Okay, I'll admit I don't know everything.  

When a rotor system (either tail or main) operates in turbulent (dirty) air, it becomes aerodynamically inefficient. It will work, but just not at the level of efficiency that may be needed at the time.  When demonstrating or practicing SWP, or VRS or whatever the term of the moment is, the minimum intent is to get the pilot to recognize the conditions that are conducive to VRS, AND recognize the initial indications of SWP.

SWP evolves into VRS. You should be taught that the vibrations from the main rotor system are your final warning before entering into VRS and should be thought of as a command from the aircraft to MOVE in any direction.

When a rotor system (either tail or main) operates in turbulent (dirty) air, it becomes aerodynamically inefficient. It will work, but just not at the level of efficiency that may be needed at the time.  When demonstrating or practicing SWP, or VRS or whatever the term of the moment is, the minimum intent is to get the pilot to recognize the conditions that are conducive to VRS, AND recognize the initial indications of SWP.

SWP evolves into VRS. You should be taught that the vibrations from the main rotor system are your final warning before entering into VRS and should be thought of as a command from the aircraft to MOVE in any direction.

Recovery from SWP or VRS is the same, DIRECTIONAL flight.  The Vuichard technique is merely a variation of the method that's been taught for decades.  The use of tail rotor thrust to assist in lateral movement to exit the dirty air is not revolutionary, it has worked for quite a while.

I believe the reason we are seeing these accidents lately is that most pilots have never actually been in VRS and in practicing the escape method, they inadvertently enter actual VRS and panic. It can be horrifying to have a descent of ~600fpm accelerate to 4000+fpm in just a matter of a couple of seconds.  The aircraft literally "drops out from under you" and your instinctual reaction is to pull more collective which makes the aircraft descend even faster.  Then, the pilot who is now desperate to get away begins to input cyclic to fly away, but the rotor is operating in dirty air and the aircraft isn't doing what he told it to do. He panics even more and begins even larger cyclic inputs to get out of the situation.  Depending on the altitude the maneuver was started, he's either impacted the ground or chops his tailboom off.  Teetering rotor systems are most likely candidates for tailboom removal, but it can happen to fully articulated as well.

Rules:

-If you don't know what you're doing, you're not practicing, you're experimenting. Get some competent instruction.

-NEVER initiate SWP at less than 3000' agl.  5000' agl if you've done less than 20 iterations ever.

-If you find yourself in actual VRS, initiate DIRECTIONAL flight immediately, leave the collective alone and be patient.  It will take a few seconds for the handicapped main rotor to begin to get you out of that nasty air (the reason for the altitudes mentioned above).

-If you don't know what you are doing, get some competent instruction.

Practicing SWP/VRS is NOT a ground reference maneuver.  You must get zero airspeed within the airmass.  If you're using zero ground speed as your starting point, you're unlikely to get into even the beginning stages of SWP if you abide by the altitudes above.  If you're low enough for zero airspeed to equal zero ground speed, you're going to get hurt.

Remember, recognition, avoidance and timely escape are the goals.  And get some competent instruction.