Parachute rescue system for gyrocopters and light helicopters

Hell(i)Master · Veteran Member - Level 1

Parachute rescue system for gyrocopters and light helicopters

hillberg · Veteran Member - Level 2

Try it with a helicopter with pitch links, Not going to happen, To go with uncontrolled decent from controlled autorotation ,Nope. Army did tests in the late 50s and found the added weight and dynamic problems were not worth it. Too few benefits & added cost & that's that.

A looped sling around a standard swashplate/pitch link system ,not good crushed or bent rods in flight will cause massive control problems & have the blades coming through the structure / pilots & pax area.

Seen first hand the results of a damaged flight control system, 2' x 4' Pieces when the blades cut through the fuselage of a Bell 206 B III.

Saw the videos ,a trailer doesn't have the same dynamics as a flying machine = invalid tests.

-- Edited by hillberg on Monday 8th of December 2014 06:01:09 PM

Hell(i)Master · Veteran Member - Level 1

Is there any reports about Army tests, would be interesting to read?
As for the Army, if You spend most of the time in nap of the earth flight, You are better off with crashworthy landing gear, fuselage and seats.

hillberg · Veteran Member - Level 2

parachutes require time to deploy & easier to fly the H/V curve , Even twins are less survivable in a engine failure in the H/V procedure, studied the differences with the S-58 twinpac vs the single Wright 182o and the Bell 205 vs the Bell 212,,,,,Rotor RPM decay is deadly and with autorotation entered early will save you where as trouble shooting and isolation of a power plant failure = Loss of rotor RPM and loss of life.

Pieasaki /bell labs /Sikorsky did loads of tests even rocket recovery power to rotors. weird stuff, also jato on sikorsky s-55s big mistake.