CapnMike wrote:A helicopter pulling a lot of collective and beginning to move through translational lift will have the highest angle of attack on the blades (especially the retreating blades)

Nice description and visuals!

At low airspeeds, like around ETL, angle of attack is pretty even between advancing and retreating blades. Transverse flow effect (the "shudder" right around ETL) causes a difference in angle of attack between the front and rear of the disk, though.

As airspeed increases, rotor flapping alters the angle of attack in different parts of the rotation and takes care of dissymmetry of lift up to a point.

I just happen to be in Sedona doing some hiking right now (strange Mesa-top airport) and there are "vortices" all around where the earth's positive "energy" manifests itself at specific locations to those "enlightened" enough to sense it.

Without apology to the aluminum foil hat residents of Sedona, I have to admit that their interpretation of "vortices" is at least as valid as what I am reading on this thread.

Helicopters can enter a "vortex-ring" state with a re circulation of air in the rotor system. They can also generate turbulence that can put light aircraft at risk if close-by. You can research "close by" and "for how long" for helicopters, and decide for yourself.

Vortex ring state is a 4 letter word to helicopter pilots.

Pull up on the collective and you'll only descend faster. The only way out is to translate (forward, sideward, rearward, whichever).

Helicopters won't stall, but they will settle with power. Sort of like an Ercoupe with full up elevator and not enough power to maintain altitude at that power setting. When we zeroed the airspeed on the high density altitude helicopter approach, we were still moving forward a bit. Just not enough to register on the airspeed indicator.