Wanna go flying in Russia?

[Whirlybird]

It looks like I'm off on a ten day trip to Russia in August, flying twin engined helicopters at about the price of R22 hire over here. See http://home.worldonline.nl/~aeropriz for details. The exact dates aren't definite yet, but will be next week, and the organiser says there are a couple of places left. Anyone wanna come?

[Nigel Osborn]

Hi Whirly,

Is this an offer for an all expenses paid trip??!!:D :D

If you fly the MI8, don't pull the power in too quickly as their engines spool up very slowly compared to the western helicopters.

Have a great trip; perhaps another book?:rolleyes:

[Genghis the Engineer]

I'm afraid that my interest in helicopters is primarily technical, but I just took a look at that website and some of the fixed wings look rather run. A few hours in an AN2 would sharpen up my taildragger skills a treat.

You don't have access to a price list you can post do you?

Incidentally, from my own work in Russia a few years ago, I learned that the most vital thing is to learn the alphabet. Most of the technical terms you'll know already, but they'll all be written in Cyrilic (invented by St Cyril, yes, really) which has 32 letters, 6 of which are the same as in English, but fortunately all of which are phonetic.

G

[RotorHorn]

Want to go? YES.
Afford to go.... ******....no... (sob)

You lucky lucky woman.....

Plus I don't think Mrs.Horn would be too chuffed me dissappearing off into siberia with another woman anyway.... especially a CPL(H)....

I can imagine the phone call now...
"hi dear, I'm off on my holidays to do some flying in Russia. Going with some friends from that bulletin board I'm always 'banging on about' as you say"...
"yes, Russia"....
"Well 'Whirlybird' and me at the moment"....
"of course she's a she"....
"well she's a CPL(H)"...
"It means she knows a helluva lot more than I do about flying helicopters and I'm sure she'd teach me a lot"....
"no thats NOT what I meant"...
"NO, of course not"...
"hello.....hello....?"
<click><drrrrrrrrrrrr>

:D

(p.s. thanks for the tip about the night rating on the other thread. :) )

[Whirlybird]

Genghis,

If you email Nathalie, [email protected] she'll send you all the details including prices. She skydives and flies f/w and rotary aircraft, and has been organising these trips for about ten years. I've just checked through our extensive email correspondence, and she's given me the following prices, although she says they may have gone up slightly since last year:

MI2 - $220/hr
MI8 - $440/hr
Yak 18T - $160/hr
Yak 52 - $180/hr
AN2 - $220/hr
LET 410 - $350/hr
L29 - $500/hr
L39 - $660/hr

You can also visit Star City, the cosmonaut training place, not sure what that costs. There is also more ordinary sightseeing if you want it. You organise your own flights to Moscow, and she keeps accommodation as cheap as possible; the more of us go, the better the price.

A few years ago I did a trip on the Trans-Siberian Express, and learned quite a bit of Russian before I went. It backfired a bit at the time; I attempted to strike up a conversation with the people in the same compartment, and found myself being chatted up by a middle-aged Siberian peasant. :eek: I told him I didn't understand, in the tone of voice understood the world over as meaning I didn't want to understand. Actually the words were way beyond lessons 1-5 of my CD Rom course, but I'd picked up the general idea. After that my knowledge of the Russian language mysteriously vanished for the remainder of the trip. :D
Anyway, thanks for reminding me; I really should re-learn the alphabet at least.

Rotorhorn,

Can't you lie to your wife? Tell her I'm male, or gay, or...more interested in helicopters than men...or...well, use your imagination. :D

[Vfrpilotpb]

Whirly,

What ever do you mean, tell porkies and lie, to ones wife!
what do you think us Heli types are like! Gawds struth, Just of to work dear, see you some time next week, not even that would work!;) ;)

[Draco]

No, of course I don't want to come. After all, who on rotorheads would want to go somewhere unusual to fly twin turbine helicopters for small amounts of cash?

Have fun, I'm not jealous. Not even slightly. Not even a tiny bit.


:(

[pilotwolf]

I WANT TO COME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Email me with some details of costs etc?

Willl be at GATBASH - maybe you could bring some details...

Alos you'll have a chance to persuade my other half that it is realy a REALLY good idea to come with you!

[Hone22]

Looking forward to reading all about it Whirly.


