269A/B autorotation speed

[apiaguy]

Ok, I love the early 269 series. I own a number of them and am flying and maintaining one that I have a question about. The hmi always talks about autorotation speed setting at gross weight, which it does just fine, straight in auto at about 500 rpm, will build a little, and in a 180 will overspeed if you let it. It is set very nice for dual operations where gross weight is within 100 or so of max gross. My concern is when solo. I'm not light.... 225 and with full fuel, rotor rpm in a straight in auto will bleed, I haven't let it go past 400 when I have been checking it, but I am pretty sure it will keep bleeding past that point... not sure how much. Should I adjust it? How have you guys with experience on these models set up your ships? I know alot of flight schools set their ships to build rpm like crazy just in case the student gets things out of wack. I like to go buy the book and think to not bother messing with it. On the aerodynamic side, If I'm lighter when solo, I wouldn't need as much rpm for the touchdown phase/collective pull, and the ship will balloon easier in the flare killing vertical descent, much like in a quickstop when solo vs dual. But it is always nice to have more energy and time just in case. Whadayathink?

Edited December 21, 2006 by apiaguy

[Goldy]

Ok, I love the early 269 series. I own a number of them

 

 

 

OK- I think you have way too many birds for just one pilot. Feel free to drop one off and I can help put some time on it !

 

Really now, if you dont start seeing replies soon, you may want to re-post this one in the general forum..there are several 300 pilots and mechanics that visit that site often....this forum doesnt get the same attention..

[67november]

wait till 2moro, more info will be posted.

[brushfire21]

I am standing by for an answer or info as well, since a few hours ago I was practicing auto's today as well in a 300c...... more info the better!

[Guest pokey]

I also love those old 269's, i only own one tho. I've been working on and flying them for close to 20 years & have known of a few "descrepencies" in the HMI. I try not to deviate from it (or at least not that i will admit). The auto rotation RPM they want (480-490 RPM) in the rigging and flight test section calls for "a passenger in the right seat and full fuel" --they dont say "full gross weight", so here is where we can "play" with the numbers a bit to achieve the result that we want under our particular circumstances & still having "gone by the book". Maybe they know that the passenger & full fuel is not gross weight?--well, we know that the more weight we have in the ship- the more RPM we will see in an auto. The tach markings are in the green from 400-530 RPM, so it appears to me that they are "giving" us this bit of leaway?. What i am trying to say here is, we have some "room to fudge the numbers". The bottom line i follow is not to be able to load the aircraft out of it's CG range while keeping the auto RPM in a safe margin of the green arc. ( ie: super light weight pilot & empty fuel) I personally like to see it w/ 2 "heavy" people & full fuel to require a bit of "RPM" control with the collective. Under no circumstance tho, would i allow a "light" ship to bleed below the green arc, time to turn the control rod.

[apiaguy]

Thanks for the input, I do believe I will adjust it as I fly solo about half the time.