I Learned About Flying From That (ILAFFT)
The Original Whirly
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Belper, Derbyshire, UK
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Guys, this could be a good thread, but far, far better if we keep judgement out of it. OK, so some of us screw up. We're human, it happens. It's much more informative to know what happened, and why, and what was done about it, and what could have been done. The judgement is a waste of time and bandwidth. PFF1, you don't "atone" for something like that. You learn from it, then go on. Sounds like you've been hanging on to it, beating yourself up over it, and then blaming others who make mistakes. What for?
Me, I screwed up bad once, as a very low hours pilot.
Some of you know about it. Guess what? I'm not repeating it here. Not until some people learn to discuss this kind of thing without being judgemental. And I bet I'm not the only one. So...and you know who you are...why not...stop.
Me, I screwed up bad once, as a very low hours pilot.
Some of you know about it. Guess what? I'm not repeating it here. Not until some people learn to discuss this kind of thing without being judgemental. And I bet I'm not the only one. So...and you know who you are...why not...stop.
Originally Posted by ShyTorque
Stupidest thing I ever did was to swap hands on the controls in a Gazelle when I was flying as QHI from the LHS. I was asked to fly for a few seconds by my student as he had got his maps in the wrong order as we approached the departure point. He had the friction far too tight for my liking (friction situated on the right collective) so I stupidly tried to hover with my left hand whilst I wound it off with my right.
Late night arrival back at base. Low close downwind circuit at warp speed in a Chinook. (Just letting the lads know the last of the flock had made it back!) Taxxied into the revetment to see both the Company Commander and Battalion Commander waiting in a jeep. Being a WO-1, I considered it really a nice gesture for them to swing by and pick me and the co-pilot up for a ride to OPs.
It turned into an altogether different ride when my CO rather bluntly informed me that I had removed the Battalion OPs Center FM radio antenna from the roof of the TOC.
To say the Colonel and my CO were not amused is an understatement. I suggested said event was really just a youthful indiscretion but that seemed to fall upon some very deaf ears. My tea leaves as interpeted by the BnCo did not agrue well for rapid promotion. My stature amongst the other pilots did take somewhat of a lift as I took possession of the Grand Royal League of the Yo-Yo award for some time afterwards.
It turned into an altogether different ride when my CO rather bluntly informed me that I had removed the Battalion OPs Center FM radio antenna from the roof of the TOC.
To say the Colonel and my CO were not amused is an understatement. I suggested said event was really just a youthful indiscretion but that seemed to fall upon some very deaf ears. My tea leaves as interpeted by the BnCo did not agrue well for rapid promotion. My stature amongst the other pilots did take somewhat of a lift as I took possession of the Grand Royal League of the Yo-Yo award for some time afterwards.
Join Date: Aug 2004
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Dumbest thing...
I was in the back, the pilots were scud running when the weather turned to soup. Instead of setting it down, they decided it was a good idea to follow a bus, until the bus turned a corner and we lost the tail lights. They climbed in the blind until we came out on top and all was well. I should have turned them in but was just glad to be alive.
Join Date: Dec 2005
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Heres one i did myself.........although NOT heli related....
Joint services parachute centre middle wallop, 91ish i believe.....
Old mustard obliges to attend a sports parachute freefall course, week 1 all goes swimmingly, nightly piss ups occur and tales of woe are said, the following day feeling somewhat jaded i climb aboard,The BN islander steadily climbs up to 5000` all goes well, Mustard looks at instructor 3......2.......1.......GO , Mustard leaps out and admires the features such as "Stonehenge" finish my exit plan from the a/c THEN.............****, I`m wearing boxer shorts and im dressed (if you get my drift) under one of the groin straps
What would you do..................?
answers on a postcard
Joint services parachute centre middle wallop, 91ish i believe.....
