Operational Procedures
This domain tests standard helicopter operations: pre-flight, passenger briefing, fuel management, confined areas, slopes, pinnacles, autorotation, emergencies and radio failure.
Core procedures
Pre-flight includes documents, mass and balance, fuel, performance, weather and NOTAMs. Brief passengers on doors, belts, emergency exits and sterile cockpit. For confined areas, reconnoitre, identify wind, obstacles, go-around path and power margin. Slope landings require assessing cross-slope and tail-rotor clearance. Pinnacle approaches need power checks and a committed go-around point.
Worked example
On approach to a confined area, you identify a 10 kt tailwind, a downslope landing area and a wire on the go-around path. The correct decision is to abandon the approach and reposition for an into-wind approach with a clear escape route. Reasoning: tailwind increases power required and reduces margin; downslope changes landing geometry; wire on the escape route removes the go-around option.
Traps
Skipping the go-around brief; landing downwind because the approach ‘looks easier’; forgetting passenger briefing; and ignoring fuel reserve after a diversion.