Definition
A helicopter landing performed using autorotation, in which the engine is disengaged from the main rotor and the rotor is driven by air flowing up through the disc as the helicopter descends. The pilot manages descent and rotor RPM during the glide, then uses the stored energy in the spinning rotor to flare and cushion the touchdown.
Plain English
Landing a helicopter without engine power. The rotor keeps spinning because air is flowing up through it as the helicopter comes down, and the pilot uses that stored spin at the last moment to slow down and land softly.
Context Anchor
Seen in helicopter emergency procedures and training, especially when discussing an engine failure or a simulated engine failure.
Derivation
Auto- (Greek, 'self') + rotation. The rotor turns itself, driven by airflow rather than by the engine.
Why Pilots Care
It is the only reliable way to land a helicopter after total engine failure and is a required emergency skill that directly determines survival in power-loss situations.
Analogy
Like a maple seed spinning gently to the ground after it falls from the tree -- airflow alone keeps it rotating and slows the descent.
Grounding Statement
In an autorotative landing, the helicopter is descending, and the upward flow of air through the rotor keeps the blades turning long enough to control the landing.
Intuition Check
“Autorotative” does not mean the helicopter lands automatically. It means the rotor keeps rotating without engine power because of airflow through the blades.
Example Sentence 1
After simulating an engine failure, the instructor demonstrated a smooth autorotative landing onto the practice area.
Example Sentence 2
During the checkride the examiner asked for a touchdown autorotation from a 500-foot hover, requiring precise flare timing to cushion the landing.