TscottN Posted April 27, 2007 Report Share Posted April 27, 2007 So if that is the case, how come I have been reading a lot of info on the NTSB and other sites about fatal or critical accidents/crashes that were due to not having enough fuel..? Shouldent almost every-single fuel out condition be recoverable by a auto? I am not saying that it should not be taken a serious issue, .. I know enviroments and flying conditions as well as sutible places to land are all factors... but there are many fatal accidents that occur due to this condition Can someone help me understand.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bristol Posted April 28, 2007 Report Share Posted April 28, 2007 So if that is the case, how come I have been reading a lot of info on the NTSB and other sites about fatal or critical accidents/crashes that were due to not having enough fuel..? Shouldent almost every-single fuel out condition be recoverable by a auto? I am not saying that it should not be taken a serious issue, .. I know enviroments and flying conditions as well as sutible places to land are all factors... but there are many fatal accidents that occur due to this condition Can someone help me understand.. No fuel = Engine out = autorotation if altitude and speed allows. Very simple solution to aviod running out of fuel......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goldy Posted April 28, 2007 Report Share Posted April 28, 2007 (edited) No fuel = Engine out = autorotation if altitude and speed allows. Very simple solution to aviod running out of fuel......... Yeah...its called planning. Autos unexpectedly are never fun. Try flying over a city, and with 10-12 seconds before you are on the ground, you don't always have a lot of great landing options. Flying over the wheatfields of Kansas...I got lots of places I can go...in Los Angeles, finding 50 square feet without wires is a rare commodity. Hopefully I am circling the 18th hole of a very large golf course with no trees at the time. Also, many pilots do not respond to autos properly. Several videos of actual crashes show that the pilot never entered an autorotation..just kept lettting the rotor rpm decay and the ROD increase until impact. Edited April 28, 2007 by Goldy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wally Posted April 28, 2007 Report Share Posted April 28, 2007 No fuel = no engine power = glider, at which point, you'd better be an aviator and not a passenger, because the helicopter's in the process of landing. Some guidance and control in the imminent ground/airframe interface would be good.My experience is that analyzing the failure is critical, and the next step is accepting that you have to deal with it NOW! Denial can be a powerful force...In a complete and sudden loss of power, denial only has to be a factor for several seconds before it can be fatal. Good training helps. For instance loss of rotor RPM should mean an automatic reduction in collective; the unanticipated altitude loss should initiate trading of speed for altitude, a flare. If these actions are in process, you've got time to think and plan. It would be great if you were headed for a big flat area at this point, but that's w-a-a-a-y secondary to a controlled descent and landing.The amazing thing in most fuel exhaustion incidents is that at some point, the decision making process became "if only..." and overflew a potential landing, wagering the airframe on hope. Wishing only works in fairy tales. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fastlane Posted April 28, 2007 Report Share Posted April 28, 2007 (edited) No fuel = Engine out = autorotation if altitude and speed allows. Very simple solution to aviod running out of fuel......... Yeah, DON'T! That's one of the very few things as a Pilot you have control over, so plain and simple DON'T DO IT. Yeah...its called planning. SNIP SNIP SNIP I've run out of gas twice in my recent car, with no fuel gauge. I've driven it for 4 years now. Odometer works. But I didn't DIE because of it. Can't pull over on the next cloud and wait for AAA. Ya with me? Edited April 28, 2007 by Fastlane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goldy Posted April 30, 2007 Report Share Posted April 30, 2007 So if that is the case, how come I have been reading a lot of info on the NTSB and other sites about fatal or critical accidents/crashes that were due to not having enough fuel..? Just thought I would mention that one of the most famous military pilots of all time.. .a guy with probably 20,000 hours...yes, the zero's are correct....died in a 206 helo crash due to fuel starvation. Where he crashed was near some very large open fields...go figure. Francis Gary Powers was driving a U2 spyplane over Russia when he was shot down from 60,000 or so feet of sky causing one of the largest international incidents of the cold war. Imagine living thru that and dying cause you ran out of fuel...go figure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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