Autopilots

[Sisyphus]

Autopilots will be standard equipment in helicopters soon.

 

In the States, the airspace is so crowded that even going VFR into a large airport can be trying. It may well be that operations in what is now class B airspace will require autopilots in the near future.

 

Almost certainly, EMS helicopters will be required to have autopilots. This would drastically reduce the rate of EMS accidents.

 

One day, TC will wake up to the fact that there is nothing wrong with single engine, single pilot helicopter IFR as long as autopilots are used. It is a better combination than two pilots and no autopilot. Helicopter EMS in Canada will take a great leap forward when this happens.

 

Check out www.sagemavionics.com for some autopilot info. Apart from the actuators, which weigh only a few kilograms, the installation has a mass of only 2 kg and is 34 cm x 18 cm x 9 cm It costs money, but so does a second pilot, and autopilots never want to form unions and they rarely get sick.

 

Even VFR helicopters can benefit by autopilots. Imagine bucketing and using an autopilot to take you precisely from water hole to drop site with minimal pilot input. Fatigue would be greatly reduced. Doing 8 or 10 hours a day would be a snap. Night VFR would become a non-issue even in the bush.

 

There are some who fear autopilots because they think their jobs may become obsolete, but just the opposite might occur. The utility of helicopters would increase and jobs may become more plentiful.

 

Some view autopilots as knock on their flying skills. Bear in mind that it still takes a skilled, experienced and knowledgeable pilot to use an autopilot and perhaps more importantly, when not to use it.

[treetopflyer]

Sisyphus,

 

While I'm not positive I'm sincerely under the impression that you have no "Inside a cat" night VFR experience.

 

One day, TC will wake up to the fact that there is nothing wrong with single engine, single pilot helicopter IFR as long as autopilots are used. It is a better combination than two pilots and no autopilot. Helicopter EMS in Canada will take a great leap forward when this happens.

 

What great leap forward do you speak of? An accident rate similar to the American EMS programs? Don't forget with every accident there are usually injuries and very often with night accidents fatalities!! :down:

 

A multi-engine helicopter like an S-76 offers far more then simply 2 stoves. Many many other systems are redundant beyond the powerplants.

 

If you want to fly AS350's and Bell 206's & 407's at night in remote environments have at it. I won't put my name in the hat for those jobs not now, not ever.

 

One factor you may want to consider is who will fill the future seats of these single pilot helicopters? VFR drivers with no experience with night or IFR conditions. :shock: Hmmm recipe for disaster in my mind.

 

later,

ttf

[widgeon]

AP on most helicopters is of no use unless you have functioning hydraulics . For SPIFR in single engine you need two independant hydraulic systems and 2 sources of DC power . Once you add all these systems the cost of a single engine IFR machine is probably getting close to the cost of a twin. For IFR you would need full nav coupling and redundancy in case of a failure. Far from being a simple strap on mod it becomes almost impossible to install as a retrofit. That is why there are not to many IFR single engine machines around . Now if the heli is designed with dual hydraulics and dual generators and an emergeny bus the task is a little easier.

A couple of actuators and a computor will give you little better than cruise control

[WTF]

Autopilots cannot stop you flying into the silly situations those EMS lads in the States find themselves in.

Additionally, you need to be taught to fly IFR and to use an AP efficiently from someone else. This entails the apprentiship of a multi-engine and multicrew environment.

AP's use a load of AC as well and that wiring and kit is heavy...

[baboy]

:punk:

 

With a fully coupled Sperry 7600 and EFIS, the modern Heli is now on par with the Modern fixed wing.

 

The 76C+ is an example of how we will go. Anyone who thinks it's easier should go to West Palm and try their luck. I heard that a CCP said that "now that people are all going through the C+ Sim for their 76 training, The excellent Pilots are now just Good, the Good Pilots are now just "Average" and the "Average" Pilots are just not with it!"

 

Is that accurate DECU Major?

 

Baboy.

 

:punk:

[cap]

"Auto-pilots" in helicopters ain't nothing new.....I've used them for over 30 years. I take-off......the engineer gets his seat all adjusted the way he wants it......and I say "you have control and keep her at xxxx', plus or minus 100 ft.". That way I get a chance to catch-up on some paperwork, have a bite/coffee, he gets a chance to demonstrate that he can fly smoother then me.......and probably can..........and he also gets to "feel" the a/c for any vibrations or such that I may be missing (engineers like that "feel" thing).

 

That's what I call a "real" AP and it even buys me a beer every so often if I treat it right.

[DecuMajor]

Steady on there B-boy, I would hardly liken the SPZ7600 in the C+ to that of a fixed-wing. Sure, it does all the tricks, but it's the WAY it does them that I don't like. Too many quircks in that system for my liking that no one seems to have an explanation for.

 

And let's not forget, whether one believes it or not, there are (in my experience) very few rotorheads who are genuinely proficient at using AP's correctly. Unless you're working in an operation where use of the AP is both mandatory and frequent, I'm fairly certain there will be much more "head down" time than there is "eyes out" time.

 

Lastly, remember that too much reliance on techology can sometimes turn around and bite you in the arse. If you wanna promote full-on AP use, fine, just make sure when you're spinning some new guy up on the system that you make sure he/she can handle things when all the electrons stop moving in their designed directions.

[deuce bigalow]

Steady on there B-boy, I would hardly liken the SPZ7600 in the C+ to that of a fixed-wing. Sure, it does all the tricks, but it's the WAY it does them that I don't like. Too many quircks in that system for my liking that no one seems to have an explanation for.

 

And let's not forget, whether one believes it or not, there are (in my experience) very few rotorheads who are genuinely proficient at using AP's correctly. Unless you're working in an operation where use of the AP is both mandatory and frequent, I'm fairly certain there will be much more "head down" time than there is "eyes out" time.

 

Lastly, remember that too much reliance on techology can sometimes turn around and bite you in the arse. If you wanna promote full-on AP use, fine, just make sure when you're spinning some new guy up on the system that you make sure he/she can handle things when all the electrons stop moving in their designed directions.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

That was very well said and absoutely kee rect.

[justfly]

Autopilots will be standard equipment in helicopters soon. 

 

In the States, the airspace is so crowded that even going VFR into a large airport can be trying.  It may well be that operations in what is now class B airspace will require autopilots in the near future.

Do you have any reference for your claims? I frequently fly into some of the busiest airports in the U.S. and while VFR is a little less orderly than IFR, I would call it FLYING, not trying. Has anyone (outside of your head) ever proposed "...operations in what is now class B airspace will require autopilots in the near future."??

[sharkbait]

I agree with DecuMajor- the auto pilot is a wonderfull thing but too many folks use it as a crutch rather than an aid.

In order to use it you have to know the system backwards, forewards and sideways. Also you have to watch it like a hawk.

Keeping your copilot informed while making mode changes and agreeing as to what exactly you are asking the autopilot to do is mandatory. Confirming that the outopilot is doing what you have asked it to do is vital.

One funny fellow commented on another pilot stating:"His use of autopilot is like a drunk staggering down the street, finding a telephone pole, and hanging on for dear life!"

I did some stuff on the C+ simulator which I am still trying to figure out! A humbling experience.