Hughes 269C: pitch/throttle vs. lower arm length

[Reely340]

Yesterday I had my first dual hour, and was completely satified with all, the 40min cross country flight and the final hover training, it was a hoot.
But:

I didn't find a suitable place for my left arm. :ooh: Having it comfortable at my side, my hand is 5 inches past the end of the pitch lever. Lifting up the shoulder (and the elbow joint) still made it hard to get a good grip on not only the pitch but the throttle as well. The H269 has some mechanical mixer adding throttle when increasing pitch, but you still have to adjust it from time to time.

I'm 6'2" 240lbs and apparently have rather longish arms (check the pic) what did you guys do in a H269?
http://chello.peterrenner.net/Heli/CIMG0490_800.jpg
(I'm pretty sure fitting into a R22 together with the 190lbs FI would be tricky :E
No way that the H269 is a three seater :suspect:)

[hueyracer]

If you would place your hand around the throttle properly (not holding it like a raw egg), you will find it much more comfortable?

[Reely340]

Well, that "normal way" is exactly was I'm trying to figure out. Wrist on top of the throttle has the throttle end in mid-palm. I finally (towards the end of my 1 hour dual, mind you :O) ended up with the wrist half way down the outside of the throttle, touching the door glass. I'm pretty sure there still is room for improvement :E

If the whole assembly were 4" longer, all would be fine, I'd guess.

[Aerobot]

When you get the throttle in the right place and the collective in the right place to hover (there is no static place but you can reach an area where the adjustments are too small to see) put your thumb on top of the throttle, pointing forward.

From then on, do not move your hand on the throttle. Adjust the throttle with your wrist, not by repositioning your hand. The reason for this is that thumb just became a dial indicator. When it's on top then you've got the right amount of throttle to hover and you just have a collective adjustment. Thumb on the right - too much. On the left - too little. This is a handy thing to know after a quickstop or at the end of an approach. Which ever way you twisted your wrist to do the maneuver, you know that hover power will be there again if you move the throttle to put your thumb back on top. But once your hand slips on the throttle you're back to finding that place again.

[Old Age Pilot]

I didn't find a suitable place for my left arm

Welcome to the wonderful world of helicopters!

There is no point getting too technical about the way one holds the control. All aircraft are different. You may get into a machine with swanky padded seats and be 4 inches higher anyway, or verse; get into an old banger with seats like a park bench and find the collective in your armpit!

My opinion is adjust and adapt to what you're flying at the time, but above all, grip the thing the way it's meant to be gripped; like Rosey Palm and her five daughters ;)

[Aucky]

Thumb on the right - too much. On the left - too little does the throttle in the Hughes go the opposite way to a robbie? Towards you to open the throttle?

[Reely340]

It's a very good hint, the suggestion with the thumb, but I'm pretty sure he mixed up the directions. It would be hard to add throttle when raising the pitch if it worked that way around.

[Reely340]

Today I got to train on a different 300C an who would've guessed, the pitch lever ergos were perfect! :ok::ok:

Sticking the elbow into the cabin wall corner enabled me to grip the throttle just right, with straight wrist. Very nice pitch control w/o messing up throttle or fast and unnoticable rpm pickups made it a fun to hover through the square, even the landings in the square's corners felt butter soft. :cool:

Tomorrow I'll bring a measuring tape to try and find out what the difference is. :confused:

Peter