The primary goal of the Helicopter Visual Segment Evaluation Phase II (HVSE II) project was to assess the feasibility of changing the policy and/or provide guidance for approval of special Point-in-Space (PinS) visual segment descent angle (VSDA) from a maximum of 7.5 degrees to 8.13 degrees. Flight tests were used to perform the feasibility assessment. Current Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) PinS policy allows a maximum VSDA of 7.5 degrees. For VSDA in excess of 7.5 degrees, a special assessment requiring Flight Standards Service approval considering specific helicopter equipment and capabilities, pilot training, and demonstrated capability is required. The FAA S76A helicopter was used for the flight tests. HVSE II testing included 16 industry subject pilots who completed 186 data collection flights conducted at the FAA heliport. Three approach procedures were designed specifically for this project. The approach procedures were designed to allow testing at specified VSDA values (8.13 degrees) and missed approach point (MAP) to heliport distances (0.55 and 0.65 nautical miles (nm)). The target ground speed for testing was 80 knots (70 knots airspeed plus 10 knots tailwind). Test data were collected using subject pilot questionnaires, data logs prepared by the flight test engineer, and the FAA global positioning system-based time-space position indication system (TSPI). Aircraft system data were collected using an FAA airborne data collection system. Key test parameters used in the performance evaluation were altitude above heliport, ground speed, rate of descent, deceleration, and pitch attitude. Key findings from the HVSE II tests were a VSDA of 8.13 degrees permits safe, acceptable approaches if the MAP is located at least 0.55 nm from the heliport; the minimum MAP to heliport distance for nonprecision approaches should be 0.55 nm to allow the aircraft adequate time to decelerate to a hover; training specific to flying steep approaches is recommended for VSDA values of over 7.5 degrees; and the vertical profile of helicopters approaching a heliport (altitude vs. distance to heliport) is a curved path with increasing slope as the helicopter nears the heliport. The vertical path overshoots the VSDA by a significant margin.


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    Titel :

    Helicopter Visual Segment Evaluation Phase 2: Subject Pilot Performance and Assessment


    Beteiligte:
    S. M. Hickok (Autor:in) / E. D. McConkey (Autor:in)

    Erscheinungsdatum :

    2008


    Format / Umfang :

    697 pages


    Medientyp :

    Report


    Format :

    Keine Angabe


    Sprache :

    Englisch




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