Helicopter-Specific Operations and Emergency Handling
Special operations
Understand autorotation landing profiles, run-on landing, and the use of the dead man's curve (height-velocity diagram). Know the standard procedures for engine failure in the hover, in forward flight, and at altitude. Learn tail rotor failure handling: loss of tail rotor thrust versus loss of tail rotor drive, and the difference between LTE (loss of tail rotor effectiveness) and mechanical failure.
Emergencies
Know the immediate actions for engine fire, cabin fire, and ditching. Understand the use of floats, the survival equipment, and the egress sequence. Trap: questions that treat a tail rotor failure at the hover as identical to one in cruise - the actions differ.
Worked example
In a hover at 5 ft, an engine failure occurs. The correct action is to cushion the landing with collective, keeping the skids level. Rule of thumb: below the knee of the height-velocity curve, the only option is to land - there is not enough height to enter autorotation. Above the knee, lower collective, establish autorotation, and select a landing area.
Study method
Rehearse memory items verbatim and understand the reason for each step, because questions often test the rationale, not the sequence.