auto rotation

[Leebert]

I agree Manager.
I hadn't thought of practising like that though. I think I'll try it like that - Thanks
I did my first proper auto recently but stayed in idle up. I just set the throttle hold idle a bit high before I went out to fly.
You just never know when mechanical failure might just try and spoil your day.

[Leebert]

Ade: Just saw your post - my blades were getting quite slow just as I landed. I could almost "see" them if you know what I mean.
I came in at approx 45 deg nose in and kind of flared and turned the tail round at the same time at about 6 ft then landed.
I didn't do the bit where you put in a bit of back elevator and raise the headspeed - I think I must have been subconsciously flareing out during the lower part of the auto instead.

When you pull back on the elevator, I assume you have to decrease the pitch slightly to prevent the heli from climbing again?

[Ade_Law]

Probably not (trying to remember now!) raising the nose will slow the descent AND push the headspeed up. use the pitch as a final adjustment AFTER raising the nose to control the height.

what you are probably doing is coming up on the pitch to slow the desent which uses headspeed rather than increasing it.

Ade

[Steve]

I was doing my 45 deg decents from a long way up with the throttle stick right down all the way against the stops, and using just the cyclic to control the decent and to flare out level at the bottom (at about 6 feet) until it came to a stop in forward motion, then powering up and having another go.

Like you said - aiming for a dustbin lid on the ground.

After several goes, the panic slowly fades!