Clutch switch position

[Stuart & Kathryn Fields]

A recent incident involving a Rotorway helicopter occurred. An accidental
bumping of the clutch switch dis-engaged the clutch. The resulting
autorotation resulted in a roll over and of course some significant damage.
As I understand it, the switch was mounted in the overhead panel but the
pilot's headset could make contact and inadvertently cause the clutch
dis-engagement. I wonder if the standard switch cover that you have to lift
to get access to the switch itself would have stopped this occurrence?

--
Stuart & Kathryn Fields, Publishers
Experimental Helo magazine
P. O. Box 1585
Inyokern, CA 93527
(760) 377-4478 ph
(760) 408-9747 publication cell
(760) 608-1299 technical cell
www.experimentalhelo.com
www.vkss.com

[Steve R]

"Stuart & Kathryn Fields" > wrote in message
.. .
>A recent incident involving a Rotorway helicopter occurred. An accidental
>bumping of the clutch switch dis-engaged the clutch. The resulting
>autorotation resulted in a roll over and of course some significant damage.
>As I understand it, the switch was mounted in the overhead panel but the
>pilot's headset could make contact and inadvertently cause the clutch
>dis-engagement. I wonder if the standard switch cover that you have to
>lift to get access to the switch itself would have stopped this occurrence?
>
> --
> Stuart & Kathryn Fields, Publishers

Sounds like a reasonable assumption to me. It also sounds like having a
protected switch should be a recommended safety item for any critical
function, whether or not the switch is in a position to be accidentally
bumped.

Going slightly off topic, and I'm not meaning to put anyone down here, but
why is it that just about every emergency autorotation I hear about results
in significant damage to the helicopter? Most folks walk away from them,
which is good, but some don't. This seems to be fairly common even among
aircraft that have the reputation of being relatively forgiving in this
mode. Are autorotations "that" critical or are the successful ones simply
not considered to be worthy of news so I'm not hearing/reading about them?

Fly Safe,
Steve R.

[Maxwell]

"Stuart & Kathryn Fields" > wrote in message
.. .
>A recent incident involving a Rotorway helicopter occurred. An accidental
>bumping of the clutch switch dis-engaged the clutch. The resulting
>autorotation resulted in a roll over and of course some significant damage.
>As I understand it, the switch was mounted in the overhead panel but the
>pilot's headset could make contact and inadvertently cause the clutch
>dis-engagement. I wonder if the standard switch cover that you have to
>lift to get access to the switch itself would have stopped this occurrence?
>

Would a switch cover not delay ready access to the switch? Sounds like it
needs to be relocated for safety, and kept quick to select.

[Hawkdoc]

Instead of a covered switch, use a swich with raised side gaurds to protect
it. Can't think of any swiches used in most emergency procedures that are
covered.

James

Rule 6 - "Priorities are man made, not god made"

"Maxwell" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Stuart & Kathryn Fields" > wrote in message
> .. .
>>A recent incident involving a Rotorway helicopter occurred. An accidental
>>bumping of the clutch switch dis-engaged the clutch. The resulting
>>autorotation resulted in a roll over and of course some significant
>>damage. As I understand it, the switch was mounted in the overhead panel
>>but the pilot's headset could make contact and inadvertently cause the
>>clutch dis-engagement. I wonder if the standard switch cover that you
>>have to lift to get access to the switch itself would have stopped this
>>occurrence?
>>
>
> Would a switch cover not delay ready access to the switch? Sounds like it
> needs to be relocated for safety, and kept quick to select.
>
>

[Steve R]

"Hawkdoc" > wrote in message
...
> Instead of a covered switch, use a swich with raised side gaurds to
> protect it. Can't think of any swiches used in most emergency procedures
> that are covered.
>
> James
>
> Rule 6 - "Priorities are man made, not god made"
>
> "Maxwell" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>> "Stuart & Kathryn Fields" > wrote in message
>> .. .
>>>A recent incident involving a Rotorway helicopter occurred. An
>>>accidental bumping of the clutch switch dis-engaged the clutch. The
>>>resulting autorotation resulted in a roll over and of course some
>>>significant damage. As I understand it, the switch was mounted in the
>>>overhead panel but the pilot's headset could make contact and
>>>inadvertently cause the clutch dis-engagement. I wonder if the standard
>>>switch cover that you have to lift to get access to the switch itself
>>>would have stopped this occurrence?
>>>
>>
>> Would a switch cover not delay ready access to the switch? Sounds like it
>> needs to be relocated for safety, and kept quick to select.
>>

Hmmm, I'm going on the assumption that this is a switch that's flipped in
order to apply a "clutch" type mechanism to engage the engine to the main
drive system after it's been started. On the Rotorway's I'm familiar with,
that was simply an idler pulley that applied enough pressure to the main
drive belts to prevent them from slippage and once engaged, was not
disengaged until after the aircraft had landed and it was time to shut down.
This was not a mechanism that would require any attention from the pilot
while in flight, even during an emergency autorotation because the freewheel
system that allows the rotor system to keep going after the engine quits was
between the belts and the main drive systems.

