SFAR 73 for R22 & R44 Helicopters Explained

What is SFAR 73?

SFAR 73 is a Special Federal Aviation Regulation, No. 73 (or SFAR 73 for short) that applies to anyone who wants to manipulate the flight controls, act as Pilot In Command (PIC), carry passengers, or teach in Robinson R22 and R44 helicopters (it does not apply to the R66). In short, it details required training and experience for those that want to fly and/or teach in R22 and R44 helicopters.

Why SFAR 73 came to be is best described by Tim Tucker (of Robinson Helicopters) in his own words – The Story Behind Special FAR 73.

The way SFAR 73 is organized and worded is not as clear as it could be. So this post will try to explain SFAR 73 for R22 & R44 helicopters. It will cover the requirements for student pilots, qualified pilots new to the R22/R44, flight instructors, as well as R22/R44 passenger currency and flight review requirements.

What does SFAR 73 cover?

Use the links to jump to each section:

• Awareness Training – required ground training for all those new to the R22 & R44 helicopters and required training before manipulation of the flight controls.
• Aeronautical Experience – the required flight training and experience, broken down further by:
  • Pre-Solo
  • Pilot in Command (PIC)
  • Certified Flight Instructor (CFI)
  • Flight Review
  • Passenger Carrying Currency

If you want to follow along in your own paper copy of the FAR/AIM, check out this short video on how to mark-up SFAR 73 for easy and quick reference:

SFAR 73 Awareness Training

SFAR 73 2.(a) Awareness Training is the ground training portion of SFAR 73. Before manipulating the controls of an R22 or R44 helicopter a person must receive Awareness Training from a SFAR 73 ‘authorized’ flight instructor. According to SFAR 73 2.(a)(3) the ground training must include:

• Energy Management
• Rotor RPM Decay (Low RPM), leading to Rotor Stall (‘Blade Stall‘*)
• Low G Hazards, leading to Mast Bumping

*Robinson try to clarify any misunderstanding between the phrase ‘blade stall‘ (used by the FAA in SFAR 73) and instead prefer the more correct phrase ‘rotor stall‘. In short, blade stall would more apply to a different aerodynamic hazard named ‘retreating blade stall‘ which happens at high speed. Rotor stall on the other hand happens at any speed, when the rotor disk no longer generates lift and the helicopter starts to fall. More information on the differences can be found in Robinson Safety Notice 24 (SN-24). Robinson will always use the phrase ‘rotor stall’, not ‘blade stall’ when talking about the low rotor RPM hazard.

See the SFAR 73 Awareness Training Video we made explaining the concepts covered in Awareness Training:

We also have an SFAR 73 Quiz to help test your knowledge of the subject areas required by SFAR 73 Awareness Training:

After completing the SFAR 73 Awareness Training you should receive a SFAR 73 Awareness Training Endorsement (see example below) – make sure you get that endorsement BEFORE you go fly! You could be unlucky enough to get ‘ramp checked’ by the FAA when you land…

SFAR 73 Awareness Training endorsement does not require an expiration date, but it is good practice (and Robinson recommends it) to go over the Awareness Training again prior to flying Solo and getting an SFAR 73 PIC endorsement.

Also, technically you don’t need Awareness Training if you attend the manufacturer’s safety course after January 1, 1994, and obtain an endorsement from an FAA aviation safety inspector.

SFAR 73 Aeronautical Experience

SFAR 73 2.(b) Aeronautical Experience covers the required experience and flight training (see Abnormal & Emergency Procedures below) and is further subdivided by:

• Pre-Solo
• Pilot in Command (PIC)
• Certified Flight Instructor (CFI)
• Flight Review
• Passenger Carrying Currency

Abnormal & Emergency Procedures Flight Training

Throughout SFAR 73, any time dual (flight) instruction is mentioned, it must include at least the following abnormal and emergency procedures flight training:

• (i) Enhanced training in autorotation procedures
• (ii) Engine rotor RPM control without the use of the governor
• (iii) Low rotor RPM recognition and recovery
• (iv) Effects of low G maneuvers and proper recovery procedures

Enhanced training in autorotation procedures

‘Enhanced’ training in autorotation procedures is largely agreed to mean ‘other than straight-in autorotation’. So at the most basic level it means adding a turn to an autorotation. And as ‘enhanced training in autorotation procedures’ comes up in the pre-solo, PIC, Flight Review and Flight Instructor sections of SFAR 73, you can tailor the level of ‘enhanced’ to the level of instruction being sought/given. Here are a list of some of the possible ‘enhanced’ training in autorotations procedures I use with students (with some video examples):