Would love to be in your shoes, heard all sorts of wonderful things re- Russian steam powered intrument gauges (apparently they're a throw back to the pre-ergonomic era).


Have fun!



:D

[Whirlybird]

In case any of you think I'm having too much fun this year, I should point out that this is purely and simply an hour building exercise. :D It's just that I need another 35 hours, to get that magic 300 that'll allow me to pay a fortune to do a course that'll let me be paid a pittance to let people who can't fly helicopters try to kill me. :eek: It has nothing whatsoever to do with my wanting to go to Russia to fly twin helos. How could it possibly? ;) ;) :D

[advancing_blade]

Whirly

How much did the return flights come to? What are the approx' dates? and how easy have you found it to get the visa?

Thanks



:)

[Whirlybird]

advancing blade,

Don't know yet. I've only just heard that there are almost definitely anough people for a trip, and I can't book the flights till Nathalie gives me a definite date. I think it's either 16th-23rd Aug, or the following Fri-Sun 10 days, if you follow me. Sorry, posting this from Gatwick after Gatbash, and head not clear enough to explain things very clearly. A bit back there were flights from Manchester to Moscow for about £250 return, but I don't know if they're still available, so say £300. I gather a visa is no big deal, as you get an official invitation, but I haven't tried yet.

[Chuck Ellsworth]

Whirly:

I had a go at the MI8 in Africa, it is a real brute of a helicopter.

You will love it, the Russians know how to make real flying machines.

Cat Driver:

..............
:D The hardest thing about flying is knowing when to say no.:D

[Thomas coupling]

Whirly,

hi hope all is well.

Just out of curiosity, is one insured when flying the local trabant?

I wish you well...tell all on return :cool:

[Whirlybird]

Thomas,

Haven't asked about insurance. I have annual travel insurance that covers me for both helicopter and f/w flying, and as for damage to their machines etc ... dunno.

Meanwhile no email from Nathalie as yet, so maybe there aren't enough people for the trip after all. :( Ah well, there's always next year I suppose.

[What-ho Squiffy!]

I wonder if they can get hold of a Hokum - that would be too much to resist!

Well done Whirly - I have never met a female helo driver in Oz (some do exist though); let alone one that wants to head over to Mother Russia to fly their machines. I will be keen to see your report when you come back.

Wock on.

[Jetscream 32]

Whirly,

There are a few people who can arrange your heli flying for you in USSR, fly the MI 2 / 8 /18 / 24 Gunship, but by far the best is to have the 26 in your logbook, 5 on the flight deck, and an absolute blast to fly, make them show you a quick stop over the lake and watch the mini tidal wave that runs up the shore-line.

Wokkka wokkka wokkka

:D :D :D :D

[Vortex what...ouch!]

Whirly check your email.

I would really love to come and fly the hind and 26.

ooooh suits me sir :)

[whirlyhen]

Whirlygirl - came upon this board recently - trip sounds like a great idea. Where abouts in russia are you heading? In terms of hours - how much time are you looking at building there? Do they do checkouts in the helis or is it simply timebuilding?
Regards
Whirlyhen (sorry - a wee bit brain dead so couldn't come up with a more original name!)

[Thomas coupling]

Whirlyhen,

welcome aboard pprune. Stay in touch with the threads, your experience would be appreciated.

[Whirlybird]

Hi whirlyhen,

There are about 5 different sites in Russia; people seem to fly from different ones for different aircraft, and can fly between them. At least two are in the Moscow area, and I don't know about the others. I don't know if they do check-outs. I'm planning on doing around 20 hours; I need hours, but not necessarily P1 hours, and I'm looking on this as a holiday and a way of getting some really interesting flying experiences that I'm not likely to get otherwise, as much as hour building. I found a picture of the Mi-26 - wow, gotta try it!

Incidentally, I just heard from Nathalie by e-mail. She's still trying to sort out dates, and hopes to know definitely by early next week. So it sound's like it's on - email her if you want to go folks!

[Whirlybird]

Well, first Nathalie told me we couldn't go as a couple of people had cancelled and there weren't enough to make it economically viable (costs of accommodation, transport, guides etc); then today I got an e-mail saying she could do with one or two more, but we can manage, and dates are Aug 30th to Sept 8th. So if anyone else wants to come you'll be welcomed! If you're even thinking about it, please e-mail Nathalie NOW, [email protected].