★ PTS mapping: This lesson aligns to FAA-S-8081-20A (Nov 2023), Area of Operation II — Preflight Procedures (use the Lesson→Area map). It is a PTS, so items are Tasks/elements (no ACS K/R/S codes); read exact Task lettering and tolerances from the current published PTS.
From dead-cold to ready-to-lift — start, engage, govern, check, and brief in disciplined order.
Every start follows the POH/RFM checklist in order — there is no "from memory" start at the ATP level. Generic flow: area clear and secured, fuel/mixture/throttle and electrical as specified, ignition/starter engaged, and immediate monitoring of oil pressure (and, for turbines, ITT/TOT and N1 acceleration) within limits. A piston engine demands an oil-pressure rise within seconds; a turbine demands the start temperature stay below the limit and light-off and acceleration occur in the published window. Any out-of-limit indication — no oil pressure, a hot/hung start on a turbine, an over-temp — is a memory-item abort: cut fuel/ignition per the checklist and investigate.
As the engine drives the rotor up to operating speed, the goal is a smooth engagement that keeps Nr (rotor RPM) within the green operating band. In governed helicopters the governor (or FADEC) holds Nr automatically as collective changes load the rotor; the pilot verifies it is functioning and stands ready to manage RPM manually (throttle/correlation) if it is not. Understanding the relationship between engine RPM and rotor RPM, the freewheeling unit (which lets the rotor turn freely if the engine quits — the basis of autorotation), and the green-arc limits is fundamental. Watch for vibration, abnormal noise, or warning lights during spool-up.
| Item | What you confirm |
|---|---|
| Nr (rotor RPM) | Stabilizes in the green operating band; governor holding RPM. |
| Governor / correlator | Functioning; RPM steady as collective is loaded. |
| Freewheeling unit | Verified per checklist (split-needle check where applicable). |
| Engine instruments | Oil pressure/temp, MAP/torque, all in limits. |
With the rotor at operating RPM, work the checklist: hydraulics (engage/disengage check for control feedback/feel), electrical (alternator/generator output, bus voltage), flight controls free and correct, instruments set and reasonable, warning/caution systems tested, governor/RPM verified, carburetor heat / fuel system as applicable, and a magneto / ignition check on piston aircraft. The runup is the last on-the-ground chance to catch a malfunction; treat each item as a real test, not a ritual swipe.
Before lifting, brief the departure: planned profile and climb path, HV-diagram avoidance, wind and any obstacle considerations, and — critically — your abort / emergency plan (where you put it down for a malfunction at various points, the committed-to-land point for a single-engine helicopter, and OEI actions for a multi-engine aircraft). State takeoff power, target Nr, and the go/no-go gate. The departure briefing converts a sudden emergency into a pre-decided action.
Curated reference clip — “Helicopter Preflight Procedures, Cockpit Management, Engine Start Rotor Engage, & Trivia” · Helicopter Online Ground School LLC (YouTube), verified via oEmbed. Embedded with the creator's player; we don't host or alter it.
✈️ Your test aircraft: the R-44 fill-in values cover its single-engine, piston, VFR figures; its piston start (oil-pressure/mag check, belt-clutch engagement) differs fundamentally from a turbine start (ITT/TOT, N1, FADEC) and from any multi-engine OEI runup. ATP-H practical tests are normally flown in a turbine and/or multi-engine, IFR-capable helicopter — use your actual test aircraft's start/governing/runup data from its RFM/POH for items marked aircraft-specific, and confirm Part 135 runup/checklist requirements if applicable.