Old mustard obliges to attend a sports parachute freefall course, week 1 all goes swimmingly, nightly piss ups occur and tales of woe are said, the following day feeling somewhat jaded i climb aboard,The BN islander steadily climbs up to 5000` all goes well, Mustard looks at instructor 3......2.......1.......GO , Mustard leaps out and admires the features such as "Stonehenge" finish my exit plan from the a/c THEN.............****, I`m wearing boxer shorts and im dressed (if you get my drift) under one of the groin straps
What would you do..................?
answers on a postcard
Join Date: May 2006
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Two of us in a little R22 at North Weald, I'm sitting in the left seat and decide to move over to the left to give my friend a fighting chance of moving the controls.
Crowd of people outside the squadron watching these two fatties in a little jellywopter.
Not paying too much attention to what is going on when I feel a distinct pressure on my left leg, then a few seconds later the same, only harder, then I feel it again, even harder this time when I suddenly realise it's the collective sticking in me, so to be helpful I moved slightly to the right........
Cork out of a bottle....
I promise if I ever do that again I'll say what I'm going to do
Crowd of people outside the squadron watching these two fatties in a little jellywopter.
Not paying too much attention to what is going on when I feel a distinct pressure on my left leg, then a few seconds later the same, only harder, then I feel it again, even harder this time when I suddenly realise it's the collective sticking in me, so to be helpful I moved slightly to the right........
Cork out of a bottle....
I promise if I ever do that again I'll say what I'm going to do
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Alderney or Lancashire UK
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Dumbest thing.
On commencing descent, mixture full lean instead of full rich due to brainstorm. I had bruises on my head for weeks from my wife hitting me.
On commencing descent, mixture full lean instead of full rich due to brainstorm. I had bruises on my head for weeks from my wife hitting me.
Join Date: Jun 2006
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Having saved for years to learn to fly helicopters I was soaking up every ounce of knowledge imparted by my godlike instructors.
I was informed of a gem of a hint when pre-flighting my Bell 47.
Sensei instructor, wise and sage counsel that he is, advises me to manually turn the main rotor blade perpendicular to the fore-aft axis of the aircraft as it then visually confirms that the blades will miss any obstructions or other nearby aircraft when the donkey is started.
I was later singing the praises of this instructor to another member of the flight school. I mentioned the obsruction clearance hint given to me and was surprised by the hysterical giggles that it prompted. When I enquired as to this strange reaction I was informed that this tip had been learned by the aforementioned master aviator when he had started the aircraft without having first removed the main rotor tie down and it actually confirms that the blades are in fact free to rotate.
No names, No pack drill.
I was informed of a gem of a hint when pre-flighting my Bell 47.
Sensei instructor, wise and sage counsel that he is, advises me to manually turn the main rotor blade perpendicular to the fore-aft axis of the aircraft as it then visually confirms that the blades will miss any obstructions or other nearby aircraft when the donkey is started.
I was later singing the praises of this instructor to another member of the flight school. I mentioned the obsruction clearance hint given to me and was surprised by the hysterical giggles that it prompted. When I enquired as to this strange reaction I was informed that this tip had been learned by the aforementioned master aviator when he had started the aircraft without having first removed the main rotor tie down and it actually confirms that the blades are in fact free to rotate.
No names, No pack drill.
Join Date: Oct 2003
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I think back about it and the dumbest thing I've done while flying has been as an instructor. Sitting there for hour after hour while the person next to me tries to kill me (and him/her) time and time again, all with a smile on their face. When you finally get back and gently explain that some of the things they were allowing the helicopter to do were extremely dangerous, you get that look, and "yeah right", we made it back didn't we?????
Sometimes it is just as well it is difficult to get a gun licence in Aussie.
I do very little instructing now, I own several guns.....................
Sometimes it is just as well it is difficult to get a gun licence in Aussie.
I do very little instructing now, I own several guns.....................
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nice one McGowan.I visisted a firing range in Auz and they let me loose with a Magnum for a few rounds. Funny, I was thinking the same thing !
I remember when I was doing my PPL(H), I was so engrossed in the flying controls, I went to transmit to talk to Redhill, and pressed the start button instead - I can still see the look on my instructors face, as we violently yawed over the M25 - at least I got the accolade of being the first to do that one !!
