What is it that is so ADDICTIVE about helicopters?
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 156
Likes: 0
From: F8 and Be There
First ever Heli ride was in a Gazelle around 1986, scrounged a seat while working at a motor show on a golf course. The pilot lifted, hover taxied to the long fairway, then accelerated down it before turning speed into height. Just solid acceleration, no gear changes and a great view between my feet.
That was it.......
Now fortunate enough to earn a living behind a camera and get to spend time in planks and helis.
Other notable moments include a trip at night around New York in '98 in an AStar and last year spending time with HEMS. Never flown with anyone before who only found out roughly were they were going about 60 seconds before lifting, then had to work out exactly where once en-route.
Just a shame you can't hire one for the same money as a Cessna 172....
MS
That was it.......
Now fortunate enough to earn a living behind a camera and get to spend time in planks and helis.
Other notable moments include a trip at night around New York in '98 in an AStar and last year spending time with HEMS. Never flown with anyone before who only found out roughly were they were going about 60 seconds before lifting, then had to work out exactly where once en-route.
Just a shame you can't hire one for the same money as a Cessna 172....
MS
The Original Whirly
Joined: Feb 1999
Aviation Qualifications: CPL
Posts: 4,327
Likes: 2
From: Belper, Derbyshire, UK
I was a happy little PPL(A), with no plans to learn anything else new or get a new career. I just decided to go for a trial helicopter lesson for something different to do, and I said to all my friends that it was lucky it was so expensive, because it meant that even if I liked it I'd never dream of taking it up. But on my TL, as soon as I managed to hover with all three controls, that was it. That 35 seconds (my instructor was timing it) had me hooked and changed my life.
Avoid imitations
Joined: Nov 2000
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 15,111
Likes: 1,085
From: Wandering the FIR and cyberspace often at highly unsociable times
In 1977 I was lucky enough to be sent to hold at RAF Leconfield, on the SAR flight who operated Whirlwind 10s. I became their "professional survivor" for a few weeks and spent a lot of days getting very wet. As my reward, one day I was taken flying by the Sqn QHI. About twenty minutes later after "effects of controls" around the town of Beverley he talked me into the hover and somehow I managed to land the machine, after a fashion (although the marshaller gave up in disgust, or possibly because of exhaustion 
).
That did it.....
).That did it.....
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
From: Cardiff, Wales, UK
Hooked..
Probably an ok place for a first post.
Years ago when I lived in Edinburgh I was a member of the Scottish Cave Rescue Team, sort of by default through being a member of the only Scottish caving club. Callouts happened about once per geological time period, however one supper time the phone rang...
...down to central police HQ at Fettes Avenue and onwards across Edinburgh by minibus, destination Assynt in Sutherland where a holidaymaker had gone missing from their hotel. The local MRT had found marks round a pothole entrance and suspected the missing man might have fallen in.
After twenty minutes the radio called us back to Fettes Avenue. We thought we had been stood down. But no, there on the playing field at police HQ was a great yellow Wessex thundering away (which tells you how many years ago!). A bit of elbow secured the bucket seat by the open door and we drifted across Edinburgh at a couple of hundred feet, looking at the top of the gasometers and small clouds popping past the sponson beyond the door. Gobsmacking.
Flew up the whole of Scotland like that, herds of deer running away across the moors in front of us... For much of the journey we followed the A9, and I swear it is true the RAF do use the roadsigns
Following those two days I knew I had to do it! Twenty years later I'm half way through the PPL.
Cheers, M.
Years ago when I lived in Edinburgh I was a member of the Scottish Cave Rescue Team, sort of by default through being a member of the only Scottish caving club. Callouts happened about once per geological time period, however one supper time the phone rang...
...down to central police HQ at Fettes Avenue and onwards across Edinburgh by minibus, destination Assynt in Sutherland where a holidaymaker had gone missing from their hotel. The local MRT had found marks round a pothole entrance and suspected the missing man might have fallen in.
After twenty minutes the radio called us back to Fettes Avenue. We thought we had been stood down. But no, there on the playing field at police HQ was a great yellow Wessex thundering away (which tells you how many years ago!). A bit of elbow secured the bucket seat by the open door and we drifted across Edinburgh at a couple of hundred feet, looking at the top of the gasometers and small clouds popping past the sponson beyond the door. Gobsmacking.
Flew up the whole of Scotland like that, herds of deer running away across the moors in front of us... For much of the journey we followed the A9, and I swear it is true the RAF do use the roadsigns
Following those two days I knew I had to do it! Twenty years later I'm half way through the PPL.
Cheers, M.
RotorHead
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,085
Likes: 8
From: Canada
But on my TL, as soon as I managed to hover with all three controls, that was it. That 35 seconds (my instructor was timing it) had me hooked and changed my life.
I got hooked in the same line as you by managing a hover in a R22 on my Trail Lesson a few months ago, instructor looked at me and said since you've managed a hover that good you might aswel take full control and set her down over on the concrete area which i done nicely so im hoping to pursue the CPL overseas this year.. Due to work i only got doing another 2 lessons and didn't get doing anymore..
Dave..
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 465
Likes: 0
From: swansea, wales
Mine began as a young child when a hiller helicopter landed in the field behind our house. It lingered going and coming for a few weeks, I remember building a detailed exact copy with my meccano set! Some years later A bolkow began arriveing every two weeks to service the local offshor lighthouse (EI-AWB/G-AZOM), I was regular as clockwork to see it when holidays permitted. A few years later, and two bolkows later the then piolt out of the blue asked me "do you fancy a 35 minute hop to Dublin"? his next stop, and I jumped at the chance. I have flown with them a few times since, when at home and they are around, I just caught the bugt goodo after that.
Since then I cant pass an airport if a chopper is in, simply have to see it, like the sea king from civernor at swansea yesterday, (ZH540), watching those same blades that droop but lift it off and away, the click clink click of the turbines starting and the smell! Better than sex any day!
Since then I cant pass an airport if a chopper is in, simply have to see it, like the sea king from civernor at swansea yesterday, (ZH540), watching those same blades that droop but lift it off and away, the click clink click of the turbines starting and the smell! Better than sex any day!
what's so ADDICTIVE?
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 292
Likes: 0
From: Sydney
The mulit-faceted jewel
I've spent a bit of time thinkin' this one through. There are different aspects that appeal to different personality types.
Do you remember the JFK speech about going to the moon, not because it was going to be easy but because it would be hard? That's it for me. Helicopters try really hard.
A folded piece of paper will glide but you don't see many paper helos. A chopper is just so many artful compromises, like living creatures it works because of multiple successive approximations.
I just love 'em. They are a curious mixture of elegant theory & pragmatic engineering. They can be a subtle blunt instrument at times. I've logged a thousnad hours this last decade getting to know just one simple type & I got the terrible feelin' I don't understand the half of it.
Like the superhetrodyne radio receiver & no limit hold 'em poker, whirly birds are as much art as science & I'm very grateful to have made their acquaintance.
Do you remember the JFK speech about going to the moon, not because it was going to be easy but because it would be hard? That's it for me. Helicopters try really hard.
A folded piece of paper will glide but you don't see many paper helos. A chopper is just so many artful compromises, like living creatures it works because of multiple successive approximations.
I just love 'em. They are a curious mixture of elegant theory & pragmatic engineering. They can be a subtle blunt instrument at times. I've logged a thousnad hours this last decade getting to know just one simple type & I got the terrible feelin' I don't understand the half of it.
Like the superhetrodyne radio receiver & no limit hold 'em poker, whirly birds are as much art as science & I'm very grateful to have made their acquaintance.
