I think lack of autorotation would make this idea dead in the water. Very low altitude failures would also be dangerous, as parachutes are hard to deploy withou

I think lack of autorotation would make this idea dead in the water. Very low altitude failures would also be dangerous, as parachutes are hard to deploy without a few hundred feet to spare. Also currently, all single engine helicopters must be able to complete an autorotation to get certified. I'm not sure where this would stand though, since it may end up as an experimental category aircraft. A clarification for those who haven't seen one, an autorotation is less about falling than gliding. You have very good control, though you do only get one shot at the landing. A quick search brought up this video with a few landings: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2a9H8Xw8Mo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2a9H8Xw8Mo