Need Advice
Autorotation Pitch
Rob M.
Autorotation pitch.
For our scale helicopters how much is needed? -2,-3,-6, more??
All my scale helis use similar pitch curves: -3, hover pitch, and +10.
I practice Autos on all types on a sim but only with my 700 pod and boom in real life. The exception being on a couple of occasions due to real life failures: once with my 40lb BK117 which was mostly successful with just bent rear struts and some cracked fiberglass. And a second time with my 700 size 14lb MD500 somewhat less successful due to a delay in actuating the Auto.
It has been suggested that -3 degrees isn't enough...at least initially, and the Auto curve should have something more than that as a starting point.
Thoughts?
1 Answer
While every model will be different, suffice to say that initially more negative at full back stick setting to start with would be one idea in test flights at height (with bailout
enabled) to ensure the ability to "re gain" some head speed on the way down if it appeared needed...nothing worse than being at full down stick and watching the head speed decay and the descent increase... After test flights, that full down setting can then be reduced to something that feels secure in maintaining or even increasing head speed if it happened to be needed, but not too "wild"...