Why do Hueys have skids rather than wheels? Also, can a helo with wheels actually land "like an airplane?" (An Aero Med pilot told me he landed his helo (S-76A) like an airplane and I didn't know if he was pulling my leg or not.) Thank you.
I will attempt to answer for the Phyrog side of the house.
When landing on the boat, which is a 3 point landing (in theory ), the brakes are on the main gear and the nose gear is locked with a pin.
The same goes for landing in rough LZ's.
When landing on a finished runway, the brakes on the main gear are off and the pin on the nose gear is disengaged (hopefully) for a run on landing like any other air craft, if so desired.
A CH-46 can taxi on its gear or air taxi like a skid.
A rule of thumb, but not always, Helicopters considered small have skids; i.e. UH-1, Oh-58, oh-6, and a lot of civilian helos too, Robinson R22, R44, Jetranger. That is to save costs, and ease of maint. Most Helos that have wheels are considered large; h-53, ch-47, ch-46. The Civilian Small helos that have wheels are the go-fast type; The wheels actually retract like on some airplanes. YES a helicopter can land like an airplane, evan the helos with skids can too, it,s called a run on landing. It depends on weight and balance issues. A jetranger with a too heavy payload in the wrong area like a Fat F uck in the front and nothing in the rear will require a run-on landing. It cannot hover to land because the weight is too far forward. You ask how did he take off? well because the fuel load was full, when the fuel is burned off the weight in the rear is lessened. This is one reason and there are a lot more, i.e. payload, not enough space in the ramp, so they land like an airplane on the runway for expedient arrivals( multiple helos coming in) etc etc...... my 2 cents
Skids weigh less, and are less complex to maintain than struts, wheels, brakes, and the hydraulics/electrical systems required for them.
On small helos- skids work fine.
A larger helo can lift straight up & down also, but the fuel economy goes WAY! down. It puts less strain on the airframe, and takes less fuel-- thus increasing range to do a rolling take off and run on landing like a fixed wing whenever its convient.
), the brakes are on the main gear and the nose gear is locked with a pin.
