View Full Version : Hats off to chopper pilots
Bern Oulli
7th Dec 2004, 16:53
I am a (very recently) retired ATCO. In the course of my 37 odd years I have got a (time-expired) PPL and flown in a number of different aircraft. I've even been in a couple of helicopters. I've seen helicopters at work, including a very hairy SAR conducted, as ever, in atrocious weather. But until Monday of this week I never truly appreciated the skill required to make a helicopter do what helicopters do.
For my BIG 60 I was given a 1 hour helicopter trial lesson. The day was calm, unlimited vis underneath a 4000ft base. For those who need to know these things, the beast was a Schweizer 300C.
I was allowed to have a go in level flight and, while I won't say it was easy, I found it not too difficult to maintain altitude, speed and direction, AND see the opposite direction stuff as well. Even managed a few corners. And the instructor wasn't cheating - he had his arms folded. All that old nearly forgotton fixed wing experience you see. So was feeling pretty chuffed as the instructor took us to an area set aside for LEARNING TO HOVER. Or in my case how to perform interesting maneouvres that would be the envy of any theme park, at very low altitudes. Obviously, sooner or later people get "the knack" of co-ordinating hands, feet and wrist. I guess I had always known that flying whirly things was a lot different to fixed wing stuff for obvious reasons but I had no idea (until Monday) just what is involved. I don't think, at my time of life, I am going to do the helicopter PPL, but it sure would be interesting. Saluté.
headsethair
7th Dec 2004, 17:04
So - now you feel like an 18 year old again. You shouldn't let age stop you - I think Jennifer Murray didn't start flying helicopters until she was 57. At the age of 60 she circumnavigated - twice.
What a great post from you. Thank you for making my day.
helicopter-redeye
7th Dec 2004, 17:30
Welcome to the rotary club !
Remember, just keep practising in smaller and smaller fields
;)
DBChopper
7th Dec 2004, 17:49
Great post!
Go on... have a few lessons... you know you want to...
:E
Bern - good luck in yr retirement (you kept that quiet!)
I too have only had one go in a heli - and that was a RAF Puma.
After my poor attempt I was reminded that they only hover because you believe they can!!
I now talk to helis every day on the helilanes on SVFR and try not to make it too hard for the users - as I remember when I was flying in an Army gazelle once - with the one pilot working like a one armed paper hangar on the unfamiliar Helilanes!
respect indeedy...... But to you as well Bern for your time! (and have your next lesson on the helilanes and chat to some old friends!) :)
13snoopy
8th Dec 2004, 05:42
Amen to these posts.
Bern Oulli
8th Dec 2004, 06:44
So that's where I went wrong. "Feel the Force Luke".
AlanM. Not that quiet - you should have seen the bar bill at the Avon Causeway last week! Would nearly have paid for another hour in the whirly thing.
Yes, tempting thought guys & gals, tempting thought. Maybe.......
muffin
8th Dec 2004, 10:14
Bern
No way are you too old at 60. I have just passed that magic number and I only learnt to fly helicopters at 57 to see if I could actually do it.
Best thing I ever did!
The hover pain barrier goes after 10 - 12 hours or so. I remember that I was sweating buckets trying to stop pendular instability for the 3rd time when the instructor (Hi Tagg) asked me what aircraft had just landed over on the main runway. We had a discussion on aircraft type recognition and during it he asked me what I was doing. Strewth, I am HOVERING in one place! After that it clicked and came together.
Keep at it and good luck.
Arm out the window
8th Dec 2004, 10:27
Good on you Bern.
Sounds like you have gone through what we all do; being able to hover initially in an area the size of a football field and gradually narrowing it down to something a bit more respectable.
Even if you don't do the PPL, at least give it a few more hours...or maybe not, by then the bug will have bitten you big time and you'll have to do the whole thing!
DualDriver
8th Dec 2004, 10:49
Well Done, Bern
Age makes NO difference... :cool:
I recently met a guy in S.A that started flying at 72. He's now 75 and STILL going strong.
GO FOR IT!!!!:ok:
magbreak
8th Dec 2004, 11:01
I now talk to helis every day on the helilanes on SVFR and try not to make it too hard for the users - as I remember when I was flying in an Army gazelle once - with the one pilot working like a one armed paper hangar on the unfamiliar Helilanes!
I'll be doing my one armed paper hanger impression tomorrow morning AlanM so a nice easy BNN direct brent direct if you can manage it please:O :O :ok:
Magbreak - if you are flying something swish like an S76 you will get no compassion!!!! :):ok:
(Will be in from 1400 on Thu/Fri!!)
oldbeefer
8th Dec 2004, 17:51
AlanM.
Age 60 with 9000hrs rotary, I was VERY grateful for the help from Heathrow a few years ago when, on a night navex through the helilanes, my Puma open cockpit window sucked the only map out somewhere over Staines! Enjoy REAL flying - I still do!
OOops!
You think that was bad - I lost my new Canon camera case out of the left hand seat window on the Puma in 1989 (remember the great days of single pilot ops!).
The good news is that it missed the tail, but the bad news is that a certain Mr Duncan laughed as it whistled down to land onto the Nurburgring! :)
Doh
oldbeefer
8th Dec 2004, 20:08
AlanM. At least it was the case and not the camera! I'd just left Gut for a life of sanity when that happened to you. Still miss the Puma though (but perhaps not the jobs they have to do now!).
magbreak
13th Dec 2004, 21:55
your lack of compassion was noted when we got in on Thursday evening. We'll take the heli lane as the cloud is too low, and the twin behind us given direct. Ta :mad: :O
May not have been you of course!!