Auto Aerodynamics

[moosehead]

Probably 12 years ago in the beginning of my career, I read an article in a Helicopter magazine. The article dealt with autorotations and the associated aerodynamics involved. I’m quite certain that I didn’t fully understand what I was reading but there was one section that has stuck in the back of my brain and ever since I have pondered over what it was that I had actually read.
The article described the general characteristics of the autorotation and the aerodynamics involved but then this is the part that I remember as strange. It seemed to indicate that since the most lift produced by an airfoil is created just prior to the stall , the best use of rotor inertia would be to momentarily and abruptly raise the collective in the flare thus attaining the most lift the blades could produce before stalling. I think (used loosely) the rest of the procedure was to equally abruptly, lower the collective before too much rotor decay occurred and then increase collective as per normal to cushion the landing.
I remember the article being filled with accompanying equations and deductions involving rotor disc area and rotational velocities that seemed to prove the theory. I have attempted several variations of this procedure in our company simulator but I haven’t seen any appreciable difference, other than my reaction time to the LOW ROTOR warning seems to be improving!
Is there anybody out there that might know of or remember a similar procedure or theory.

[Heliian]

I've heard of it but I don't know when or why the technique would be used. When the time comes for a real auto, it may be needed to correct an out of profile descent but i'm not sure. Doing abrupt manoeuvers like that is not practised as far as i know but in a life or death situation, you fly to survive.

[System Message]

During the flare rotor rpm will increase as the energy from the airspeed is absorbed by the rotor. Increasing pitch may be necessary to keep rotor speed from exceeding the high rpm limit.

[frenchwrench]

Dennis Venturi is the guy to talk to on that stuff, we worked together at NMH..