First Fixed or Rotary ?
 

I have a question for those who are both PPL-A and PPL-H certified.

What licenses did you get first and what kind of struggles did you ran into practicing the other type of aircraft ?

And from you're own personal experience what would you recommend to do first?

I have read some posts of guys that started with fixed and having some troubles with the other procedures of the rotary ?

I'm very interested in you're opinions.

Kind regards!

I'm sure you can take some hours with you whichever way you go, so it might be cheaper to do the fixed wing first and not have to pay for a percentage of the rotary hours.

Fixed is much easier and cheaper to do. It also gets you a long way towards a rotary licence. A fixed wing wants to fly and you just have to get it to go where you want it to.

A rotary does not want to fly and you have to make it do so all the time, in other words it is dynamically unstable. The best analogy I have heard is "controlling the flight of the bumble bee". You need a few hours to train your brain to drive it, but after you get through the pain it is magic.

I learned to fly fw when I was much younger and it was relatively easy at the time. I then discovered helicopters about 20 years later and found it much harder. However now I fly both and switch between them with no problem whatsoever. I would advise fw first, then rotary. Suffice to say my flying now is about 80% rotary and 20% fixed and I have both available 24/7.

Good luck whatever you do.

many thanks for you're responses.

I've read posts where people described the needed to unteach themselves certain actions when the switched from fixed to rotary.
(like pulling the nose down when the want to lower the flight hight etc.)

Some of them suggesting that it would be 'better' to do rotary first for that kind of reason.

I aspect it would not make a big difference what to do first.
Both type off aircraft has its own flight procedures.
So in eater way you need to 'unteach' yourself some actions when you start learning to flight another type of aircraft.

Still interested in you're opinions or personal experiences!

Kind regards

Fixed wing first then rotary.

Flying isn't just about the aircraft it's also about the environment, safety, RT, flight planning, navigation etc. etc.

If you are really planning on getting both then learning the 'flying' bit is easier in a fixed wing. Leaves you a lot more time to get your head around the other important stuff.

Once you are comfortable with that you can progress to rotary wing.

Just for info, once past the transition (from hover to forward flight) pushing the nose of a helicopter down will also 'lower the flight height', whilst increasing airspeed. It's an aircraft after all. I think you are referring to the effect of lowering the collective which will reduce you 'height' but not increase your airspeed. A helicopter will 'dive' as well as a fixed wing. ;)

You don't need to 'unteach' yourself you just need to be aware of the different techniques that need to be applied to both.