The 3 Bank Accounts for Helicopters

Welcome back! I'm Jacob and this video covers the 3 Bank Accounts you have a s helicopter pilot. I use the term bank account because if all 3 are full, you're rich and have options while flying. If you're broke, you don't have options. In the world of flying this could be the difference between life and death. Let's take a look at what the bank accounts are below.

If you’re interested in my eBook study guide, check it out here:

The 3 Bank Accounts you have are Power Available (0%-100%), Altitude AGL (Above Ground Level), and Airspeed. These balances vary in each part of the flight. Pilots can build these accounts, trade between them, or simply give them up. For instance, when I'm on the ground, I start from zero airspeed, zero altitude, but I should have high power available. As I takeoff, I pull in power (say 80% for this example) which reduces how much power is now left available. But I begin growing my airspeed and altitude bank accounts. Once I'm in level cruise flight, let's say 2000' AGL, Max End Airspeed, and about 55% torque, I have high balances in each. Healthy power available. I'm pulling 55% so I have 45% left. I also have sufficient altitude and airspeed. I mentioned earlier how these bank accounts could mean the difference between life and death. So here's what that means.

These bank accounts are what you can pull from or withdraw from if you get into danger, that is, emergencies or other unanticipated events in flight. Let's say you have an engine failure. If you're at the 2000' profile mentioned earlier, you have time and options. Engine failure means the Power Available Account is gone for Single Engine helicopters and limited for Dual Engine Helicopters. Having the other 2 accounts all you to increase available options on where you can go and how long you have to make decisions. Let's compare the same scenario to one at treetop level. If I'm 150' AGL, 5-10 knots, at 95% power and my engine fails, I'm right in the Height Avoid Area (HAA) or Deadman's curve (Check that video here: ) which means the likelihood of successful safe landing is unlikely. Simply put, I have no options. I'm generally going down to the area directly below the helicopter. Let's say I lose a tail rotor or have Loss of Tail Rotor Effectiveness (LTE). There are no options if I'm low. I'm left to just use the collective to compromise between rate of turn and rate of descent. But if I were in the 2000' profile with a tail rotor issue I could potentially dive to fly out of it and my vertical fin would help offload the need for a tail rotor. Lastly, what if it's night time and my night vision device fails. If I'm low and slow and power limited, I don't have the ability to quickly escape that profile to avoid obstacles. A crash could happen within seconds.

Healthy, full bank accounts give options. I can trade high airspeed to gain altitude. I can trade altitude to gain airspeed with varying degrees of dives. If I have power available, I can gain airspeed, altitude, or arrest rates of descent. It's all energy management. Think back to basic physics. All energy is either potential or kinetic. Airspeed is kinetic. Its raw mechanical motion of the helicopter. Altitude is potential, specifically gravitational energy. Like a roller coaster, the higher you are, the more time and distance gravity can affect you. Power available is also potential energy, specifically chemical because stored fuel has high amounts of energy when burned. Your engines burn it to turn the rotor and build other accounts.

You may not always be a able to build big bank accounts based on mission or job. So how can you mitigate this? If you have to fly low, consider keeping airspeed slightly higher reducing weight to increase power available. If you have to fly slow, consider increasing altitude to at least above the HAA. Reducing weight also allows for more power available. If you have to fly power limited, either because of flying at high pressure altitudes or near max gross weight, consider increasing both altitude and airspeed.

Ultimately, give yourself a way out by giving yourself options. A great quote by Frank Borman states, "A superior pilot uses superior judgement to avoid situations which require the use of superior skill." That judgement involves thinking ahead of the aircraft, both while flying and in flight planning.

That's about all the time for this video. Once again, the 3 bank account are power available, altitude, and airspeed. They can be used to save your life in bad situations if you have them. They can be built, traded, and given up. Thanks for watching! Be sure to hit like, subscribe, and leave a comment.

As always, safe flying.

[imachavel]

3 banks accounts. 2 types of money. Potential and kinetic are the currency. The accounts are rotor speed and forward thrust and altitude. Altitude is the account using the potential currency while rotor speed and forward thrust accounts use the kinetic currency. So with the engine on you can trade rotor speed and forward thrust for altitude. With the engine off you can trade rotor speed and forward thrust between each other. To some extent. The barrier is a catastrophic rotor stall. And obviously with the engine off you can trade altitude for both rotor speed and forward thrust. But absolutely never ever in a neverending never ever scenario with the engine off can you ever trade rotor speed and forward thrust for altitude. As your altitude is only going down as an eventuality with the engine off. Therefore altitude is always potential to be traded and rotor speed and forward thrust are always kinetic.

[CodeFilms]

I am so glad your back! I have a mentor now that’s been a helicopter pilot for a long time and I am ready to start this long but rewarding journey.

[autom]

A very straight forward explanation of energy management in a Heli. I wish I had of been introduced to this basic concept earlier in my training. Thanks for the video.

[AeroheadLS]

Was in 67's and your vids helped a ton. My instruments instructor, former Cobra guy recommended them. Wouldnt mind your take on how to develop a routine study circuit to help simplify studying all the info we need. Thanks again!

[davidwallace]

Excellent way of explaining "safety thinking". Thank you sir.

[Delatta]

Interesting way to explain the basics. Well done.

[tymoteuszkazubski]

For me it makes more sense to use rotor system kinetic energy instead of power available as you directly trade rotor energy for speed and altitude.
Engine power is then your salary and loses can be seen as fees that are proportional to how much money you have in your account.

[Wolfhound_]

Very basic and very good. Nothing really new for anyone who's into helicopters (real or simulation for that matter) for any stretch of time, but very important for any newcomer.
Suggesting you to put up playlists with different 'levels' of understanding needed. For example, I remember how long I needed to really understand transverse flow. Not sure I completely understand those aerodynamics lessons yet XD can be very difficult for a newcomer if that's his first video. But this one here, is perfect!

[QXZMKII]

Top Notch Sir, 👌👌much obliged for the insight.

[SkyBaum]

Always good to have money 💰 in the bank 🚁 🏦

[EvilZombieToe]

Enter an auto at 200ft AGL? Seems a bit unlikely, but I see what you’re getting at