Had an amusing episode once many moons ago when flying with the senior dept dude from Adelaide when Adelaide (south Australia) was first set up by our glorious aviation dept, I think it may have been called DofT then, as separate from Canberra to administer a large area of our continent.
Barry Lodge was his name an exceptional fixed wing driver and a high respect I had for him because of a couple instances where we were out in the boonies and his very able assistance came in large doses just when it was needed and where we were both bending the rules. however I digress;
He hadn't flown a helicopter before and we are out demonstrating the mustering disciplines etc.
'Here have a go Barry', I says, we are in a '47. I couldn't figure out why he was trying to fly the dashed thing nearly sideways. Then I realized that he was trying to centralize the ball, not the string, I says, as I covers the ball, 'just fly straight for a bit', then I twisted the ball to be level and says; 'there you go, don't let it be said that you can't fly a helicopter straight'.
as anyone who has flown a '47 solo will know that the ball sits at a different angle in balanced flight than when it has a balanced load. this particluar ball was only mounted to the panel on one end.
it was also only there because of some stupid new rule which said we had to have them.