Gotta watch em like a hawk !
Join Date: Sep 2003
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Aerial photography
Once upon a time... when I was still young and unexperienced I went out on a photo mission in a 300. I told the photographer on the phone that I would land first, shut down the a/c and give him a short briefing on how to behave and talk about the various locations he wanted to go to.
Somehow he didn't want to listen, was more the kind of guy "been there done it".
Upon landing at the airfield he missed the main rotor blades only by a couple of mm's as he approached the a/c (rotors still turning) as I parked it on a slope. He jumped into the a/c and yelled at me: "Come on let's go, I'm in a hurry". I told him that it was stupid of him to get into the a/c while the rotors were still turning and that I didn't like it. Nevertheless I was trying to give him a safety briefing but he didn't listen and just replied: "I've done that a hundred times before, you don't have to tell me what to do and what not." Finally I pointed out to him to secure his camera which he denied "I've got a special camera grip, I don't have to secure the camera". I just thought: f**k it, let's just get this job done and go home.
We finally got airborne, everything went fine until he started to push it again. "Ok, stay here, hold position, a little bit sidewards, backwards upside down." "Excuse me, but that is kind of unsafe in an underpowered a/c like the 300." "Well, the last pilot I flew with did it." So I continued, pushed it to the limits and... well beyond.
720° later and 800' lower I was lucky enough to recover from LTE and finally had a positive indication on the VSI.
Somehow he didn't want to listen, was more the kind of guy "been there done it".
Upon landing at the airfield he missed the main rotor blades only by a couple of mm's as he approached the a/c (rotors still turning) as I parked it on a slope. He jumped into the a/c and yelled at me: "Come on let's go, I'm in a hurry". I told him that it was stupid of him to get into the a/c while the rotors were still turning and that I didn't like it. Nevertheless I was trying to give him a safety briefing but he didn't listen and just replied: "I've done that a hundred times before, you don't have to tell me what to do and what not." Finally I pointed out to him to secure his camera which he denied "I've got a special camera grip, I don't have to secure the camera". I just thought: f**k it, let's just get this job done and go home.
We finally got airborne, everything went fine until he started to push it again. "Ok, stay here, hold position, a little bit sidewards, backwards upside down." "Excuse me, but that is kind of unsafe in an underpowered a/c like the 300." "Well, the last pilot I flew with did it." So I continued, pushed it to the limits and... well beyond.
720° later and 800' lower I was lucky enough to recover from LTE and finally had a positive indication on the VSI.
Join Date: Nov 2004
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Great post, Spunk. I really related to it.
Some of the photgraphy flights I fly are at 500' in a R22 and LTE is on my mind alot of the time.
The R22 ops manual has a Safety Notice ( SN-34) in the back section with the title "Photo Flights - Very High Risk."
I found it really applicable to the sort of photo flights I do.
Cheers
WHK4
Some of the photgraphy flights I fly are at 500' in a R22 and LTE is on my mind alot of the time.
The R22 ops manual has a Safety Notice ( SN-34) in the back section with the title "Photo Flights - Very High Risk."
I found it really applicable to the sort of photo flights I do.
Cheers
WHK4
I'm not too familiar with ozzie rules, but if you are taking photos of something isn't 500' a little high? I know in the UK they have a rule that says you cant go below 500'. is it the same down there or can you fly low like the US?
While we're on the subject, the stupidest thing i've done is fly 90nm out to sea....in an R44
While we're on the subject, the stupidest thing i've done is fly 90nm out to sea....in an R44
Join Date: Jan 2006
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I was going to take an ex girlfriend up for a ride in an R-22. Now this before we had a governor, the old manual throttle!! As we're warming up the engine, I give her my safety briefing....which usually ends in....DON'T TOUCH NOTHING! Great flight, no problems, no nothing! I set up an orbit over Dodger Stadium, and she wants me to orbit on her side. So I bank it over to her side, and pull back to make a turn to orbit her side. She screams, grabs the collective, and completely twists the throttles WIDE open, this poor little R-22 YAW'D so quick, I quickly bring it back into the green, and tell her not to touch the 
controls!! Needless to say, I now remove the pax controls! Damn near left a balloon knot shape in the seat when I got out of the 22!!!
controls!! Needless to say, I now remove the pax controls! Damn near left a balloon knot shape in the seat when I got out of the 22!!!
