Copter-Only IFR plate

They're around. We have a Copter ILS or LOC/DME RWY 16 at HPN. The major differences between the regular ILS and the copter ILS into HPN are:
  • Radar is required for the copter ILS (and only authorized to CAT-A mins)
  • Same DA/MDA, but lower visibility requirements for the copter
  • Different FAF (for both the precision and non-precision approaches)
  • Circling N/A for copter
 
I'd guess there's eight or ten in each NACO regional book. Just make sure you don't try to fly one in a fixed-wing aircraft -- it would be pretty cramped.
 
Bob, why would you guys need IAPs, anyway? I thought y'all were the original scud runners? :)
 
KennyFlys said:
Bob, why would you guys need IAPs, anyway? I thought y'all were the original scud runners? :)
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Besides, why wouldn't you just navigate to directly overhead then slowly decend? Why both with step downs, following an ILS, etc?

Can you tell I've never even been a passenger in a helo?
 
N50909 said:
Besides, why wouldn't you just navigate to directly overhead then slowly decend? Why both with step downs, following an ILS, etc?
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Bob can probably explain in more detail, but there are many conditions of weight, temperature, and altitude which prevent a helo from being able to hover. In addition, as you get close to the ground (below 1000 AGL or so, depending on the aircraft and environmental factors) in a hover, you get to a position where you cannot transition to an autorotation if the/an engine fails, and until you are very low (under 100 AGL or so), the fall will break the structure. Therefore, doing it this way is often not possible, and almost always too risky.

Can you tell I've never even been a passenger in a helo?
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Betcha 95% of the people who have been a passenger in a helo wouldn't know this, either.
 
Ron Levy said:
Bob can probably explain in more detail, but there are many conditions of weight, temperature, and altitude which prevent a helo from being able to hover. In addition, as you get close to the ground (below 1000 AGL or so, depending on the aircraft and environmental factors) in a hover, you get to a position where you cannot transition to an autorotation if the/an engine fails, and until you are very low (under 100 AGL or so), the fall will break the structure. Therefore, doing it this way is often not possible, and almost always too risky.
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As a helo CFII just a couple of comments. There's also a condition call the "Vortex Ring State" or Settling with Power, it's basically getting caught in your own downdraft. I don't like the idea of descending from an out of ground effect hover to a landing.

The "Dead Mans Curve" for most helos have the point you can't autorotate from a hover at more like 500'.

How do you find an airport in the soup to start the descent?

An IFR procedure is a much better idea. Once you break out it's a VFR landing.

Joe

ps: Oh yeah I do have to admit I've never flown a helo qualified for IMC. It's a lot more than a training aircraft.
 
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