Jetranger Slope And Wind Limits

[Elan Head]

Hi everyone,

 

Last night a friend who is completing a JetRanger rating emailed me with a couple of JetRanger-specific questions:

 

1. Maximum recommended angle of slope for landing?

2. Maximum recommended wind speed for start-up?

 

Since I didn't recall any figures for these, I emailed Larry Stone, a flight instructor specialist at the Bell Training Academy. Here's what he had to say:

 

'Okay. Simple answers. There is NO SLOPE "LIMITATION" on the 206. When the pilot begins to run out of lateral cyclic, based upon slope angle, control rigging, or a big fat leg in the cockpit, it's time to relocate the aircraft. Number 2. There is NO WIND "LIMITATION" for the 206 for starting. We leave that entirely to the discretion of the operator. Now, keep in mind that gusty winds during starting will certainly induce rotor flapping. The dynamic flap restraints will "limit" that flapping at low rotor rpm, but there are a LOT of 206's out there without the benefit of those restraints.

 

'Now, that being said, the military does have limitations on "their" aircraft, imposed by the military. But on the commercial side of the house, well, let's be careful out there.'

 

Anyone want to weigh in on their personal slope and wind limitations, and/or the slope and wind limitations imposed by their operators?

 

Cheers,

 

Elan

 

 

[Cez]

This is a great topic of discussion. It is a topic that will bring different experience levels into the answers, from a variety of experience of different helicopters.

The reply I choose to give will be on the common Bell 206. It's not the only kind I fly of the many I'm endorsed, however it's the chevy 2 of the industry.

As for slope consideration, well, the pilot must consider that if there is any wind and he chooses to land with the wind to his left at around 10 o'clock and the slope is to the right (right skid low)

then he has increased the possiblitly of dynamic rollover and depending on weight and altitude also LTE. (with right skid low and wind from left).

As for wind limitation, the flapping is a concern like was mentioned, therefore it is favored the wind to be off from the right is better to keep the blades from contacting the tail boom of the go around. Not to mention the wind is likely to change as it is common too, keep in mind if your starting with the wind from the rear, you have a TOT limitation on start. (not just the starting mind you).

My cents worth.

 

Ceez.

[HillerWhat]

 

I just opened up Phil Crouchers book - The Helicopter Pilots Handbook- in the the JetRanger section it states that the starting limits are 40kts on the nose, 25kts from the side, 0kts from the tail. I just took a quick skim through both JetRanger 2 and 3 manuals, I could not find any of this but mabey he has another source.

 

H.W.

[Auto Relight]

I just opened up Phil Crouchers book - I could not find any of this but mabey he has another source.

 

H.W.

 

 

Imagine.....

 

AR

[Winnie]

I would imagine that his source would be either the US Army, or perhaps the CAA supplements to said manual.

 

Cheers

W.

[Over-Talk]

With all due respect to Phil Croucher and his very thorough books......if he lists "limits" that are different from the Bell Helicopter Flight Manual then he should list the sources of such information and who they apply to.

[Blackmac]

oops, I over-talked again !!

 

There is one helluva of a big difference between low and high skid gear on a B206.

 

Don

[cap]

NINE degrees on low skid gear and SIX degrees on high skid gear. Then you understand why mountain a/c have low skid gear. Can you operate in the mountains with high skid gear? Sure you can and you can also operate with low skid gear in tall bush areas, but BE VERY CAREFUL.

 

With all Bell a/c park them with their right sides INTO the wind. Why? Because as the M/R blades rotate, they will come into the wind as they approach the tail-boom and the wind will ensure that it lifts the blade(s) nicely over the tail-boom. Great on landing or shut-down also. Can't arrange it like that? Then go for a 'cuppa Joe'.......too windy to fly anyway.

 

Bell Flight Manuals? Don't make me laugh. It's like putting together your kids big toy late on Xmas Eve, you speak English only, the directions are in French only and you've just discovered two important screws and one small part are missing.

[Phil Croucher]

Thanks for making me look - the limits I mention were indeed from a flight manual, but not having access to all of them, it's not obvious that it's not standard across the fleet. It was 30 years ago I was trained on that ship, in Scotland! Will fix straight away!

 

Phil

 

 

[Justin4]

I would imagine that his source would be either the US Army, or perhaps the CAA supplements to said manual.

 

Cheers

W.

 

 

His are close to the US Army Limits