• Autorotation with basic turns or combined to ‘S-turns’
• Autorotation with 180 degree turn (when the spot is behind/along side you)
• Autorotation with change in airspeed & rotor RPM to change glide distance/duration
• Autorotation out of trim
• Zero speed autorotation entry (from an out of ground hover with the target below you) with the many variations

180 Degree Autorotation

Autorotation with 180 degree turn (when the spot is behind/along side you)

Max Glide Autorotation

Autorotations with reduced rotor RPM and increased airspeed for maximum glide

Zero Speed Autorotation

Entering an autorotation from an Out of Ground Effect Hover (usually maneuvering to a target spot directly underneath you)

Governor Off RPM Control & Low RPM

You can combine governor off RPM control with low RPM recognition and recovery training. The low RPM recognition can start on the ground, with rotor RPM at flight speeds and then asking the student to close their eyes and listen as the instructor rolls the throttle down. On the ground is also a good place to start with a student experimenting with governor off throttle manipulation. Moving the training to flight, usually starts at cruise, turning the governor off, and then changing airspeed, altitude and add turns to demonstrate/learn how to control the RPM with the correlator and manual throttle manipulation. As part of that training, the RPM will come down to 97% or lower and activate the warning horn and light. The proper recovery technique will be used (simultaneously rolling on and slightly lowering the collective, maybe aft cyclic if speed allows, etc). The training would ideally then continue to a normally approach to hover, pedal turns and then set down.

It is possible to teach Low RPM recognition with the governor on (by overriding the governor), but IMO it is hard to teach RPM recovery with the governor on as the student will be trying to roll the throttle up (which the instructor is overriding to stop the governor doing the same thing). So you will have the governor and the student trying to roll the throttle up and the student isn’t getting the ‘actual’ feedback/feeling they would get from the throttle control if the instructor was not overriding the throttle. On the flip-side, if once the horn and light come on and the student starts to recover the instructor just lets go of the throttle, it is hard to know if the student is rolling up of just letting the governor recover the RPM.

Below are some videos of me teaching Governor Off operations and Low RPM Recognition and Recovery in forward flight and hover:

Low RPM in Forward Flight

This video demonstration instruction on Governor Off and Low RPM Recovery in Forward Flight

Low RPM in Hover

This video demonstration instruction on Governor Off and Low RPM Recovery in Hover

Effects of low G maneuvers and proper recovery procedures

Low G can not be demonstrated (and should not be attempted) in flight. So for me with my students the ‘Flight Training’ part of this is usually a discussion of “imagine you are in turbulence and start feeling light in the seat…” and then maybe a simulation of uncommanded right roll (instructor nudges cyclic right) with the student expected to make an immediate, but gentle aft cyclic to reload the rotor disk before correcting the roll. See example of teaching Low G recovery here:

Low G Recovery in Flight

Low G is NOT demonstrated in flight, but you can have a discussion and train for recovery from the right roll

SFAR 73 Pre-Solo

SFAR 73 2(b)(3 and 4) requires that before going to solo (to fly a R22 or R44 helicopter on your own for the first time) a student pilot must:

• Receive the Awareness Training and endorsement
• Receive 20 hours of dual flight instruction in the model to solo (R22 or R44) from a SFAR 73 ‘authorized’ flight instructor
  • That training must include the areas listed in SFAR 73 Abnormal & Emergency Procedures Flight Training
• Receive an endorsement (R22 or R44 specific) only valid for only 90 days

Additionally, Robinson recommends a deeper review of the SFAR 73 Awareness Training. The thinking is (and I agree) that the original Awareness Training was probably a fully compliant and legal version of the required ground training, but was tailored to a brand new student pilot that is not familiar with the controls, systems or aerodynamics of a helicopter. I also think the student may have been distracted somewhat by the excitement and anticipation (and/or fear). It may have also been a month or two since the initial Awareness Training was given and they may have forgotten some details. A review of the Awareness Training also allows the student to come with any questions/clarifications that need to be addressed, now that they have a deeper and more applied understanding of the subjects covered.

After successfully completing the requirements of SFAR 73 2(b)(3 and 4) the student receives an 90 day endorsement like the one below:

SFAR 73 Pilot In Command (PIC) Flight Training

This part of SFAR 73 is mainly* aimed at already qualified helicopter pilots (Private Pilot, Commercial Pilot or Airline Transport Pilot) who are new to the R22 and R44. SFAR 73 2(b)(1 and 2) states that no person may act as Pilot in Command (PIC) of an Robinson R22 or R44 unless…And this is where it gets a little complicated and it is different for the R22 and R44 and how much prior experience the pilot has.

