Quote:
Originally Posted by DAEpperson
So Seahawk, the helo was using so much power just to hover that there was not enough tail rotor to keep it from spinning? Did the addition of water stop the spin?
Don't all helo's have enough power to hover? I know I am missing something here -sorry.
|
Crusty has it right....every helo has performance parameters that take into account environmental factors such as Density Altitude (affected by heat, humidity, etc.: the
density of the air) . For instance, at sea level on a very hot, humid day in Florida, the helicopters engine(s), main and tail rotor may see a Density Altitude of 2500ft, meaning even though the helo is at sea level, it will perform as if it was at altitude.
Weight is also a huge factor.
The term is, "high, hot and heavy", all four letter words
Lake Tahoe is at 6200ft above sea level...add heat, humidity and a heavy helo and you've got a fairly tight performance curve for hover, both in and out of ground effect.
I also know a few folks at HSL-41 (I went through there in the 80's) and it is clear they gooned it. I came very close to doing the same thing as a JO, so I do understand.