Helicopter Autorotation EC-120

Autorotations are used in helicopters to perform power off landings from altitude in the event of an engine failure. During an autorotation, the main rotor is not driven by a power plant, but by air flowing through the rotor disc bottom-up (imagine a windmill) while the aircraft is descending rapidly

[@birddog36]

I was the pilot of this aircraft and the reason for not levelling the ship is that the rotor mast is slightly tilted forward. If you level the ship for touchdown, it will increase ground speed thus requiring a longer ground run. The day the movie was shot, the wind was less than 5 kts and the aircraft slided less than 10 ft.

[@andyg256]

Wow you do learn something new every day don`t you? I had no idea helicopters could do such things. It would make me feel much safer if I ever need to ride in one.

[@Catmandude]

Perfect landing. I would have absolute confidence in this pilot after watching this

[@Scoopy4444]

OMG , the taill was so close all the way before he touch the ground, what a pro ! Tx for sharing ,spectacular

[@gdumper]

Cheers for the reply, I've not gotten to fly a 120 yet, so was speculating on CoG, but seeing them operate where I am, you often see the tail relatively low. Given the wind, that's a real short and smooth run on; you putting any others up, they're an excellent visual aid.

[@soulprovider915]

That was an excellent landing. I'm a fixed wing pilot, but I know a good landing when I see one!!! Great video work too!!!

[@KD1video]

Gorgeous bird... the EC-120 is one of my favorite helos. Sweet autorotation... nice job on the flare. The belly camera view is cool too.

[@TamakoAkai]

Great full down. Super job. I wish mine were that smooth in the little robbie 22. Our school closed down and left us all hanging high and dry. Some day we'll get back in the cockpit and try it again. Thank you Jerry Ariola !!!!!!

[@jujuspeleo]

Magnifique autorotation sur cet EC120 et très beau kiss après un Flair parfaitement exécuté. Champion l'artiste.

[@funbert01]

My flight instructor kept saying that he'd rather be in a helicopter than in a plane if the engine fails. He said speed kills you and you can not land a plane without speed but you can land a helicopter with 0 speed. I agree.

[@bucknaked466f]

that was so pretty! im so nervous about doing full downs for my CFI in the R22. hopefully it goes something like this video.

[@pgden2]

@shashair what thatman64 has said is true, velocity height diagrams exist for choppers. Areas on the vh diag show areas where you should avoid. ie low airspeed at low height. however choppers also have noted hover height where inertia in rotor makes it possible for safe landing for both man and machin. areas on the vh diag not always avoidable. parts of approach steep approaches towering t/o etc. Aim to fly out of avoid areas when possible, more chance of saving man and machine if engine quits

[@cDroningOn]

@shashair Yes, absolutely. It is called a "hover auto". To be completely fair it really is not an autorotation (technically) at all because airflow does not really change direction as it does in a real auto. In a hover auto, you really just correct for the loss of main rotor torque and wait till you are 12-24 inches off the ground. Then, pull full pitch on the main rotor blades getting a quick burst of lift to stop/slow your descent. If you time it right you just settle on the ground.

[@Emiel1111]

@mjm9536 You are right about the droop. About the airspeed though.... It is more a combination of airspeed and/or height. Zero airspeed at height, and you can still do an autorotation. But there is a Height Velocity Diagram for helicopters, and a shaded "avoid" area where you may not be able to perform a safe autorotation to the ground. So, as long as you have the height, it could come back. Either way, nice demonstration of an auorotation in this video.

[@srstacy]

It's easy not to "crap yourself" when doing this in training, with a nice place to set down, and power available if you need it. However, if you had to do this for real, unexpectedly, over a forest or city, or at night, that would be a different story.

[@heliflightairservice]

Really nice footage of a full down auto. And, as said before an execellent landing. We also operate the EC-120 here in The Netherlands, it's a very suitable machine in almost every way.

[@22640cal]

boy that 120 is really slick lookin!

[@motokid032]

BEAUTIFUL auto..Thats how it's done.

[@1mrbikerman1]

The tail was so close, must've been less than a foot right before the skids touched. Amazing. I'm still too scared to try this with my r/c heli haha

[@VirginiaBlueRidgeHelicopters]

Great video guys! Its nice to see a great auto from both perspectives,(inside & outside the cockpit). It will help visualize what we should be looking for.

[@priyanks91]

This is phenomenal... Kudos to the pilot !

