Thread for UH60 Blackhawk specific posts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsDSvcEDCgg

I seem to remember this video from flight school, but don't remember the causes.
Settling with power?
Hot, heavy, and agressive?
Does anyone know the details?

i love this explanation:

Well, this is simply blade breaks, and the pilot was landing with only two left blades, so why the heli came to the ground quicly... This pilot has very good skill, noone has been hit, and the heli can be fully repaired without any problems ! Very good job, instead this was a pilot fault that causes the blade breaks..."

I have never heard the stated cause, but it sure looks like settling with power to me. He was very steep after a big flare, no doubt pulling a lot of power. There is a chance he just lost SA and landed "a bit to far forward" in the LZ, to put it mildly. He damn sure drooped the rotor regardless.

That big decel he did on final was not the best idea, he probably could not even see the LZ anymore. What should he have done at that point?

I love the announcer saying, as the blades break, that "this is normal"

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Hawk166,

quote:

Well, this is simply blade breaks, and the pilot was landing with only two left blades

Blade breaks??? Before the trees took a bite out?

That cowboy does a pretty major woh-boy right before he settles to the ground, so it looks like a power management screw-up.

PS Which ones are the left blades and which are the right?

I betcha the low rotor audio was getting a workout.

I think the blue blades were both left and right, you know, one blue this way, one blue that way.

A question for Army Flyer:
I see from your profile you are a Mike pilot. I just have to ask, at what point during the coast down can you use the rotor brake? Can you give a brief explanation of how it works? Thanks,
V.

I read low rotor RPM.

quote:

Originally posted by Hawk166:
A question for Army Flyer:
I see from your profile you are a Mike pilot. I just have to ask, at what point during the coast down can you use the rotor brake? Can you give a brief explanation of how it works? Thanks,
V.

Startup: With the brake on you do a normal start except there is no NR or NP indications. Right before systems check, you quickly release the brake. The helicopter clatters to life rather quickly, and its kind of startling the first couple times.

Shutdown: After moving the fuel system selectors to OFF, you can apply the rotor brake once RPMR <40%. You are supposed to take a full 12 seconds, and only apply 150-180psi (with the brake fully applied its anywhere from 450-690psi). The new blades are higher off the ground, so it's a real pain to get the tiedowns in. Thus, the game is to get the blade to stop perfectly in front of the nose.

The brake handle is overhead the right seat, just to the right of the overhead console. The brake is just like a car disc brake located where the gust lock is on the tail rotor takeoff. Incidentally, the brake assembly gets in the way of the gust lock arm, so they had to put a big bend in the arm. This bend weakened the whole thing, so now you can't use it for maintenance runups (you use the brake itself).

When I was watching that video I was thinking how nice the brake would be as the blades come apart and start smacking the fuselage.

Good deal, thank you for the explanation. It sounds like a good tool.

How many Hawk pilots are here, and where are you at?

I am Virginia Guard, but for the last 6 months flying with Operation Jump Start in Arizona.

quote:

Originally posted by Hawk166:
How many Hawk pilots

Damn it, I thought that was the beginning of a joke.

Ft Campbell, KY here.
I'm with the 159 CAB, in an Air Assault Battalion.

PS Hawk166: What is Operation Jump Start?

I begin the ALSE course on March 16th, then I'm off to Camp Zama for three years.

C/1-52d at Fort Wainwright, AK.

It's the southwest border security mission, supporting the US Border Patrol. It's a good assignment.

quote:

Originally posted by ArmyFlyer:
Ft Campbell, KY here.
I'm with the 159 CAB, in an Air Assault Battalion.

PS Hawk166: What is Operation Jump Start?

Pulled pitch for the first time in the 60 today here at Rucker. It was awesome.

flew my first formation flight today

Good for you, is it everything you thought it would be? Most people are suprised with how much power it has the first time. Welcome to the Hawk community.

quote:

Originally posted by Birdman180:
Pulled pitch for the first time in the 60 today here at Rucker. It was awesome.

What did you think of formation flight in the 60? You are well along in your training. How much longer do you have at Rucker?

quote:

Originally posted by yalepilot:
flew my first formation flight today