Don't bump your mast...

Tiptank

Tiptank

Well-Known Member


A ridiculously dry (yet entertaining) 1982 US Army training video on how not to destroy your Huey/Cobra. I know the film is outdated but I still seriously don't get you swing-wing guys... when an airplane craps out, or you just F-up as a pilot, you just "Keep Calm and Carry On" down to the ground. A helicopter "mistake" seems like a death sentence. Blah! Why even bother with those things?

I kid of course, much respect.
 
Mast bumping is a phenomenon of semi-rigid, or teetering, rotor systems; not of fully articulating rotor systems which are most common today. Plus, it only really happens from ham fisting the cyclic, versus being smooth.
 
But helicopters gave us the twin gems of "Oh ye of little faith…" and Collateral Murder.
 
MikeD said:
Mast bumping is a phenomenon of semi-rigid, or teetering, rotor systems; not of fully articulating rotor systems which are most common today.
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Well except for that 90% of the commercial training market uses a robinson helicopter with a semi rigid rotor system.
 
Part of the UTTAS specs that resulted in the UH-60 was that it had to handle negative g pushovers to avoid "skylining". For this reason it comes with a fully articulated rotor system and mast bump is not an issue.
 
av8tr1 said:
Well except for that 90% of the commercial training market uses a robinson helicopter with a semi rigid rotor system.
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The SFAR was a blessing in disguise for Robinson. Personally I think the Schweizer was a better and safer trainer, but with the SFAR flight schools had to go to the Robi in order to give students SFAR training. You could go from the Robi to a Schweizer but not visa versa.
 
A familiar Huey joke: There is no such thing as in-flight "mast bumping" but you might experience mast bump!

P.S. Wasn't sure how long this thread would last based on the title alone.....:)
 
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Blackhawk said:
The SFAR was a blessing in disguise for Robinson. Personally I think the Schweizer was a better and safer trainer, but with the SFAR flight schools had to go to the Robi in order to give students SFAR training. You could go from the Robi to a Schweizer but not visa versa.
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Agreed 100%
 
JustinS said:
All I heard was "Full flail mode."
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That's always one of the better examples of seeing what ground resonance is really like in a helicopter.

I learned to fly in an Enstrom, and for anyone who has time in one knows about the fairly violent shake you get when light on the skids. It can be very unnerving at first, but apparently it has something to do with the dampeners not self centering until off the ground. It is even nicknamed the Enstrom shuffle for that very reason.
 
Blackhawk said:
The SFAR was a blessing in disguise for Robinson. Personally I think the Schweizer was a better and safer trainer, but with the SFAR flight schools had to go to the Robi in order to give students SFAR training. You could go from the Robi to a Schweizer but not visa versa.
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Eh? I have a buttload of time in the R-22 from before the SFAR, and the Robbies were popular back then as trainers as well. And we didn't need no fancy throttle governor.

Robbies do what they do VERY well, assuming, as with everything, you have competent instruction, follow the syllabus, emphasize that which needs to be emphasized and treat it as a serious flying machine.

If you blow any of that off, bad things happen. Duh.

Richman
 
A helicopter is nothing more than thousands of spinning parts in close formation.
A helicopter wants to kill you... All the time.
 
Looks like Schweizer is done for. Too bad. The 300 is a tank compared to the Robbie Pinto.

Another issue with ground resonance.

 
I've said it many times before, and I'll say it again.

Unlike airplanes, helicopters simply have a death wish, wanting to commit suicide at all times, and waiting for the right moment when the pilot isn't paying attention, so they can take you with them. It's nothing personal.......for they do warn you beforehand: The helicopter does in fact talk to you at all times. But woe be the pilot who 1. Doesn't listen to what the helicopter is telling him (complacency), or 2. Doesn't fully understand the language the helicopter is speaking (inexperience); for the helicopter will interpert both of these failures to listen to it, as a pilot who also has a suicidal death wish same as the helicopter, and who gladly wants to share with the helicopter a double-suicide fate. A fate the helicopter is more than happy to accomodate. And the helicopter is, and has always been, equal opportunity in this regard; for it harbors no hatred, holds no personal grudges, and does not discriminate in any way, shape, or form.

Helicopters have no friends, don't want any friends, and don't care to be your friend. Understand that, and you will be fine as the pilot of them.
 
Just another reason why you see classic airplanes at fly-ins all the time, but you seldom see classic helicopters at the same venues.

Sorry. Couldn't resist.
 
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