[@jglee1236]

Good lord, I'd shit me pants if I was flying a helicopter, engine OFF, seeing the ground come up that fast. THAT'S BALLS.

[@jazzvt321]

The only helicopter that has negative pitch in the blades in a Lynx Military Helicopter in the UK. Other than the Lynx helicopters don't have negative pitch in the main rotor.

[@MrLynx1677]

Wow, I do these with my RC choppers (albeit inverted) but that was so smooth and in the real deal. Nice work!

[@Cylcio]

as a helicopter pilot i say kudos.

[@thatman64]

@shashair There is a thing known as the dead man's curve, which is a correlation between speed and altitude. I wont pretend to know any figures, I believe they vary depending on aircraft anyway, but what this curve basically shows is that under a certain speed you dont have enough speed to fly, and under a certain height you dont have the height to get the speed. Search the dead mans curve in google. Basically, if you were hovering high enough then you could.

[@usmcpound]

all of you guys are wrong, thats the whole point of an autorotation! if the engine dies, you enter an auto and the wind going up through the rotor system allows you to control your rate of decent and airspeed.

[@gdumper]

Ideally would have levelled off more for the touchdown, but otherwise real nice, and the only reason I can think of for not levelling more at the end is the CoG situation in a 120 due to the Fenestron.

[@ct92404]

WOW! I've never actually seen a helicopter landing without power. Amazing landing! He pulled up at the last second and touched down pretty smooth! You'd really have to know what you're doing. The only helicopter I've ever flown is in MS Flight Simulator, and I still can't land right!

[@KingCrumbdenfroft]

That fellow has mad skills. I can't even do this in a simulator game, most of the time.

[@Wendigo127]

@mjm9536 It doesnt have to be very large. As long as you have good rotor rpm you will make it. We practice full autos on to the spot with the Bell 206B all the time.

[@badastinner]

Very nice auto!!!

[@shanerobertspilot]

Excellent video!

[@soulprovider915]

I just noticed a plane taking off as you were landing!!!

[@Bateseh]

More chance of surviving an engine failure in a small aircraft then in a helicopter.. Planes have a best glide speed they aim for when the engine fails; it's a speed with the best distance/loss of altitude ratio.

[@makilajj]

No it was in Sion. I can tell you this because I'm the guy who took the pictures :-)

[@Rotorqueen]

That is a simulated engine failure..theres enough residual power to make it look and feel effortless. An actual engine failure with a naked rotor is quite different in nature.

[@nais26]

If its just straight and level flight at any speed, you dont really feel it. Most perceptions of speed are based on "G" forces and the passing rate of objects around you. Because aircraft travel so high the perception of other objects is messed with. Although turns can really be felt depending on the speed and bank angle. You guys cant really turn at the rate we can. Like any aircraft though, It can be made to behave erratically. This can be a good thing or a bad thing.

[@funbert01]

It is not true that a helicopter drops out of the sky if the engine quits. Depending on your height over ground you can have lots of time. It also "glides". The good thing about it is: you can land it on a roof top if necesary. Planes need space and a suitable landing surface, therefore most planes crash in a emergency landing. Aircraft is not made for crashes, You should really take a flight lesson in a heli to find out/learn more. Flight schools offer this kind of "lessons" at special rates

[@numex106]

@birddog36 no it doesn't. By all if you're even assuming all real helicotpers than no! because not all helis have collective pitch but rather just controll speed. Negative pitch is required in autoroatations

[@wharbio]

Beutiful auto, congrats.

[@tjtg]

text book perfect. Thanks for sharing

[@basketballplayer182]

good auto landing...bottom of the tail looked like it almost dragged

[@dw558]

Truly beautifully done!

[@birddog36]

Sion / Switzerland

[@KnusTeddy]

Yup, very nice .. I hope my auto rotations look as nice as this soon :p

[@Nideon]

Wow good work!

[@GrimJerr]

I love practicing this in the simulator ! As close as I will get to piloting a Helo, unfortunately

[@Wired4Fun]

@hattrickster33 It has too if the helicopter is to receive a Type Certificate. check Wikipedia for Autorotation (Helicopter)

[@gdmtclark]

used to watch em do this with huey's in hawaii,,,,awesome stuff

[@Sierraalpha211]

Wow, what a great landing!!! Perfect job, mate! ;)

[@Wendigo127]

And I would rather fall 15-20 feet if the rotor droops than slam into the trees at 70-80 knots. Most modern aircraft have stroking seats and landing gear or the skids are built to absorb energy.

