First Heli Flight Friday

[I_Money]

Any advice for this fixed-wing pilot or just enjoy and look out the window a lot?

[skywestseth]

Ask to wiggle the sticks as much as possible. Your paying for it so get the most as possible. It will be ugly but it is fun. Make corrections in drift to stop movement, but not so much that you go the other way. Have Fun!

[esa17]

I'm about to finish my rotor-wing add-on, here is what I have learned.

1. Light touch on the stick.
2. Think about what you want the chopper to do and it will do it. Don't make a large input.
3. Hovering is a lot easier if you pick a point several hundred feet away from you outside the chopper and just stare at it.
4. Auto's are fun.
5. Don't "rotate" to climb out. The collective is your friend.
6. Take the doors off if you can. It doesn't matter if you're flying a Robbie, a Bell 206, a Schweizer , or a Brantly. Yank those doors and have a blast.

[CFIT99]

i have no interest in helo's but after the last comment...kinda wanna fly one

[Doug Taylor]

I took a helo ride in Alaska a few years ago. No it didn't involve a Vice Presidential candidate or shooting moose but it was an incredible experience. I'd love to get my rating, but not sure what I'd do with it!

[I_Money]

I am just going for fun - a one time deal. The guy is a British lad who I am sure I will get on well with - I will be able to fly it and just looking forward to the challenge.

[Low_Level_Hell]

The first few flights can be demoralizing if you let them. I remember starting out looking at my instructor's hand on the cyclic and could not believe how steady it was. Like mentioned above, you have to "think" what you want the cyclic to do instead of making a deliberate control imput. The controls at your feet are anti-torque pedals and are nothing like rudder pedals so don't use them that way. Also as a fixed-wing guy you're gonna want to pull back on the cyclic when you're about to touch down doing your roll-on landings (or what ever the skid guys call it when they land with forward airspeed), that's the last thing you want to do.

Best of luck and have fun.

[scottyboy75]

Eyes out front.
Slow is smooth, smooth is controlled, controlled is fast.
Look at your trim strings.
Don't death grip the cyclic.
Watch your power.
Don't over control it.
Pedals.
Sorry just had a flash back to my teaching days.
Shane

[Doug Taylor]

Originally Posted by I_Money

I am just going for fun - a one time deal. The guy is a British lad who I am sure I will get on well with - I will be able to fly it and just looking forward to the challenge.

But what if he's from Heffordshirehedgerowgate and a Manchester United bloke?

[Blackhawk]

Try to keep it in the same state.