Commercial Pilot (Helicopter) Performance and Limitations Lesson Plan

Commercial Pilot (Helicopter) • ACS Area I, Task F

The Commercial Pilot (Helicopter) Performance and Limitations Lesson Plan covers the knowledge, risk management, and skills required by FAA-S-ACS-16.

Commercial Pilot (Helicopter) Performance and Limitations Lesson Plan

Introduction

  • Attention Getter:

    • Present a realistic commercial helicopter operation in which the outcome depends on sound performance and limitations knowledge, risk management, and technique.
    • Ask the learner to identify the earliest decision or control input that protects the available safety margin.

  • Motivator:

    • To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with operating a helicopter safely within the parameters of its performance capabilities and limitations.

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Commercial Pilot (Helicopter) Performance and Limitations Lesson Plan

Materials

  • Required Materials:

    • FAA-S-ACS-16, Commercial Pilot for Rotorcraft Category Helicopter Rating Airman Certification Standards.
    • Model-specific Rotorcraft Flight Manual (RFM), approved checklist, and performance data.
    • Student training record and applicable lesson records.

  • Reference Materials:

Commercial Pilot (Helicopter) Performance and Limitations Lesson Plan

Instructor Actions

  • State the ACS objective and establish the commercial operating context.
  • Knowledge Elements:
    • Explain, correlate, and assess the learner's understanding of Elements related to performance and limitations by explaining the use of charts, tables, and data to determine performance. (CH.I.F.K1)
    • Explain, correlate, and assess the learner's understanding of Factors affecting performance, including: (CH.I.F.K2)
      • Atmospheric conditions (CH.I.F.K2a)
      • Pilot technique (CH.I.F.K2b)
      • Helicopter configuration (CH.I.F.K2c)
      • Airport, heliport, helipad, or unprepared surface environment (CH.I.F.K2d)
      • Loading and weight and balance (CH.I.F.K2e)
    • Explain, correlate, and assess the learner's understanding of Aerodynamics. (CH.I.F.K3)
    • Explain, correlate, and assess the learner's understanding of Height/Velocity (H/V) diagram according to the Rotorcraft Flight Manual (RFM). (CH.I.F.K4)
  • Risk Management:
    • Use a commercial helicopter scenario to identify, assess, and mitigate risk associated with Use of performance charts, tables, and data. (CH.I.F.R1)
    • Use a commercial helicopter scenario to identify, assess, and mitigate risk associated with Helicopter limitations. (CH.I.F.R2)
    • Use a commercial helicopter scenario to identify, assess, and mitigate risk associated with Possible differences between calculated performance and actual performance. (CH.I.F.R3)
    • Use a commercial helicopter scenario to identify, assess, and mitigate risk associated with Exceeding weight limits. (CH.I.F.R4)
    • Use a commercial helicopter scenario to identify, assess, and mitigate risk associated with Operating outside of CG limits. (CH.I.F.R5)
    • Use a commercial helicopter scenario to identify, assess, and mitigate risk associated with Shifting, adding, and removing weight. (CH.I.F.R6)
    • Use a commercial helicopter scenario to identify, assess, and mitigate risk associated with Retreating blade stall. (CH.I.F.R7)
    • Use a commercial helicopter scenario to identify, assess, and mitigate risk associated with Situations that lead to loss of tail rotor/antitorque effectiveness (LTE). (CH.I.F.R8)
  • Skill Development:
    • Demonstrate, coach, and assess the learner's ability to Compute the weight and balance, correct out-of-center of gravity loading errors and determine if the weight and balance remains within limits during all phases of flight. (CH.I.F.S1)
    • Demonstrate, coach, and assess the learner's ability to Use appropriate helicopter performance charts, tables, and data. (CH.I.F.S2)
  • Syllabus Objective Coverage:
    • Apply elements related to performance and limitations by explaining the use of charts, tables, and data to determine performance to the aircraft, conditions, or flight scenario presented.
    • Explain weight effect and control input limits of va.
    • Explain elements related to performance and limitations by explaining the use of charts, tables, and data to determine performance.
    • Define density altitude.
    • Explain use of density altitude for performance.
    • Interpret equivalent air density from density altitude.
    • Explain density altitude effect on lift.
    • Explain density altitude effect on aerodynamic drag.
    • Explain density altitude effect on normally aspirated engine power.
    • Identify factors that increase density altitude.
    • Explain pressure effect on air density and density altitude.
    • Explain temperature effect on air density and density altitude.
    • Explain humidity effect on air density and density altitude.
    • Explain factors affecting performance.
    • Apply factors affecting performance to the aircraft, conditions, or flight scenario presented.
    • Explain atmospheric conditions.
      • Explain how pressure, temperature, humidity, wind, and density altitude affect helicopter performance.
      • Recognize atmospheric conditions that reduce power available, increase power required, or reduce rotor efficiency.
      • Apply actual and forecast atmospheric conditions to performance planning and operating margins.
    • Explain pilot technique.
      • Explain how control technique, coordination, rotor RPM management, and maneuvering affect helicopter performance.
      • Recognize pilot techniques that consume excessive power or rotor energy.
      • Adjust technique to preserve performance margin without exceeding RFM limitations.
    • Explain helicopter configuration.
      • Explain how weight, center of gravity, installed equipment, landing gear, doors, and external configuration affect helicopter performance.
      • Account for the planned helicopter configuration when using performance charts and limitations.
      • Recognize configuration changes that require recalculation or a revised operating plan.
    • Explain airport, heliport, helipad, or unprepared surface environment.
    • Explain loading and weight and balance.
    • Explain aerodynamics.
      • Explain how rotor-blade angle of attack, relative wind, lift, drag, and induced flow produce rotor thrust.
      • Explain coning, flapping, cyclic feathering, and dissymmetry-of-lift compensation in forward flight.
      • Explain torque reaction, translating tendency, and the purpose of antitorque control.
      • Explain effective translational lift, transverse flow effect, and their control implications during transition.
      • Explain ground effect and how hover height and surface conditions change power required.
      • Relate rotor aerodynamics and energy to helicopter performance, control margins, and applicable limitations.
    • Explain height/Velocity (H/V) diagram according to the Rotorcraft Flight Manual (RFM).
    • Identify and assess the hazards associated with use of performance charts, tables, and data.
    • Select and justify effective controls for the risks associated with use of performance charts, tables, and data.
    • Assess and manage helicopter limitations.
    • Identify and assess the hazards associated with possible differences between calculated performance and actual performance.
    • Select and justify effective controls for the risks associated with possible differences between calculated performance and actual performance.
    • Assess and manage exceeding weight limits.
    • Assess and manage operating outside of CG limits.
    • Assess and manage shifting, adding, and removing weight.
    • Assess and manage retreating blade stall.
    • Assess and manage situations that lead to loss of tail rotor/antitorque effectiveness (LTE).
    • Demonstrate compute the weight and balance, correct out-of-center of gravity loading errors and determine if the weight and balance remains within limits during all phases of flight.
    • Use appropriate helicopter performance charts, tables, and data.
  • Require the learner to use the RFM, checklist, limitations, and current operational information, then document deficiencies and retraining.
Commercial Pilot (Helicopter) Performance and Limitations Lesson Plan

