| Flying a helicopter is a challenge for most pilots | | | | collective pitch to flatten the rotor. They will now |
| simply because helicopters struggle with opposing | | | | be spun by the wind that passes through them as |
| forces in order to keep itself airborne. As such, | | | | the helicopter falls. You can then use the |
| there is a need to ensure the safety of helicopter | | | | remaining energy on adjusting the cyclic to |
| flights using proper energy management. Energy | | | | maintain forward speed, all the while aiming for |
| management can help the helicopter fly safely in | | | | your landing zone. |
| case of engine failure and prevent it from rising to | | | | As the ground nears, you'll have to pull back the |
| unusual altitudes. | | | | cyclic in order to reduce forward speed. This helps |
| All aircraft safety relies on energy management. | | | | flare the helicopter. Seconds before it touches the |
| An airplane, for example, relies on potential | | | | ground (about 6' feet from the ground), you can |
| energy to maintain altitude and kinetic energy to | | | | stop the flare and keep the helicopter parallel to |
| maintain forward speed. A pilot needs to play | | | | your landing area. Once you raise the collective, |
| between these two kinds of energies in order to | | | | you simply use the potential energy on the blades |
| successfully maneuver the plane and bring it | | | | against gravity and allow the helicopter to land |
| gently to the ground if they need to land it or if | | | | safely. |
| they experience engine failure. | | | | Maintaining the descent rate means using more |
| With a helicopter, a pilot has to manage three | | | | power. To settle, the helicopter must be flown |
| types of energy: potential energy to maintain | | | | forward, away from the vertical descending |
| altitude, kinetic energy to maintain forward speed | | | | column of its rotor downwash. A full collective will |
| and angular momentum to maintain blade speed. | | | | only deplete the helicopter's energy reserves, |
| Unlike airplanes in mid-air, helicopters can't fly | | | | which are better off used to produce a forward |
| without an engine. If the rotor blades slow down, | | | | motion. |
| you simply can't convert potential energy into | | | | If you have a high-performance helicopter, energy |
| kinetic energy and make the rotor blades spin. | | | | management may not be as much of a concern. |
| Say for example the helicopter is losing altitude | | | | These helicopters allow sufficient power reserves |
| because the engine stops. There is no need to | | | | that prevent vertical descent, provided of course, |
| waste more energy on trying to kick start the | | | | that your helicopter flies without an extra load. |
| rotor blades. You'll have to lower the helicopter's | | | | |