*It will also be required for a R22/R44 Student Pilot who becomes a rated Helicopter Pilot (passes their checkride) to be able to act as PIC in the R22/R44 as a Private Pilot.

SFAR 73 PIC in R22

SFAR 73 2(b)(1) – to be qualified to act as PIC in an R22 you must have at least 200 hours (total time not PIC time) in helicopters and at least 50 of those hours must be in the R22.

OR, if you don’t have that experience, you must:

• Receive the Awareness Training and endorsement
• Receive 10 hours of dual flight instruction in the R22 from a SFAR 73 ‘authorized’ flight instructor
  • That training must include the areas listed in SFAR 73 Abnormal & Emergency Procedures Flight Training
• Receive an endorsement (R22 specific)
• Within 12 calendar months of the endorsement, you must completed a flight review in an R22 and obtained an endorsement for that flight review

SFAR 73 PIC in R44

SFAR 73 2(b)(2) – to be qualified to act as PIC in an R44 you must have at least 200 hours (total time not PIC time) in helicopters and at least 50 of those hours must be in the R44. But here is a difference from the R22 PIC requirements – you can credit up to 25 R22 hours towards the 50 required for R44 PIC.

OR, if you don’t have that experience, you must:

• Receive the Awareness Training and endorsement
• Receive 10 hours of dual flight instruction in ANY Robinson Helicopter (R22, R44 or R66!) of which 5 hours must be in an R44 – all from a SFAR 73 ‘authorized’ flight instructor
  • That training must include the areas listed in SFAR 73 Abnormal & Emergency Procedures Flight Training
• Receive an endorsement (R44 specific)
• Within 12 calendar months of the endorsement, you must completed a flight review in an R44 and an endorsement for that flight review

SFAR 73 Flight Instructors

SFAR 73 2(b)(5) To be authorized to instruct or provide a flight review in an R22 or R44 helicopter (and to give SFAR 73 Awareness Training) you need some experience (see below) and a ‘checkride’ with a Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) or the FAA, to demonstrate you can teach the required SFAR 73 Awareness Training on the ground and then the Aeronautical Experience in flight before they give you a SFAR 73 Instructor Endorsement.

To give flight instruction or provide a flight review in an R22 helicopter you need:

• SFAR 73 Awareness Training & endorsement
• 200 hours helicopter
• 50 hours in the R22
• Endorsement from DPE or FAA to teach in R22

To give flight instruction or provide a flight review in an R44 helicopter you need:

• SFAR 73 Awareness Training & endorsement
• 200 hours helicopter
• 50 hours in the R44 (up to 25 hours can be credited from R22 time)
• Endorsement from DPE or FAA to teach in R44

SFAR 73 Flight Reviews

SFAR 73 2(c) – A Flight Review (§ 61.56) is not valid for an R22 helicopter unless that flight review was taken in an R22 and the same for an R44. So if you want to legal in both the R22 and the R44 you will need two separate flight reviews, one in each aircraft.

SFAR 73 Passenger Carrying Currency

SFAR 73 2(d) – For Passenger Carrying Currency (§ 61.57) the recent experience requirement is type specific for the R22 & R44.

So for example, to carry passengers during the day in an R22, you must complete (& log) 3 takeoff and 3 landings in the past 90 days in an R22.

And to carry passengers during the day in an R44, those landings in an R22 don’t count for the R44, you must complete (& logged) 3 takeoff and 3 landings in the past 90 days in an R44.

DISCLAIMER – make sure you are fully informed on the latest regulations and their application.
For official guidance on laws and regulations, refer to your Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) or local Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) . Helicopter Training Videos aims to promote aviation knowledge and safety but makes no guarantees regarding accuracy or legal applications.

More Info

SFAR73 Awareness Training Video

This video demonstration instruction on Governor Off and Low RPM Recovery in Hover

SFAR73 Awareness Training Quiz

Take this quiz to see how much you know about SFAR 73 Awareness Training

SFAR73 Mark-Up

This video shows how to mark-up SFAR 73 in the FAR/AIM for quick reference

Robinson SFAR 73 Website

Robinson have a great website all about SFAR 73 with detailed presentation videos from Tim Tucker and Frank Robinson himself

• Make sure you have the latest R22 POH or R44 POH and reviewed Robinson’s Safety Notices
• Also if you need a FAR/AIM or any other helicopter-related books? Check out our Recommended Book List and help support Helicopter Training Videos at no extra cost to you.

Feedback

How was your Awareness Training? How do you understand and keep track of SFAR 73? Or maybe you instruct – tell us how you teach it. Use the comments form below, and thanks for your feedback.