N4302

Green route reverse, followed by TLAs at Site 8.

=Crew Comfort Level= Another largely IP-led discussion item, the take-away here is simply to note that you shouldn't be flying much outside your comfort level without adequate safeguards in place. That is, if you're uncomfortable flying at 200' AGL, don't fly that low without your instructor (or in the fleet, senior pilot) guarding the controls in case you screw up. And if you are told to do something that exceeds your comfort level, fess up and talk about how to handle it.

=Emergencies at Low Altitude= While the NATOPS steps are largely unchanged, you obviously have less time to react. This is why part of the brief includes the phrase "...we will climb to cope, and endeavor to turn a flying emergency into a ground emergency." Except a small "what if" type discussion involving judgement calls on whether you'd try to immediately stick it on deck, climb for altitude, etc.

=Environmental Condition Encountered in Landing Zones= There are a number of factors which, as a helo pilot, you will need to consider regarding any LZ.

Five Major Considerations
From NATOPS 17.7.2
 * 1. Height of obstacles that determine approach angle
 * 2. Size and topography of the LZ
 * 3. Possible loss of wind effect
 * 4. Power available (particularly in relation to power required--eg, are you coming in heavy, or light?)
 * 5. Departure route

Other considerations

 * Loose sand/snow can easily cause brown/white outs if you spend too much time in a low hover. Minimize this by opting for a no-hover take-off and landing.
 * Areas with tall grass may hide ground obstructions, which may be revealed by executing a low hover to flatten the grass with your rotor wash.
 * Muddy or swampy areas may have ground soft enough that a heavy helo may actually sink into the ground, making subsequent take-off difficult or impossible.

=TERF Profiles=
 * 1. Nap-of-the-Earth (NOE) is flown as close to the Earth's surface as vegetation and obstacles permit. It is characterized by varying airspeed and altitude as influenced by terrain, weather, ambient light, and enemy situation.  Typically airspeed varies from 0-40 knots and altitude from 10-50 feet above terrain.
 * 2. Contour flight is flown at low altitude conforming to the contour of the Earth's surface. It is characterized by varying airspeed and altitude as vegetation and obstacles dictate.  Minimum recommended altitude for contour flight is 50 feet AGL.
 * 3. Low-level flight is flown at a selected altitude at which detection along the route is avoided or minimized. The flight route is pre-selected and flown at a constant airspeed and indivated altitude.  This type of terrain flight is the only type authorized for training purposes.