The Cheshire cat grin has only just worn off!
Even a ride in the back of such a classic helicopter would have been a thrill, but an invitation from Ralph (SASless) to fly in the left seat on a ferry flight from Blackpool to Redhill was an opportunity not to be missed.
I naturally hoped to be offered some stick time somewhere en route, but the reality was even better - only a few minutes after lifting, Ralph very kindly invited me to fly.
Apart from one hour in an S-76, and a few hours in an Agusta 109, I don’t normally fly anything bigger than Jetrangers and Gazelles so an assurance that the Huey is 'just like a big Jetranger' seemed unlikely - but it’s true.
The venerable Huey has won the respect of thousands of pilots and captured the imagination of even more, and it didn't disappoint. It really is a joy to fly.
As a lowly PPL I’m reticent about making comments about helicopter handling in a forum so rich with experienced professionals from all over the world but, FWIW, I think the Huey handles beautifully. It's a stable helicopter which ‘goes where you point it’ and stays there, but it's also surprisingly manoeuvrable – surprising to me anyway.
A gentle initial input to see what happens turns out to be sufficient for most purposes. It might seem odd to say this about a big helicopter (MAUW 9500 lbs, Empty 5000 lbs, up to 14 POB) but, despite its size, the Huey is the sort of aircraft you ‘strap on’ rather than sit in and control.
I realise there's an enormous difference between flying an aircraft and operating one, but the Huey is so smooth it's almost as if thinking you want to do something is enough to make it happen, without any conscious control input.
The Force Trim relieves the control forces and helps maintain the cyclic position, but Ralph disabled it initially so I could get a better feel for the helicopter. The Huey doesn’t fly ‘hands off’ with Force Trim in, but it will hold attitude for about 7-10 seconds before beginning to wander. Not being used to the system, I found myself forgetting disengage it to manoeuvre and, when I did remember, then forgetting to release the button when the required attitude was established.
As we approached Sywell for our fuel-stop (Fuel burn about 550 lbs/hr), I thought I should suggest Ralph took back control but got a relaxed ‘’You carry on. I won’t let you get in trouble.” I suppose with 10,000 hours, 2000 US Army instructing, two Chinook combat tours in Vietnam and flying numerous types all over the world under your belt, you have the experience to know if/when to intervene and the skill to recover if an inexperienced pilot screws up.
Like many PPLs, I hate landing with an audience but, in a Huey, landing without anyone noticing isn’t an option. With 99% luck and 1% judgment, we put down without drama. (It's obviously a very forgiving aircraft.)
Quick fuel-stops aren’t an option either. With only one flying in the country, people want to look .....
..... and ask lots of questions.
Four years flying Hueys in the National Guard haven’t dimmed Raph’s love of the helicopter – all questions happily answered before we set off again.
Easing forward on the cyclic brings translational lift at about 18-20 kts. Best angle of climb speed of 80 kts/ 54 lbs torque (I think) and we were climbing effortlessly at more than 2500 fpm.
Gently easing the nose soon gives a 100 kts cruise. From what I’ve read, that seems to be the normal cruise speed for an H model (Lycoming T53-L-13B 1400 shp turboshaft engine) but this one cruises happily at 110 kts. VNE is 120 kts.
Descending into Booker for a ‘social’ call (OK, I couldn’t resist dropping in on some friends!) at 80 knots gave 500 fpm. There was the occasional sound of blade slap which I suppose could be stopped with a slight increase in pitch, but you have to get down – and it’s a great sound!
We hover-taxied towards the pad in a cross-wind. Decision time! It’s all going very smoothly so, do I live with the cross-wind or unsettle us by turning over the pad before putting down - and possibly mess up in front of the inevitable audience? I decided the American principle
‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ has a lot to be said for it, and luck was again on my side. The Huey seems to be unaffected by cross-wind (within reason obviously) – I don’t know why.
Ralph has got used to using the Huey owner’s Pooley’s while flying in the UK and, by coincidence, another aviation venerable happened to be at Booker - Ralph now has his own complimentary copy of Pooley's from the man himself.
As we set off around the zone to Redhill (the Huey is FAA ‘Experimental’ category, equivalent of the CAA ‘Permit’, so no flight over congested areas) I had mixed feelings – loving every minute of flying the Huey, but not long before I’d have to give it back.
If I hadn’t already worked out why there always seemed to be people waiting to watch the Huey coming in, the call at the VRP for Redhill would have given me the answer –
“Redhill – Huey 509, Reigate Station”
“I know. I can hear you!”
And what a wonderful sound – which, CAA permitting, will be a welcome sound on the display circuit next year. If the reaction the Huey got at HeliTech and on the day I was lucky enough to fly it are any indication, the crowds will love it.
A very big ‘Thank you’ to SASless and to Phil Connolly the owner of G-UH1H for giving me a day to remember.
Tudor Owen
Edit - Apologies for rambling on. The silly grin may have worn off, but the thrill hasn't.
