Ka-50 safety in winds that create rotor intersections

[mbolan]

:helpsmilie:

 

Now having flown, crashed and spun all over the place in the Ka-50 for several weeks, I'm still left with no clear understanding of rotor safety.

 

I put the 'Shooting Range' mission into a high ground wind condition with the Mission Editor and found that the wind turned the helicopter on the ground, like a wind vane. It also caused the rotors to flap (similar to the producer's note on rotor physics).

 

Operation of collective and/or cyclic caused the blades to lift quite violently without any engine start up.

 

I thought I'd try a flight (ha ha) but before I could start the APU, there was a series of bangs from above the pit and the rotors proceeded to disassemble themselves into substantially shorter versions of themselves.

 

It's clear therefore that the Ka is extremely sensitive to wind conditions. While the wind I programmed was extreme, there must exist wind speed envelopes that cause the rotors to intersect just as there are air speed and maneuvering conditions that do the same.

 

Is it the only flying contraption that can disassemble itself catastrophically during 'normal' flight?

 

It's all too difficult for me to figure at my stage of learning I'm finding.

 

How can I better understand the effects on the rotors?

 

Air speed is one factor, attitude another, maneuvering another while relative wind velocity clearly is a fourth.

 

Since damage also affects attitude, it's also clear that some types of damage in particular wind/altitude/attitude conditions is more dangerous than others.

 

I note tower won't give engine start clearance at higher wind speeds (e.g. 30 m/sec), they clearly know something that I don't!

 

What a beast!

 

Any guidance that leads to greater enlightenment appreciated.

Edited May 24, 2009 by mbolan
Clarity

[slug88]

:helpsmilie:

 

Now having flown, crashed and spun all over the place in the Ka-50 for several weeks, I'm still left with no clear understanding of rotor safety.

 

I put the 'Shooting Range' mission into a high ground wind condition with the Mission Editor and found that the wind turned the helicopter on the ground, like a wind vane. It also caused the rotors to flap (similar to the producer's note on rotor physics).

 

Operation of collective and/or cyclic caused the blades to lift quite violently without any engine start up.

 

I thought I'd try a flight (ha ha) but before I could start the APU, there was a series of bangs from above the pit and the rotors proceeded to disassemble themselves into substantially shorter versions of themselves.

 

It's clear therefore that the Ka is extremely sensitive to wind conditions. While the wind I programmed was extreme, there must exist wind speed envelopes that cause the rotors to intersect just as there are air speed and maneuvering conditions that do the same.

 

Is it the only flying contraption that can disassemble itself catastrophically during 'normal' flight?

 

It's all too difficult for me to figure at my stage of learning I'm finding.

 

How can I better understand the effects on the rotors?

 

Air speed is one factor, attitude another, maneuvering another while relative wind velocity clearly is a fourth.

 

Since damage also affects attitude, it's also clear that some types of damage in particular wind/altitude/attitude conditions is more dangerous than others.

 

I note tower won't give engine start clearance at higher wind speeds (e.g. 30 m/sec), they clearly know something that I don't!

 

What a beast!

 

Any guidance that leads to greater enlightenment appreciated.

 

Air speed and wind velocity can be reduce to one factor, since the direction and strength of wind determines your airspeed. Therefore I would say the fourth factor is rotor RPM. The faster the rotors are spinning, the greater the centripetal force, and therefore the less they flap. Therefore, when maneuvering hard, or flying at high speed, I always reduce the collective. I have yet to experience blade intersection with the collective bottomed out, and it's not for a lack of trying.

[HansRoaming]

I've yet to have a rotor intersection. I guess you just have to remember to not throw the KA-50 about and go mad on the collective at high speed.