engine failure terminating in an incident-free landing. However, when we set out to practice full-touchdown autorotations, he announced he had never done any!
Pilots without adequate training often fool themselves into thinking they would be able to walk away from their bent helicopter after losing power in flight. And, a power loss is only one of many things that can go wrong with an aircraft that relies on so many moving parts to fly.
As previously mentioned, a mayday call is often given top billing in simulated emergencies. A lengthy broadcast of what has happened and where, followed by little else, will simply have the coroner arriving at the wreckage much sooner.
The time-honoured axiom “aviate, navigate and communicate” applies well when dealing with emergencies. Fly the helicopter to a safe landing area, follow through with the correct emergency procedures, and, if time permits, give out a mayday call. Granted, the procedures part takes more effort to learn and plan for, but it is critical if you want to be the safest pilot possible.
The best place for an ailing helicopter is on the ground. The fastest way down is to push the collective to the floor, which is certainly the correct action when there is a loss of engine drive power.
Here are some good reactions for three malfunctions that can occur with the power still on. If the engine is not running properly, plan to land without it. If the tail rotor stops spinning, you will not be able to control the helicopter unless you immediately enter autorotation and get to the ground. If the main rotor transmission is deteriorating, do not enter autorotation, land immediately with partial power. Of note, with the first two situations the collective goes down; with the third, not all the way.
Emergency procedures are a big part of type endorsement training. If an auxiliary fuel pump, electrically operated switch or fuel management system is confusing, consult with the engineers (mechanics) or read through the maintenance manual to learn more about the system. This will make it easier to relate to the procedures needed to manage each malfunction or failure.
Once you are thoroughly familiar with the emergency procedures and verbal calls, you are ready for anything the examiner throws at you on a flight test/check ride. If you have a check ride coming up, try to have the positive attitude of “bring it on” when it comes to simulated emergencies. Of course, this kind of confidence only comes from being ready for, and knowing the correct procedures to apply to, any simulated malfunction.
Helicopter passengers rely on their pilot for their safety in flight and can only assume that he or she will take immediate and appropriate actions to handle any onboard emergency situation. Are you that pilot?