No.

3297-S-00

SAFETY INFORMATION NOTICE

SUBJECT: GENERAL

Unanticipated left yaw (main rotor rotating clockwise), commonly referred to

as LTE

For the attention of

AIRCRAFT Version(s)
CONCERNED Civil Military
EC120 B
AS350 B, BA, BB, B1, B2, B3, D L1
AS550 A2, C2, C3, U2
AS355 E, F, F1, F2, N, NP
AS555 AF, AN, SN, UF, UN, AP
EC130 B4, T2
SA365 / AS365 C1, C2, C3, N, N1, N2, N3 F, Fs, Fi, K, K2
AS565 MA, MB, SA, SB, UB, MBe
SA366 GA
EC155 B, B1
SA330 J Ba, L, Jm, S1, Sm
SA341 G B, C, D, E, F, H
SA342 J L, L1, M, M1, Ma
ALOUETTE II 313B, 3130, 318B, 318C, 3180
ALOUETTE III 316B, 316C, 3160, 319B
LAMA 315B
EC225 LP
EC725 AP
AS332 C, C1, L, L1, L2 B, B1, F1, M, M1
AS532 A2, U2, AC, AL, SC, UE, UL
EC175 B
EC339 KUH/Surion

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Background
Unanticipated yaw is a flight characteristic to which all types of single rotor helicopter (regardless of anti-torque
design) can be susceptible at low speed, dependent usually on the direction and strength of the wind relative to the
helicopter.

This characteristic was first identified and analyzed in relation to OH-58 helicopters by the US Army, who coined
the description "loss of tail rotor effectiveness (LTE)" even though the tail rotor always remained fully serviceable. It
is not linked to any failure and has nothing to do with the full loss of tail rotor thrust.

Where this type of unanticipated yaw situation is encountered, it may be rapid and most often will be in the opposite
direction of the rotation of the main rotor blades (i.e. left yaw where the blades rotate clockwise). Swift corrective
action is needed in response otherwise loss of control and possible accident may result.

However, use of the rudder pedal in the first instance may not cause the yaw to immediately subside, thus causing
the pilot to make inadequate use of the pedal to correct the situation because he suspects that it is ineffective
when, in fact, thrust capability of the tail rotor available to him remains undiminished. "Loss of tail rotor
effectiveness" is not, therefore, a most efficient description as it wrongly implies that tail rotor efficiency is reduced
in certain conditions.

Understanding unanticipated yaw is important to avoiding it, particularly as it appears to continue to be a

contributing factor to some accidents. Therefore, this notice gives detailed information on when the situation may
arise, why the tail rotor may wrongly appear to be ineffective, and how to respond in order to maintain full control /
recover.

How does Unanticipated Left Yaw occur?

The explanation can be found in a
diagram/curve which charts pedal position
according to helicopter heading relative to true
wind direction (while at trim and in hover).
Such a curve exists for each combination of
weight, altitude, temperature and wind speed.

An example is provided in Figure 1. The well-

known critical azimuth, which gives the
smallest pedal margin, corresponds in this
Figure to about +90° heading (wind coming
from the left hand side with respect to the
helicopter).

The blue curve corresponds to hover trim

conditions. From there, when right pedal is
added (i.e. the pedal position moves above the
blue curve) the helicopter yaws to the right,
and when left pedal is added it yaws to the left
(the pedal position moves below the curve). Figure 1: Example of hover pedal curve

Where a headwind is present (green area in Figure 1) the helicopter is stable in yaw. If a gust alters the heading of
the helicopter, from 0° to -10° for example, the pedal position is now above the curve (the heading was brought
to -10° with the pedal position that existed at 0°). The helicopter yaws right until it crosses the trim curve, which
happens at the initial 0° heading. Shifted away from the trim position, it comes back to it.