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An Army buddy of mine had just bought an ultra-light (a plank), and I met him at the local field in North Caroling outside of Bragg where we were stationed (as special forces), and he offered to let me take her up for a spin.
As it was a full camber airfoil, after a quick pre-flight, I deemed it airworthy and jumped in and turned on the fan. Power to weight ratio was excellent, and this was to prove useful. I climbed out easily to pattern altitude and began a left circuit. Thing was so light that it took me a minute to get used to controlling it in the wind, but basically got heading downwind no problem. It was a little weird flying with only an airspeed indicator, though. I had asked my friend before departing the deck what the stall speed was, and was a bit puzzled by his response of, "I don't know", but was not detered.
Well, I began my descent, downwind abeam, and shortly turned base. The throttle was controlled by a level on the side-rail, and was a bit odd to me as well, but all was well till I entered my turn to final, and made the classic, and usually fatal (maybe that's why they call it final!), mistake of student pilots, however in a unique and at least inovative way.
I reached up to tweek the power back ever so slightly while in a nice steep (1st mistake) turn to final, and tap the throttle ever so slightly. Unfortunately, I had not noticed that the whole assembly was rather loose, and my little tap was not resisted and rather effectively cut my power.
Needless to say, I stalled low and slow, and from the ground appeared to disapear behind a barn at the end of the runway. Needless to say, I slammed the throttle full forward, and was only saved due to the afforementioned power to weight ratio, and the lack of a 2nd story on the barn.
I poped up over the barn, more carefully removed power, and did a nice smooth full stop and as cooly as possible exited the aircraft and informed my friend that it handle pretty good but that I think he needed to tighten the nut on the throttle linkage.
As if this wasn't enough, later my friend kept asking me numerous questions that it seemed any pilot would know, and I finally asked him, "You did go to ground school didn't you?" He replied that know, he did not have any flight training! I about died, knowing that he had calmly jumped into his new single seat ultra-light and flown without a second thought.
When asked about his foolish descision, he told me that really he had just intended on running fast down the runway to test it out, but that it had become airborne and so he had little choice but to learn to fly.
Patrick
As it was a full camber airfoil, after a quick pre-flight, I deemed it airworthy and jumped in and turned on the fan. Power to weight ratio was excellent, and this was to prove useful. I climbed out easily to pattern altitude and began a left circuit. Thing was so light that it took me a minute to get used to controlling it in the wind, but basically got heading downwind no problem. It was a little weird flying with only an airspeed indicator, though. I had asked my friend before departing the deck what the stall speed was, and was a bit puzzled by his response of, "I don't know", but was not detered.
Well, I began my descent, downwind abeam, and shortly turned base. The throttle was controlled by a level on the side-rail, and was a bit odd to me as well, but all was well till I entered my turn to final, and made the classic, and usually fatal (maybe that's why they call it final!), mistake of student pilots, however in a unique and at least inovative way.
I reached up to tweek the power back ever so slightly while in a nice steep (1st mistake) turn to final, and tap the throttle ever so slightly. Unfortunately, I had not noticed that the whole assembly was rather loose, and my little tap was not resisted and rather effectively cut my power.
Needless to say, I stalled low and slow, and from the ground appeared to disapear behind a barn at the end of the runway. Needless to say, I slammed the throttle full forward, and was only saved due to the afforementioned power to weight ratio, and the lack of a 2nd story on the barn.
I poped up over the barn, more carefully removed power, and did a nice smooth full stop and as cooly as possible exited the aircraft and informed my friend that it handle pretty good but that I think he needed to tighten the nut on the throttle linkage.
As if this wasn't enough, later my friend kept asking me numerous questions that it seemed any pilot would know, and I finally asked him, "You did go to ground school didn't you?" He replied that know, he did not have any flight training! I about died, knowing that he had calmly jumped into his new single seat ultra-light and flown without a second thought.