Have they changed things, or did the owner of this particular bird change
things?

Just curious!

Fly Safe,
Steve R.

[Stuart & Kathryn Fields]

Steve: Emergency autos frequently do not have the optimum landing zones
available and the helicopter can turn over even after a successful auto to
the ground. A lot, and maybe the majority of helo pilots do not practice
complete autos, but practice power recovery types and there is some more to
be learned doing full down autos. The Army found that practicing full down
autos had more damage and subsequent cost than not practicing them.


--
Stuart & Kathryn Fields, Publishers
Experimental Helo magazine
P. O. Box 1585
Inyokern, CA 93527
(760) 377-4478 ph
(760) 408-9747 publication cell
(760) 608-1299 technical cell
www.experimentalhelo.com
www.vkss.com


"Steve R" > wrote in message
...
> "Stuart & Kathryn Fields" > wrote in message
> .. .
>>A recent incident involving a Rotorway helicopter occurred. An accidental
>>bumping of the clutch switch dis-engaged the clutch. The resulting
>>autorotation resulted in a roll over and of course some significant
>>damage. As I understand it, the switch was mounted in the overhead panel
>>but the pilot's headset could make contact and inadvertently cause the
>>clutch dis-engagement. I wonder if the standard switch cover that you
>>have to lift to get access to the switch itself would have stopped this
>>occurrence?
>>
>> --
>> Stuart & Kathryn Fields, Publishers
>
> Sounds like a reasonable assumption to me. It also sounds like having a
> protected switch should be a recommended safety item for any critical
> function, whether or not the switch is in a position to be accidentally
> bumped.
>
> Going slightly off topic, and I'm not meaning to put anyone down here, but
> why is it that just about every emergency autorotation I hear about
> results in significant damage to the helicopter? Most folks walk away
> from them, which is good, but some don't. This seems to be fairly common
> even among aircraft that have the reputation of being relatively forgiving
> in this mode. Are autorotations "that" critical or are the successful
> ones simply not considered to be worthy of news so I'm not hearing/reading
> about them?
>
> Fly Safe,
> Steve R.
>

[Maxwell]

"The OTHER Kevin in San Diego" <skiddz "AT" adelphia "DOT" net> wrote in
message >>
>>Would a switch cover not delay ready access to the switch? Sounds like it
>>needs to be relocated for safety, and kept quick to select.
>>
> What would be the need to access the clutch switch in an emergency?
> If the clutch actuator fails, you typically pull the breaker so it
> can't change any more.
>
> In all the piston helis I've flown, there's a cover on the clutch
> switch and on some, a locking cover that physically holds the switch's
> bat in position.
>

Perhaps, but if the pilot has already hit it with his head, the cover will
just make it a bigger obstacle. Next time it might pull his headset and hat
over his eyes while landing.

It's personal preference for sure, but I really like the idea of having
switches in plain site, easy reach, and out of the way.

Kind of makes me wonder though. If the pilot could have easily seen and
reached the switch, could you reduce power and re-engage the clutch in time
to possibly save an auto?

[601XL Builder]

Steve R wrote:

> Going slightly off topic, and I'm not meaning to put anyone down here, but
> why is it that just about every emergency autorotation I hear about results
> in significant damage to the helicopter? Most folks walk away from them,
> which is good, but some don't. This seems to be fairly common even among
> aircraft that have the reputation of being relatively forgiving in this
> mode. Are autorotations "that" critical or are the successful ones simply
> not considered to be worthy of news so I'm not hearing/reading about them?

I think it more because you just don't here about the ones that DON'T
result in significant damage.

[Steve R]

"601XL Builder" <wrDOTgiacona@suddenlinkDOTnet> wrote in message
...
> Steve R wrote:
>
>> Going slightly off topic, and I'm not meaning to put anyone down here,
>> but why is it that just about every emergency autorotation I hear about
>> results in significant damage to the helicopter? Most folks walk away
>> from them, which is good, but some don't. This seems to be fairly common
>> even among aircraft that have the reputation of being relatively
>> forgiving in this mode. Are autorotations "that" critical or are the
>> successful ones simply not considered to be worthy of news so I'm not
>> hearing/reading about them?
>
> I think it more because you just don't here about the ones that DON'T
> result in significant damage.

I truly hope so. You see news reports of fixed wingers putting it down on
an Interstate or something from time to time with no damage or injuries.
Granted that's a little more noticeable than a helo successfully putting it
down in a field somewhere but you'd think that one or two of them would show
up on the local or national news "sometimes!" The best I remember seeing
was a Houston Police helicopter, a variant of the MD500, that did an
emergency auto into a local high school football field. The field was
vacant at the time. The aircraft remained on it's skids, which is what I
found unique about this one, but was missing the tail boom just aft of the
fuselage and had significant damage to the rotor system as a result of the
blade strike. All souls on board walked away with no injuries.

Fly Safe,
Steve R.