Pilot Inflight Evaluation of MLS Procedures at Heliports

This report describes the Helicopter Microwave Landing System (MLS) Collocated Flight Test project recently completed by the Guidance and Airborne Systems Branch at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Technical Center. It describes the flight test facilities, methodology, and addresses topics such as how flight test data are collected and its application. It also describes each of the helicopter procedures flown during the project and provides an analysis of the pilots subjective opinions concerning the acceptability and workload associated with these procedures. It was concluded that subject pilots were able to fly single pilot raw data guided MLS precision approaches at elevation (glidepath) angles ranging from 3° to 9° to decision heights within 0.5 nmi of the helipad, when the azimuth angular. course width was set to +3.6°, and the elevation angular course width was set to the magnitude of the selected elevation angle divided by 3 (SEL/3).
The data presented herein also suggests that some pilot training on the techniques of tracking steep glidepaths and the importance of speed control for precision approaches to a helipad are required.

DOT/FAA/CT-TN85/55

Author: John H. Enias