Rotorcraft flight manual : chapter 5 - helicopter

Page 1:

  • Introduction to Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 91

  • Requirement for pilot compliance with operating limitations specified in approved rotorcraft flight manuals, markings, and placards

  • Evolution of flight manuals with the acceptance of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) specification for a Pilot's Operating Handbook (POH)

  • Use of the term "Pilot's Operating Handbook (POH)" interchangeably with "Rotorcraft Flight Manual (RFM)"

  • Chapter 5 of the Rotorcraft Flight Manual

Page 2:

  • Description of the RFM as a regulatory document

  • Inclusion of a statement on the title page indicating FAA approval if using "Pilot's Operating Handbook" as the main title

  • Structure of an FAA-approved RFM with up to ten sections

  • Importance of including the serial number and registration on the title page to identify the specific aircraft

  • Inclusion of a table of contents and section dividers in looseleaf form

  • General Information section providing descriptive information on the rotorcraft and powerplant

  • Operating Limitations section containing necessary limitations for safe operation

Preliminary Pages:

  • Variation in RFMs for different aircraft models due to specific information included

  • Inclusion of serial number and registration for identification

  • Table of contents for the entire manual and each section

  • Page numbers reflecting the section being read

  • Use of divider tabs for section identification

  • Red tab for quick identification of the emergency procedures section

General Information (Section 1):

  • Descriptive information on the rotorcraft and powerplant

  • Three-view drawing of the rotorcraft with dimensions of various components

  • Importance of familiarizing pilots with the dimensions of the helicopter for operational purposes

  • Definitions, abbreviations, symbology, and terminology explanations at the end of the section

  • Optional inclusion of metric and other conversion tables

Operating Limitations (Section 2):

  • Inclusion of limitations required by regulation or necessary for safe operation

  • Instrument markings, color coding, and basic placards

  • Areas covered: airspeed, altitude, rotor, powerplant limitations, weight and loading distribution, and flight limitations

Instrument Markings:

  • Green, red, and yellow ranges indicating safe operation

  • Green for continuous operation, red for maximum or minimum operation, yellow for caution or transition area

Airspeed Limitations:

  • Color coding on the airspeed indicator and placards/graphs in the aircraft

  • Red line indicating the never exceed speed (VNE)

  • Green arc for normal operating speed range

  • Blue line for maximum safe autorotation speed

Page 3:

  • Typical airspeed indicator limitations and markings

  • Dual-needle tachometer markings in a reciprocating-engine helicopter

  • Torque and turbine outlet temperature (TOT) gauges used with turbine-powered aircraft

  • Altitude limitations based on maximum operating density altitude

  • Rotor rpm limitations with minimum and maximum values

  • Power-on and power-off rotor rpm limitations

  • Powerplant limitations including rpm range, power limitations, operating temperatures, and fuel and oil requirements

  • Maximum power and maximum continuous power ratings for engines

  • Yellow and green arcs indicating power ranges on engine power instruments

  • Manifold pressure gauge indicating maximum power and warning of pressures approaching the limit

Page 4:

  • Weight and Loading Distribution

    • Contains maximum certificated weights and center of gravity (CG) range

    • Location of reference datum used in balance computations should be included

    • Weight and balance computations are provided in the weight and balance section of the FAA-approved RFM

  • Flight Limitations

    • Lists prohibited maneuvers (acrobatic flight, flight into known icing conditions)

    • Notes if rotorcraft can only be flown in visual flight rules (VFR) conditions

    • Includes minimum crew requirements and pilot seat location for solo flights

  • Placards

    • All rotorcraft have one or more placards with important safety information

    • Placards are located in a conspicuous place within the cabin, usually in the limitations section

    • VNE placard can be found in all helicopters

  • Emergency Procedures (Section 3)

    • Concise checklists for various types of emergencies or critical situations

    • Covers engine failure, tail rotor failures, fires, systems failures, restarting an engine, and ditching in water

    • Manufacturers may show emergencies checklists in an abbreviated form followed by amplified checklists

Page 5:

  • Performance (Section 5)

    • Contains information required by regulations and additional performance information

    • Operating outside the performance section can be hazardous or dangerous

    • Includes calibrated versus indicated airspeed conversion graph, hovering ceiling versus gross weight charts, and height-velocity diagram

  • Weight and Balance (Section 6)

    • Contains information required by the FAA for calculating weight and balance

    • Includes sample problems to help compute proper data

  • Aircraft and Systems Description (Section 7)

    • Describes all the systems found on an aircraft

    • Should be understandable to most pilots, but may assume higher knowledge for larger, more complex helicopters

  • Handling, Servicing, and Maintenance (Section 8)

    • Describes recommended maintenance and inspections

    • Includes airworthiness directive (AD) compliance procedures

    • Provides suggestions for ensuring proper work and preventative maintenance

    • Describes recommended ground handling procedures and storage procedures for the helicopter

Page 6: Supplements (Section 9)

  • Supplements section provides information on optional equipment installed on the helicopter

  • Information may come from the aircraft manufacturer or the maker of the optional equipment

  • The information is inserted into the flight manual when the equipment is installed

  • Civilian manuals are not updated as frequently as military manuals

  • Pilots must learn to read the supplements and amend their checklists accordingly

  • Air carriers must provide checklists to their crews

  • Checklists must include procedures for all installed equipment and approved company procedures

Page 6: Safety and Operational Tips (Section 10)

  • Safety and operational tips section is optional

  • Contains information to enhance the safety of the operation

  • Examples of covered information: physiological factors, general weather information, fuel conservation procedures, external load warnings, low rotor rpm considerations

  • Recommendations in this section are important to prevent emergencies

Chapter Summary

  • The chapter provides an overview of the RFM (Rotorcraft Flight Manual)

  • Explains each section of the manual

  • Emphasizes the importance of following and understanding the flight manual for enhanced safety of flight