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On the opposite side of Figure 1 the red area represents an area of a yaw instability. When the helicopter is shifted
from its trim position, it moves further away until a stable headwind condition is found. This tailwind instability is well
known by helicopter pilots who are aware that yaw must be very carefully controlled when the wind approaches
from behind (tailwind).

Stabilizing surfaces are installed downstream of the center of gravity. The tail rotor and the fin have this role and
are well located for forward flight conditions. In a tailwind, however, their position on the helicopter is not ideal. As
a result, they cause yaw instability.

This can be managed as long as the pilot is aware of the wind direction relative to the helicopter. It becomes more
difficult when information about wind direction and strength is not available, especially when yaw maneuvering is
required. The pilot can reach the lower limit of the stable range (about -60° heading in Figure 1) without much
advance warning and, as a result, switch from experiencing stable yaw behavior to fully unstable yaw behavior.
This can give the pilot the feeling that the helicopter rotates of its own accord - even if though it is the result of his
control inputs and the consequence of the change of wind heading on tail rotor thrust.

This is illustrated in the graph in Figure 2.

Starting from 0° wind heading, a left pedal step
is made (indicated by a vertical black arrow).
This brings the control position below the trim
curve and the helicopter therefore rotates to the
left until it crosses the trim curve, where it
stops. In headwind conditions, pedal provides
an attitude command : a control step mainly
produces a heading step.

A second left pedal step is included in Figure

2. It has a similar effect to the first pedal step,
leading to a second heading step.

When a third left pedal step is made with the

same amplitude, the same heading change in
the order of -20° can be anticipated, but
unexpectedly this third step brings the pedal
position below the lowest point of the pedal
Figure 2: Starting an Unanticipated Left Yaw
curve. This means a nose-left rotation will
occur, as indicated by a red arrow. As the trim
curve is never reached, however, rotation of the helicopter (i.e. spinning) will not stop unless right pedal is added.
On the basis of the previous behavior of the helicopter, a -20° heading step with a limited yaw rate was expected.
On the third pedal step, however, spinning is reached, with strong yaw acceleration. This is the "uncommanded
rapid yaw rate which does not subside of its own accord" which defines unanticipated yaw.

The gap between the current pedal position (red arrow) and the blue trim curve gives an indication of the
encountered yaw rate. In the Figure 2 example, after passing the minimum of the blue curve (about -60° heading),
that gap increases drastically. It is not due to a pedal input, but to a trim position that is moving away. The pilot has
no indication of this changing trim position and the resulting yaw acceleration is therefore wrongly perceived as
being uncommanded, attributable to some external factor.

This is not the only way unanticipated yaw can start. Under-monitoring of the helicopter's yaw axis behavior while
at low speed in tailwind conditions can lead to the same result. It would depend on the direction of the initial wind
disturbance and should be equally distributed between right and left rotations. The same problem demonstrated in
Figure 2 can also appear on the other side of the stability range (circa +90° heading). The unanticipated yaw
developing there can only be to the right.

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Most instances of unanticipated yaw which lead to accidents are to the left when the main rotor rotates clockwise.
This shows that the main problem is not a tailwind or wind in the vicinity of the critical azimuth, where the pedal
coming close to the 100% stop gives a clear warning. The main problem area for unanticipated left yaw is on the
other side of the stability range, when the pedal position is much more benign.

Why does the tail rotor appear to be ineffective?

Following unanticipated left yaw occurrence
depicted in Figure 2, three recovery strategies
have been plotted in Figure 3. Here, the pilot is
assumed to have been caught unaware by the
helicopter's behavior and reacted late in the
vicinity of a -90° heading.

No control input (as shown by the red line), or a

very small control input based on the tail rotor
efficiency as perceived prior to the event, is not
an option for the pilot. It cannot stop the
yawing.

