Learning to fly a helicopter...

[eASY aDDICT]

I have just embarked upon a new challenge of learning to fly a helicopter.

Thoroughly enjoying every minute of it.

Are there any other pilots out there?

[smouty]

Are you able to fly a regular plane or going straight to rotary?
I'm not a pilot but was involved with rotary for over 10 years as an engineer so did get a fair amount of LHS action.

[Dogg Thang]

The missus once bought me a helicopter lesson but I never did it. Those things aren't meant to fly! Granted, it's an essential skill for a zombie outbreak but something about helicopters just scares me. I'm a big girl's blouse really...

[smouty]

There nothing like being in an 18 ton contra-rotating death banana that is the Chinook. Think of the scene in the first Tomb raider film. The part in the hangar when they get on the helicopter was filmed where I used to work shortly after I had left unfortunately.

[spagmasterswift]

The missus once bought me a helicopter lesson but I never did it. Those things aren't meant to fly! Granted, it's an essential skill for a zombie outbreak but something about helicopters just scares me. I'm a big girl's blouse really...

Oh man you totally should have done it, I loved it!



The missus was a bit nervous tho...

[briareos_kerensky]

Are there any other pilots out there?

Nope, but I work on simulators for straight wing aircrafts.
While I like helis, I prefer the sound of a jet engine :P

[Anpanman]

It's something I would love to do, wish you well with it.

Be sure to keep us all updated.

[eASY aDDICT]

Are you able to fly a regular plane or going straight to rotary?

No I don't have a fixed wing license but I have spent plenty of time in one, as my father has been a private pilot for the last 12 years and has over 1500 hours.

He decided that he wanted a new challenge and we have embarked on PPL-H together, learning in a Robinson R44.

I now have a few hours under my belt and I am loving every minute of it, just wish I could get more flying in!!!

[Ginger Tosser]

Are there any other pilots out there?

I had a flying lesson for my 30th (sadly 10 years ago). Which I enjoyed, sadly not got the money to take it up.

Pity it wasn't more recent as I'd have more recording gadgets available to capture the moment.

[dataDave]

I've always wanted to learn how to fly, a plane preferably, but meh - costs too much.

[NemesiS]

I completed my PPL about 15 years ago in about 54 hours in a single prop piper tomahawk. At the time you had to do at least 6 hours a year to keep it current which then got changed to 12 i think it was, which i simply couldn't afford at the time so it got revoked. I think i was paying almost ?200 an hour back then with an instructor so i'd shudder to think what it costs now. I remember chopper lessons were about double

I came into about ?10k at the time which is why i decided to do it with the full intention of trying to train towards a career as a pilot. With hindsight i should have gone to a boot camp in the states as they have 340 or thereaouts flying days and its miles cheaper. All you have to retake is the CAA air law exam for the UK.

Flyer magazine used to have a brilliant ads section for schools and people who wanted hour shares as if you went up with someone else, you both got the airtime hours.

Was just a brilliant 2 years from learning to taking one out on my own. My first solo at speke was something i'll never forget, a bit like driving your car for the first time after passing your test but a million times better. Also remember when my instructor took me through my first banked stall (dropping the airspeed and pulling back in a turn on the stick) as i near shat myself as the plane almost turned upside down and dropped like a stone That was apparently not part of the curriculum but he thought i should know that what happens, lol.

Good luck with it anyway and i hope you manage it and have the readies. Theres a lot of studying ahead with your air law (massive book to learn), radio telephony, aerodynamics and a few others i can't remember. Also learn your pre-flight checks, and pre-landing checks inside out as (assuming heli's are the same routine) if you come to fly your first solo, your instructor will stop you straight away if you can't recall it verbatim.

[eASY aDDICT]

Well I now have 5.1 hours in my log book.

Upper air manouvering is going well, my hover is getting quite stable and I have now started take offs.

All going very well so far although I am struggling to get my head around the pedals!!

[NemesiS]

I remember watching the Helicopter students when i was at Manchester School of Flying. They used to do left and right straffes and pivot turns about 10' off the ground. Looked very hard.

Hell of a lot to concentrate on with amount of controls you have to use. Gah, if i wasn't getting married next year i'd be sorely tempted to redo mine after reading this thread