When asked about his foolish descision, he told me that really he had just intended on running fast down the runway to test it out, but that it had become airborne and so he had little choice but to learn to fly.
Patrick
1 pilot and 2 engineers returning to a UK base in a Hiller 12E after a heavy night on the pop.
I'm going to be sick, I'm going to be sick.
Pilot lands and Eng 2 proceeds to throw up through the attached litter.
Eng 1, Did you see something?
Pilot, I might have, what did you see?
Eng 1, Well I thought I saw a Giraffe.
Pilot, Thank f**k for that so did I.
Landed in Longleat Safari park hadn't he!!!
I'm going to be sick, I'm going to be sick.
Pilot lands and Eng 2 proceeds to throw up through the attached litter.
Eng 1, Did you see something?
Pilot, I might have, what did you see?
Eng 1, Well I thought I saw a Giraffe.
Pilot, Thank f**k for that so did I.
Landed in Longleat Safari park hadn't he!!!
Join Date: Feb 2005
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Belly tank
Neither you nor JH touch on the proprietor (Les-now deceased- and mates) of the tourist venue, if it's the same one that I am thinking of close to a certain cranky station owner.
Methinks if that's the place and the incident was the same as one relayed to me by one with a couple of stumpy fingers, then you cover yourself with some modesty.
TET
Neither you nor JH touch on the proprietor (Les-now deceased- and mates) of the tourist venue, if it's the same one that I am thinking of close to a certain cranky station owner.
Methinks if that's the place and the incident was the same as one relayed to me by one with a couple of stumpy fingers, then you cover yourself with some modesty.
TET
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Half flying, half ground... but maybe it'll suffice for this thread.
Was out doing a compass swing with one of our maintenance officers and the company commander... the whole process involves parking the ole salamander along a given cardinal direction provided courtesy the compass reading from a mechanic standing 25 feet out on the nose with a lensatic, then adjust the slaved compass in the cockpit until it matches. Naturally the spot we picked to do it had a bit of reinforcing bar weaved into the concrete, or maybe some WWII bomb fragments or maybe a damn zero fighter buried under there, and my readings are fickle and unreliable. I move out farther from the nose and the readings are getting better, and continue pushing out further until my ICS cable is maxed out but the readings are workable. I tell the ole Major to nose right, he says the tail wheel feels stuck. I walk out to the left (my right) and take a peek, its cocked a bit so I tell him to put some stank into that pedal and get it to swing round.
I think there was a verse in the theory of relativity and motion that states "when one object is out to the maximum of his ICS cable length, opposite side of his ICS cable connection to aircraft, and aircraft rapidy yaws away, an object at rest will begin to move and continue to move until object hits ground". Thankfully neither saw it. I just told them I was going to ground to get a better alignment on aircraft center. They bought it.
-Mike
Was out doing a compass swing with one of our maintenance officers and the company commander... the whole process involves parking the ole salamander along a given cardinal direction provided courtesy the compass reading from a mechanic standing 25 feet out on the nose with a lensatic, then adjust the slaved compass in the cockpit until it matches. Naturally the spot we picked to do it had a bit of reinforcing bar weaved into the concrete, or maybe some WWII bomb fragments or maybe a damn zero fighter buried under there, and my readings are fickle and unreliable. I move out farther from the nose and the readings are getting better, and continue pushing out further until my ICS cable is maxed out but the readings are workable. I tell the ole Major to nose right, he says the tail wheel feels stuck. I walk out to the left (my right) and take a peek, its cocked a bit so I tell him to put some stank into that pedal and get it to swing round.
I think there was a verse in the theory of relativity and motion that states "when one object is out to the maximum of his ICS cable length, opposite side of his ICS cable connection to aircraft, and aircraft rapidy yaws away, an object at rest will begin to move and continue to move until object hits ground". Thankfully neither saw it. I just told them I was going to ground to get a better alignment on aircraft center. They bought it.
-Mike