A large and slow input (as shown by the yellow

line) can zero the yaw rate, but halting it will
occur quite late. The trim curve is only crossed
270° after the step input. This can appear to be
a very long time to any pilot who does not
appreciate what is happening. This is why the
tail rotor can seem ineffective: large but slow
inputs make a clearly visible effect only at the Figure 3: Recovering from an Unanticipated Left Yaw
end of a 360° rotation.

A large and rapid input is represented by the green line. The yaw stops much more quickly, but the trim is found in
the unstable tailwind range. The heading must be closely monitored and headwind conditions recovered as soon
as practicable. For example, in one accident recorded by video, a decreasing yaw rate could be seen, followed by
further acceleration, indicating that the pilot seemed to have been unknowingly affected twice by unanticipated
yaw.

The key feature of an unanticipated left yaw recovery is large amplitude right pedal input. Recovery may not be
immediate, but will occur if the pilot persists in maintaining right pedal. In some instances, the pilot re-centered the
pedal before entering again a right pedal input. This cannot help and only delays recovery from the yaw. If the yaw
deceleration is not enough, more right pedal must be added, reaching the pedal end-stop if necessary.

The most probable reason for accidents following unanticipated yaw events is a late and too limited pedal input.
The pedal curve shows that this cannot stop the yaw in the short term. During an unanticipated yaw event, the tail
rotor remains fully effective and provides the best chance to recover. Yaw rate and wind conditions reduce its thrust
if it is at a constant pitch. There must be counterbalance by a huge pitch increase. The only warning the pilot may
get of potential loss of control is the onset of unanticipated yaw.

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The apparent lack of efficiency of a limited pedal input can lead to misinterpretation of an unanticipated yaw as a
full loss of tail rotor thrust (for example, as would be the case after rupture of the tail rotor drive). The symptom
(unexpected intense left yaw) is similar and the short term response to a small and late pedal input is almost zero
for both. Only full right pedal input will make the required difference and enable the pilot to identify whether he is
experiencing unanticipated yaw or full loss of tail rotor thrust (due to malfunction) and, as a result, enable him to
take the most appropriate action. If full right pedal has no effect on the yaw, it is clear that there has been a definite
full loss of thrust, necessitating an immediate landing. If, however, full right pedal decelerates the yaw, it becomes
clear that the issue is unanticipated yaw in character, which necessitates staying well clear of the ground and
obstacles until a full recovery has been achieved.

Unanticipated yaw when performance limited

In pure hover, about 10% of the total power is spent on the tail rotor. Applying full right pedal can more than triple
the tail rotor power consumption. When the helicopter is power-limited (engine or MGB torque limit), it is possible
that full pedal cannot be reached while staying inside the helicopter's performance limitations. If the power is
available, applying full right pedal means an over-torque resulting in only maintenance actions rather than loss of
control and possible accident. If a hard power limitation exists (MGB torque limit or engine limit monitored by the
engine FADEC), the additional power required on the tail rotor can be unavailable. This will result in RPM droop,
which further increases the need for anti-torque while impairing the tail rotor thrust capability.

Most unanticipated yaw accidents do not occur in performance-limited conditions and, therefore, allow using full
right pedal to secure a straightforward recovery. Be aware, however, that when performance is limited, prevention
of unanticipated yaw occurrence becomes even more important (3 first points in the next paragraph).

What to do?
 Take particular care when wind comes from the right side or forward-right quadrant. Do not fly unnecessarily in
those conditions.

 Prefer, as much as possible, yaw maneuvers to the right, especially in performance-limited conditions. It is
easier to monitor the torque demand at the start of the maneuver than when responding to an abrupt
unanticipated yaw.

 To make a yaw maneuver, apply a low angular rate of turn and closely monitor it. Yaw acceleration will be more
obvious than during an aggressive maneuver.

 If unanticipated yaw occurs, react immediately and with large amplitude opposite pedal input. Be ready to use
full pedal, if necessary. Do not limit yourself to what you feel sufficient, your feeling can be wrong. Never bring
the pedal back to neutral before the yaw is stopped.

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