Commercial Pilot (Helicopter) Powerplant Starting and Rotor Engagement Lesson Plan
Commercial Pilot (Helicopter) • ACS Area II, Task C
The Commercial Pilot (Helicopter) Powerplant Starting and Rotor Engagement Lesson Plan covers the knowledge, risk management, and skills required by FAA-S-ACS-16.
Introduction
Attention Getter:
- Present a realistic commercial helicopter operation in which the outcome depends on sound powerplant starting and rotor engagement 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 recommended powerplant starting and rotor engagement procedures.
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:
- FAA-S-ACS-16.
- Helicopter Flying Handbook.
- Task references: FAA-H-8083-2, FAA-H-8083-21, FAA-H-8083-25; POH/RFM
Instructor Actions
- State the ACS objective and establish the commercial operating context.
- Knowledge Elements:
- Explain, correlate, and assess the learner's understanding of Starting under various conditions. (CH.II.C.K1)
- Explain, correlate, and assess the learner's understanding of Starting procedures, including the use of external power if applicable. (CH.II.C.K2)
- Explain, correlate, and assess the learner's understanding of Limitations associated with starting. (CH.II.C.K3)
- Explain, correlate, and assess the learner's understanding of Conditions leading to and procedures for an aborted start. (CH.II.C.K4)
- Risk Management:
- Use a commercial helicopter scenario to identify, assess, and mitigate risk associated with Rotor engagement, if applicable. (CH.II.C.R1)
- Use a commercial helicopter scenario to identify, assess, and mitigate risk associated with Use of external power unit. (CH.II.C.R2)
- Use a commercial helicopter scenario to identify, assess, and mitigate risk associated with Limitations during starting. (CH.II.C.R3)
- Skill Development:
- Demonstrate, coach, and assess the learner's ability to Position the helicopter properly considering structures, surface conditions, other aircraft, wind, and the safety of nearby persons and property. (CH.II.C.S1)
- Demonstrate, coach, and assess the learner's ability to Use flight control frictions, if required. (CH.II.C.S2)
- Demonstrate, coach, and assess the learner's ability to Complete the appropriate checklist(s). (CH.II.C.S3)
- Demonstrate, coach, and assess the learner's ability to Engage and manage the rotor system, as appropriate. (CH.II.C.S4)
- Syllabus Objective Coverage:
- Explain starting under various conditions.
- Explain aircraft-specific normal engine-start configuration and sequencing.
- Apply starting under various conditions to the aircraft, conditions, or flight scenario presented.
- Explain cold-weather preheating, starting, oil-pressure checks, and warm-up limitations.
- Explain heat-soak effects and aircraft-specific hot-engine restart procedures.
- Explain excessive priming, engine flooding, and the appropriate response to an unsuccessful flooded start.
- Explain high-elevation starting and ground-mixture considerations without carrying a taxi setting into takeoff.
- Explain starting procedures, including the use of external power if applicable.
- Explain limitations associated with starting.
- Apply limitations associated with starting to the aircraft, conditions, or flight scenario presented.
- Explain weak-battery, slow-cranking, and starter operating limitations.
- Explain starter duty-cycle, cooling, and post-start operating limitations.
- Explain conditions leading to and procedures for an aborted start.
- Apply conditions leading to and procedures for an aborted start to the aircraft, conditions, or flight scenario presented.
- Recognize when an unsuccessful or abnormal start must be aborted and apply the aircraft-specific procedure.
- Recognize missing oil pressure as an aborted-start condition requiring shutdown.
- Assess and manage rotor engagement, if applicable.
- Use of external power unit.
- Assess and manage limitations during starting.
- Demonstrate position the helicopter properly considering structures, surface conditions, other aircraft, wind, and the safety of nearby persons and property.
- Use flight control frictions, if required.
- Demonstrate the ability to complete the appropriate checklist(s).
- Demonstrate engage and manage the rotor system, as appropriate.
- Require the learner to use the RFM, checklist, limitations, and current operational information, then document deficiencies and retraining.
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 Rotor engagement, if applicable.
- Require the learner to brief, perform, or explain how to Position the helicopter properly considering structures, surface conditions, other aircraft, wind, and the safety of nearby persons and property.
- 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.
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.
Airman Certification Standards
Commercial Pilot (Helicopter) Powerplant Starting and Rotor Engagement Airman Certification Standards
- Objective: To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with recommended powerplant starting and rotor engagement procedures.
- References: FAA-H-8083-2, FAA-H-8083-21, FAA-H-8083-25; POH/RFM
Knowledge 4 ACS Elements
-
CH.II.C.K1: Starting under various conditions. -
CH.II.C.K2: Starting procedures, including the use of external power if applicable. -
CH.II.C.K3: Limitations associated with starting. -
CH.II.C.K4: Conditions leading to and procedures for an aborted start.
Risk Management 3 ACS Elements
-
CH.II.C.R1: Rotor engagement, if applicable. -
CH.II.C.R2: Use of external power unit. -
CH.II.C.R3: Limitations during starting.
Skills 4 ACS Elements
-
CH.II.C.S1: Position the helicopter properly considering structures, surface conditions, other aircraft, wind, and the safety of nearby persons and property. -
CH.II.C.S2: Use flight control frictions, if required. -
CH.II.C.S3: Complete the appropriate checklist(s). -
CH.II.C.S4: Engage and manage the rotor system, as appropriate.
Conclusion
Re-Motivation:
- Commercial-level powerplant starting and rotor engagement 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.