infotango
Line Up and Wait
Howdy folks! Just checking in, and wanted to share some of my experiences with flying helicopters over the last year or so.
So, about a year ago, I made the mistake of taking an intro flight in a R22 helicopter. I'd been a fixed wing pilot for about six years, and figured flying a rotorcraft would be a lot of fun. Yeah. It was fun, and awfully like jamming a heroin needle in my arm. I was hooked.
Something about flying a helicopter really clicked in the way that flying an airplane never did for me. To be honest, I had gotten pretty bored flying Cessnas around. From the moment we picked up into a hover, my wallet knew it was in trouble. The maneuverability of the helicopter is astounding, the sensation of flying is unbelievable, and the visibility is insane.
To shorten a long story, I'm now rated, and looking to get the CFI.
If you really enjoy VFR flying, or low and slow flight, the helicopter really takes that experience and multiplies it massively. The visibility of the helicopters I've flown has been amazing. The ships are so very nimble and sensitive, they feel more like driving a sports car fast than the truck-like feel that most of the fixed wing GA fleet has. The ability to hover and land anywhere is just icing on the cake.
The obvious downside is that helicopters are insanely expensive to rent. Figure about two to three times more an hour than a basic airplane trainer in your area. Helicopters are also a lot more unforgiving of pilot error than airplanes are, and demand constant attention. In the R22 taking your hands off the cylic in a hover can result in you crashing almost immediately. In the R22 you have about one second to respond appropriately to an engine failure, before the rotor stalls, folds up, and you come crashing down. Obviously, other helicopters are more forgiving (but more expensive). The R22, which is the most popular trainer, is probably one of the most sensitive helicopters to fly. As a result, helicopter training washes out its most un-adaptable pilots at the primary level. I think (hope!?) that the learning curve is steepest at the start of training for helicopter pilots.
Still it's an amazing experience, and might be just the thing to shake up your flying. At this point, I'd rather have an hour in a helicopter than three in a 172. If you've been meaning to give it a try, I really encourage it, flying helicopters is a blast!
So, about a year ago, I made the mistake of taking an intro flight in a R22 helicopter. I'd been a fixed wing pilot for about six years, and figured flying a rotorcraft would be a lot of fun. Yeah. It was fun, and awfully like jamming a heroin needle in my arm. I was hooked.
Something about flying a helicopter really clicked in the way that flying an airplane never did for me. To be honest, I had gotten pretty bored flying Cessnas around. From the moment we picked up into a hover, my wallet knew it was in trouble. The maneuverability of the helicopter is astounding, the sensation of flying is unbelievable, and the visibility is insane.
To shorten a long story, I'm now rated, and looking to get the CFI.
If you really enjoy VFR flying, or low and slow flight, the helicopter really takes that experience and multiplies it massively. The visibility of the helicopters I've flown has been amazing. The ships are so very nimble and sensitive, they feel more like driving a sports car fast than the truck-like feel that most of the fixed wing GA fleet has. The ability to hover and land anywhere is just icing on the cake.
The obvious downside is that helicopters are insanely expensive to rent. Figure about two to three times more an hour than a basic airplane trainer in your area. Helicopters are also a lot more unforgiving of pilot error than airplanes are, and demand constant attention. In the R22 taking your hands off the cylic in a hover can result in you crashing almost immediately. In the R22 you have about one second to respond appropriately to an engine failure, before the rotor stalls, folds up, and you come crashing down. Obviously, other helicopters are more forgiving (but more expensive). The R22, which is the most popular trainer, is probably one of the most sensitive helicopters to fly. As a result, helicopter training washes out its most un-adaptable pilots at the primary level. I think (hope!?) that the learning curve is steepest at the start of training for helicopter pilots.
Still it's an amazing experience, and might be just the thing to shake up your flying. At this point, I'd rather have an hour in a helicopter than three in a 172. If you've been meaning to give it a try, I really encourage it, flying helicopters is a blast!
