Full Autorotation

Phase 1 — Entry

Engine quits. Several things have to happen within seconds:

1. Lower collective immediately — flat pitch on the blades preserves rotor RPM. Most rotor RPM loss happens in the first 1-2 seconds after power loss.
2. Right pedal (US CCW rotor) — without engine torque, the tail rotor's leftward thrust is unbalanced. Right pedal counters.
3. Establish glide attitude — pitch for best glide airspeed (typically 65 kt for training helicopters; check your POH).
4. Verify rotor RPM in the green — adjust collective slightly if needed to keep RPM in the autorotation green arc. Too high or too low both reduce glide performance.

The first 3 seconds determine whether you have a flyable rotor or not. Drill the move until your hand goes down before you've finished registering the engine note change.

Phase 2 — Glide

You're now descending at roughly 1,500-2,500 fpm depending on aircraft, with rotor RPM stable in the green. Tasks during the glide:

• Pick a landing spot — within glide range, into the wind if possible, with a survivable surface (clear field, road, parking lot, even water as a last resort).
• Maneuver toward it — bank turns will increase descent rate; minimize them. Plan to arrive at the touchdown point with airspeed and altitude both in hand.
• Manage rotor RPM — small collective adjustments keep RPM in the green. Lower collective slightly to add RPM, raise slightly to bleed RPM.
• Communicate if time and workload permit — Mayday on the active frequency, squawk 7700, brief passengers.
• Pre-landing checks if there's time — fuel off, mags off (some procedures), brace passengers.

The glide phase is typically 30-90 seconds depending on entry altitude. Use it deliberately. Pilots who fixate on a touchdown spot too early often run out of altitude before they can refine the plan.

Phase 3 — Flare

At approximately 50-75 ft AGL (helicopter-dependent), apply aft cyclic to flare. The flare:

• Slows forward speed — converts forward momentum into a brief altitude gain (the helicopter "balloons" slightly).
• Slows descent rate — by trading forward speed and altitude into rotor RPM and a reduced sink.
• Preserves rotor RPM — the increased induced flow during the flare drives the rotor faster, banking energy for the cushion.

Flare timing is the hardest part of the auto. Too early: you bleed off airspeed too far above the ground, ground rush takes over, you run out of cushion. Too late: you arrive at the surface with too much forward speed and risk a tail strike or a hard landing on the skids.

The "right" flare is one where the helicopter is decelerating smoothly through 30-40 ft AGL, level at 10-15 ft, and ready for the cushion phase at 5-10 ft. Practice gets you the picture; descriptions don't.

Phase 4 — Cushion

Just before touchdown:

1. Level the aircraft — if the flare ended with the nose still high, neutralize the cyclic to flat pitch attitude.
2. Apply collective smoothly — convert stored rotor RPM into lift to cushion the touchdown. Not a fast yank — a smooth pull.
3. Keep heading with pedals — the cushion adds collective, which without engine torque means more anti-torque demand. Right pedal as needed.
4. Touch down on flat skids — rotor energy is now spent. Lower collective fully after touchdown.
5. Slide if needed — if you arrived with residual forward speed, the helicopter slides. Use cyclic to maintain heading and lateral control through the slide.

The ACS standard for full autorotation: land within 200 ft of your intended point, on heading, no damage. Practiced students hit closer; checkride applicants often hit within 50 ft.

Why this is drilled so much

Engine failures happen. Flight school helicopters have engines that get more abuse than civilian-owned aircraft, and even well-maintained engines fail at single-digit-per-100,000-hour rates. Across a 30-year career, every helicopter pilot has a reasonable probability of a real engine-out event.

The full autorotation is also the maneuver most likely to be a check-pilot's "surprise" element: throttle pulled to idle without warning, often at a moment of high task load (after a max-perf takeoff, or during a confined-area scenario, or in turbulence). Recurrent training keeps the reflex sharp because the reflex perishes if not practiced.

Most training programs do "power recoveries" — entering the auto, gliding briefly, then rolling throttle back on for a powered termination — far more often than full touchdown autos. Full touchdowns wear the helicopter and are riskier; power recoveries can be done dozens of times per training cycle. Both are necessary.

Common mistakes

• Hesitating on collective entry — the most consequential error. Even a half-second of full collective without engine drive bleeds critical RPM.
• Forgetting right pedal — without it, the helicopter yaws left, complicating glide attitude.
• Picking the touchdown spot too early — committing to the first option, then having to fly back to it as conditions develop.
• Over-banking turns — increases descent rate, costs altitude.
• Flaring too high — Phase-1 students often flare 80-100 ft AGL, then run out of energy before the cushion.
• Cushioning too late — arriving at the surface still descending fast.
• Pulling collective fully early — uses up rotor RPM before touchdown, dropping hard the last few feet.