[@birddog36]

@willabeast7 Thanks for the compliments!

[@robbynelson3]

Awesome auto! I love doing these on my RC Heli's... Maybe someday a fullscale? :)

[@MademoiselleSVP]

Belle maîtrise bravo

[@moddmodd88]

very nice!

[@jeremiahlim4776]

Hi Birddog 36, an excellent autorotation landing! I am impressed on your helicopter handling skills. BTW, can i know what kind of video camera do you have onboard the helicopter? My company which handles EC120 is looking at purchasing an onboard video recording system. Thanks in advance for your reply :)

[@forbannaidiot]

It's only practice. You want the power available in case you f up and want to do a go-around...

[@blekoldshaflo2]

Veeeeeeeery good...

[@Wendigo127]

Nice auto what company do you fly for? I fly th MH-60S when we auto we fall like a brick. We don't do full autos in them.

[@Samoflangee]

@willabeast7 Indeed something to aspire too, and i find myself stuck in a 22... and on you tube.

[@DenisHelicopters]

So nice

[@Jarin42]

Do pilots have an awareness of the rear end to avoid a tailstrike?

[@justinRkeaton]

thats awesome i cant wait to fly a real one

[@mserlupi]

very cool

[@fr3ds4t]

It does look though as if at the end of the flare the nose attitude was a little too high (did the tail strike the ground?). But maybe it's the way it's done on this helicopter. Low inertia rotor?

[@dboy4ever]

autorotation = falling with style

[@stevea2980]

Hey Birddog; For some reason my favorite Ameno video is no longer accessable. Can I some how get a copy? From one pilot to another!!! Thx Steve A

[@shashair]

@thatman64 @pgden2 Thanks for your replies.

[@royaltonrotors08]

Did anyone else think Chop Suey with the first few drum beats...?

[@WhentheworldendsWWYD]

So THATS what it is. No wonder i fail on fight sims all the time.

[@rotorcraftsimulation]

perfect...

[@Fishbone4u]

Was this in Interlaken, Switzerland?

[@sdflyer28]

Wow that is scary!

[@josephkreifelsii6596]

0:12 How do you know how close your tail is to the ground?

[@doohan12345]

very cool video :-)

[@shashair]

Is autorotation possible if the engine fails in hover flight?

[@birddog36]

@hattrickster33 Yes it does!

[@achemze]

any helicopter that you should be flying in!

[@birddog36]

Thank you, Yes I was flying

[@rotblade]

not so good, he is increasing it's flare close from the ground. He must do the opposite : big amplitude flare at the beginning and decrease close from the ground or the tail will touch ... But it's not so easy to do !

[@Boeingdude2]

I hope it does :D yes it does well it should be possible or you have a problem :D

[@milxl]

Silent landing it would perfect for commandos

[@hattrickster33]

Does this work on all helicopters???

[@ryanonfire]

how do u do get the video in video?

[@jinglypacoberry]

While this may be true, a powered landing is probably much more safer.

[@dennys4820]

MUITO BOM MUITO BOM MUITO BOM

[@Bateseh]

Care to elaborate?

[@1BigChiefWatermellon]

were is this place

[@flemmingdjensen]

Are you out of you mind??? Of course you use negative pitch in helicopters... Indeed used in autorotations for keeping up the RPMs.

[@birddog36]

I did the editing in Final Cut express. It's just a cool feature of the software.

[@eljhm]

its all cus of acceleration... when u at a constant speed u dont feel anything.. think of a car.. each time u step on the pedal, u gonna feel a jerk.. stay at a constant speed and no matter how fast (airplane) u aint gonna feel a thing

[@birddog36]

2x2 GHz PowerPC G5

[@getous]

@willabeast7 Oof, I wish I was stuck in a 22 - I'm stuck just hoping one day I somehow manage to get enough money for a CPL!

[@Buchstabensuppe75]

man thats sick! in a good way ;) :D

[@TheGodlessNorwegian]

@hattrickster33 even Rc helicopters can do this :) get a .50 and test your skills :)

[@MadCatChiken]

Yup ends up costing around £20k to get a license =(

[@jorge25262587]

that is so easy!!!

[@n9233f]

You Can Land a helicopter at zero MPH

[@captainofiron]

Stringfellow Hawke invented this