Guided Scenario(s)

  • Place the learner in a realistic commercial helicopter operation involving passengers, schedule pressure, changing weather or landing-area conditions, and aircraft performance limitations.
  • Require the learner to identify, assess, and mitigate Use of performance charts, tables, and data.
  • Require the learner to brief, perform, or explain how to Compute the weight and balance, correct out-of-center of gravity loading errors and determine if the weight and balance remains within limits during all phases of flight.
  • Introduce a meaningful change in wind, power available, landing area, traffic, system status, fuel, or external pressure and require a new decision.
  • Conclude with a self-critique tied to every applicable ACS element and the commercial standard of care.
Commercial Pilot (Helicopter) Performance and Limitations Lesson Plan

Student Actions

  • Complete assigned readings and review the model-specific RFM and checklist.
  • Explain each applicable knowledge element in operational context.
  • Identify, assess, and mitigate each applicable risk.
  • Demonstrate or explain each applicable skill within ACS standards and helicopter limitations.
  • Perform a self-assessment and make appropriate go/no-go, continue/divert, or discontinue decisions.
Commercial Pilot (Helicopter) Performance and Limitations Lesson Plan

Airman Certification Standards

Commercial Pilot (Helicopter) Performance and Limitations Airman Certification Standards

  • Objective: To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with operating a helicopter safely within the parameters of its performance capabilities and limitations.
  • References: FAA-H-8083-1, FAA-H-8083-2, FAA-H-8083-21, FAA-H-8083-25; POH/RFM
Knowledge 4 ACS Elements
  • CH.I.F.K2:
    Factors affecting performance, including:
    • CH.I.F.K2a:
      Atmospheric conditions
    • CH.I.F.K2b:
      Pilot technique
    • CH.I.F.K2c:
      Helicopter configuration
    • CH.I.F.K2d:
      Airport, heliport, helipad, or unprepared surface environment
    • CH.I.F.K2e:
      Loading and weight and balance
  • CH.I.F.K3:
    Aerodynamics.
  • CH.I.F.K4:
    Height/Velocity (H/V) diagram according to the Rotorcraft Flight Manual (RFM).
Risk Management 8 ACS Elements
  • CH.I.F.R1:
    Use of performance charts, tables, and data.
  • CH.I.F.R2:
    Helicopter limitations.
  • CH.I.F.R3:
    Possible differences between calculated performance and actual performance.
  • CH.I.F.R4:
    Exceeding weight limits.
  • CH.I.F.R5:
    Operating outside of CG limits.
  • CH.I.F.R6:
    Shifting, adding, and removing weight.
  • CH.I.F.R7:
    Retreating blade stall.
  • CH.I.F.R8:
    Situations that lead to loss of tail rotor/antitorque effectiveness (LTE).
Skills 2 ACS Elements
  • CH.I.F.S1:
    Compute the weight and balance, correct out-of-center of gravity loading errors and determine if the weight and balance remains within limits during all phases of flight.
  • CH.I.F.S2:
    Use appropriate helicopter performance charts, tables, and data.
Commercial Pilot (Helicopter) Performance and Limitations Lesson Plan

Conclusion

  • Re-Motivation:

    • Commercial-level performance and limitations proficiency protects passengers, the aircraft, and the operator's safety margin.

  • Closure:

    • Review the objective, identified risks, performance strengths, and items requiring additional training.
    • Record the learner's progress and assign the next applicable lesson.