Right? Left? Turn.
- Thread starter GyroCyp
- Start date
HighAltitude
in transition
I tend to prefer turns to the left but in an emergency you have to turn to the landing spot you chose before initiating your emergency landing procedure. It is taught when you go for your pilot license and you have a check list to follow (if you have time).
Uncle Willie
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If there is no other reason to prefer either direction, as in what you want is a 180° turn and the Engine is still running...
A prop that turns to the Right (CW, looking forward) will produce a quicker Roll to the Left due to torque, and Vice Versa.
A prop that turns to the Right (CW, looking forward) will produce a quicker Roll to the Left due to torque, and Vice Versa.
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In my opinion in an emergency it is better to go straight.
If a turn has value in an emergency I suspect there would not be a choice.
If a turn has value in an emergency I suspect there would not be a choice.
HiFlite
Newbie
Uncle Willie;n1134859 said:
Physically, the engine torque makes a difference, but, at least in FW, it rarely matters much unless you are doing snap rolls or other aerobatic maneuver. If the unnamed emergency is engine failure, then there's no difference in turn rate and the L/R question becomes entirely situational - line up with the best surface you can find on a heading that's closest to being into the wind. A 180 to return to the airport after an engine failure shortly after takeoff on straight ahead climb out should be made into the crosswind, if any. (Note that this is one of the most dangerous maneuvers in aviation and should never be attempted by a student, or any pilot without substantial practice. Yet a strict "land straight" rule applied at my home airport would likely put you into a 100' deep quarry or a large busy shopping center).
If the emergency is to avoid a head on collision, the FAR and ICAO rules are clear: turn right. Yet even then, the exact situation plays a big role since potential conflicts seldom happen on directly opposite headings.
Thanks Uncle Willie . Engine torque is surely one factor. However how about rotor torque? How about advancing and retreating blade into the turn? A bit more complex I guess.
HiFlite please show some restraint. You are quoting fixed wing situations on a rotorwing forum.
A. No snap rolls or any other aerobatic manoeuvre is on the menu for gyros, unless you have a death wish
B. A 180° return to field manoeuvre in a gyro is much different to a fixed wing and may be easily performed by most competent gyro pilots.
I would have liked one of the most experienced gyropilots to add his grain of salt, e.g. minimum altitude for a 180° back to the field.
Obviously tailwind must be taken into account in case of . . .
A. No snap rolls or any other aerobatic manoeuvre is on the menu for gyros, unless you have a death wish
B. A 180° return to field manoeuvre in a gyro is much different to a fixed wing and may be easily performed by most competent gyro pilots.
I would have liked one of the most experienced gyropilots to add his grain of salt, e.g. minimum altitude for a 180° back to the field.
Obviously tailwind must be taken into account in case of . . .
All_In
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Retrieving forced landed FW aircraft for the insurance company from Mexico my brother and I had several forced landings back to the states.
In an emergency landing low to the ground straight is the best option for FW but in real life my consideration was the best crash landing zone on the left or right.
It's the terrain that was my main consideration not the arbitrary left of right best turn sink rate for the aircraft. It's much more which way will I lose the least altitude to stay over the best crash zone to get to the best landing zone you see. At low altitudes you forget about the wind direction in real life unless you have altitude then you can pick the best zone especially if your flight plan took landing zones along your route as the main consideration.
Don't have the experience to say with a gyro but have observed pilot advanced maneuvers I'm going to practice like Gary Goldberry petal turn 180 losing no altitude and Ron Awad's twist and shout and his 5 foot off the ground climb to turn a 180 and lands with zero roll. Both maneuvers really loading up the blades. Also I've already backed up in a gyro where I don't have to turn if I just pasted the runway and I have the altitude.
The above it speculation and need practice and training before I will know if they are viable for me in emergencies or could recommend them to others. But they look like excellent emergency maneuvers candidates I do not have in fixed wing.
In an emergency landing low to the ground straight is the best option for FW but in real life my consideration was the best crash landing zone on the left or right.
It's the terrain that was my main consideration not the arbitrary left of right best turn sink rate for the aircraft. It's much more which way will I lose the least altitude to stay over the best crash zone to get to the best landing zone you see. At low altitudes you forget about the wind direction in real life unless you have altitude then you can pick the best zone especially if your flight plan took landing zones along your route as the main consideration.
Don't have the experience to say with a gyro but have observed pilot advanced maneuvers I'm going to practice like Gary Goldberry petal turn 180 losing no altitude and Ron Awad's twist and shout and his 5 foot off the ground climb to turn a 180 and lands with zero roll. Both maneuvers really loading up the blades. Also I've already backed up in a gyro where I don't have to turn if I just pasted the runway and I have the altitude.
The above it speculation and need practice and training before I will know if they are viable for me in emergencies or could recommend them to others. But they look like excellent emergency maneuvers candidates I do not have in fixed wing.
Last edited:
All_In
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Also test fly every aircraft to learn how much altitude you lose in a left & right 180. That is the only way you will know how much altitude that aircraft loses to do a 180 to the landing zone. You need to really know this in order to make a valid turn no turn and land straight ahead no matter what decision.
