The Land Immediately Bucket

In the “Inert Knowledge” post, we talked about pairing or batching EPs. 

In the “Startle Proofing” post, we talked about knowing the how/why/what.  

To continue to operationalize inert EP knowledge, I like to batch or bucket EPs according to their landing criteria.  

For example, there are five situations that could result in “land immediately”: main transmission malfunctions, tail rotor transmissions’ malfunctions, rotor blade damage, hydraulics malfunctions and fires. If the transmission (tail or main) degrades to a point where the aircrew cannot translate power to the rotors, the helicopter will not fly. If the helicopter has sustained damage to the rotor blades, producing severe vibrations or unusual flight characteristics, the helicopter is on the verge of becoming uncontrollable. If the primary servos have no hydraulic pressure, the helicopter will also depart controlled flight. A fire that cannot be contained poses the risk of uncontrolled flight as well, in addition to potentially incapacitating the aircrew through heat or noxious fumes. 

Except for rotor blade damage, which can occur in an instant, the other events are progressive. Keeping the potential land immediately eventuality in mind during malfunctions that may progress toward land immediately will improve the aircrew’s chances of survival. An example would be a main transmission malfunction over water. If current symptoms require the aircrew to land as soon as possible, en route to shoreline, the crew can discuss the symptoms that would progress the emergency to land immediately and prepare themselves for successful ditching. Actions may include reviewing the ditching procedures, reaching out to vessels in the area on channel 16, increasing the frequency of position reports, etc. 

Other EPs that fall into the “land immediately” spectrum, but do not state land immediately, are EPs that end in “autorotate.” Similar to the main transmission malfunction scenario offshore, as a tail rotor malfunction presents itself, reviewing the autorotation procedure prior to a loss of tail rotor thrust will improve the execution of the autorotation, if one is required (e.g., reviewing pilot monitoring altitude callouts, pulling the PCLs off prior to flare, appropriate direction of turn – into the wind or toward a visible horizon, a reminder of the recovery altitude 35’-60’ vice the training standard of 80’, securing the altitude hold, etc.). 

A few notes:

From about 2009-2015 the CG H60 Flight Manual definition of “land immediately” included something to the effect of – “the primary consideration is the survival of the occupants.” This mirrored Army doctrine and has always been the land immediately objective. Regardless of its presence in the definition, survival of the occupants should be at the forefront of our minds as we think about how to terminate an immediate landing.

The CG H65 Flight Manual notes that the emergency oxygen in our aircrew vest for underwater egress can also be a life saving oxygen supply during a cabin or electrical fire. I have always appreciated this consideration. A controlled ditch in the water with little to no remaining oxygen is far better than uncontrolled flight into the water due to pilot asphyxiation.