Fancy giving me a flight......

[ShyTorque]

Enough of the sarcasm.

Now, let's get serious. If you could all kindly line up at Blackbushe this weekend, Adam might like to choose which helicopter he would prefer.

Sorry I won't be there, I've got something else in mind.

I'm off to Silverstone to blag a quick go in an F1 car to show Jensen Button a thing or two.

[Kelly Hopper]

No I think Adam has a point: When I get in my 3 litre Capri I really am King of the Road. It is very easy for me. No-one can touch me and women are so impressed.
So why are F1 drivers rewarded with admiration and million dollar salaries? I could do that. Automatic gearboxes, no junctions or traffic lights to worry about and all the traffic goes in the same direction. It's easy.
So can someone just lend me a Mclaren or Ferrari for a few laps just so I can show all you sceptics how easy it is? I don't mind leaving my front door and am prepared to travel 10kms, if there is a bus to a circuit too but no further.

[Hughesy]

Batman maybe? (earlier post removed....me thinks)

[enq]

FROM: Dr Altaka Yurmani
Central Bank of Nigeria
Lagos, Nigeria
01-658-21-2658

TO: Heli Pilots


PPrune

Dear Sir / Madam:

I have been requested by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company to contact you for assistance in resolving a matter. The Nigerian National Petroleum Company has recently concluded a large number of contracts for oil exploration in the sub-Sahara region. The contracts have immediately produced moneys equaling US$40,000,000. The Nigerian National Petroleum Company is desirous of oil exploration in other parts of the world, however, because of certain regulations of the Nigerian Government, it is unable to move these funds to another region.

You assistance is requested as a non-Nigerian citizen to assist the Nigerian National Petroleum Company, and also the Central Bank of Nigeria, in moving these funds out of Nigeria.

If the funds can be transferred by you helicopter to a border town then your share on completion of the transfer will be 25% - US$10 million. You and your helicopter will be required to make the transfer flight look like a flying lesson and you will be expected to let our bank representatives fly the helicopter (under your control) and video the "lesson" for if government proof is needed.

If it will be possible for you to assist us, we would be most grateful. We suggest that you meet with us in person in Lagos, and that during your visit I introduce you to the representatives of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company, as well as with certain officials of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Please call me at your earliest convenience at 18-467-4975. Time is of the essence in this matter; very quickly the Nigerian Government will realize that the Central Bank is maintaining this amount on deposit, and attempt to levy certain depository taxes on it.

Yours truly,

Prince Alyusi Islassis

[dragman]

Anybody who finds a squirrel easy to land on their first go HAS to be a legend.

Having said that, the hardest thing I found about gliding was holding my bladder

[VH-XXX]

We call them "marketing flights" not TIFS. If your instructor is doing a good job you should be left with a warm fuzzy feeling inside that makes you want to depart with $40k.

[Heliringer]

Adam, if you do get your flight please video it and post the results on here.

Good on you mate if you managed to Hover,take off and land a AS350 in 15 minutes with no previous experience.

But I think this may be a bit of a wind up, good one big fella!

[Um... lifting...]

Thread drift I know but... what ARE the controls in a Harrier? I've often wondered. Do they some how magically arrange things so the normal controls (stick/pedals/throttle) are actually working the thrusters to make all the right things happen? Or what?

n5296s

Somewhat. There's an additional lever on the control quadrant that tilts the nozzles from 0 degrees (go forward like an airplane) to 98 degrees (make the bad guy overshoot in a dogfight for the purposes of vaporization). 90 degrees is used for hovering. Other angles are used for V/STOL at various runway lengths. So, that's the push the airplane up in the air part sorted.
There are also attitude control nozzles in the nose, tail, and wing tips. Those use bleed air (I believe) and are controlled by the stick and pedals... so that's the magic part. It's all here, really...
How the Harrier hovers

Friend of mine is a USMC Harrier pilot and was the commanding officer of a primary (non-Harrier) fixed-wing training squadron a few years back. I worked across the field instructing in helicopters. Took him on his first flight in a helicopter as part of his professional development (and because it's fun)... he did quite well hovering, vertical take offs and landings, though he was working very hard at it. He wanted me very close to the controls, but he did fine and I don't remember having to take them from him at all. I did have to tell him that it wasn't quite like the Harrier in that you don't cut the power from about 10' up and bang down like you do with the Harrier, to save both our spines and keep the skids down below the fuselage where we like them, though I'd seen enough Harrier landings to not get caught out by that.

Since I'd already done a few hundred hours in a T-34 (what his then squadron flew), I wanted something with a little more oomph... and anyway, I figured that flying a Harrier couldn't be very difficult, so I asked him if he could get one of his old mates to bring one the 600 or so miles from the nearest squadron so I could get a free flight... because you see there were another 15 fellows with whom I was competing for bragging rights as ace of the base...

In the end, he bought me lunch at the club and exaggerated effusively to anyone who would listen about what a terrific experience it was and how "those helicopter guys have so much fun it's almost indecent..." I chewed my sandwich thoughtfully, smiled a lot, basked in the attention and of course silently agreed... it's good when you get to show your friends what you do... and they think, rightly or wrongly, that you're rather good at it.

[kwachon]

I suggest..hydraulics off..."Your controls"....now lets see how "easy" that is for a first timer...

KW

P.S. Even us old fixed wing chaps were raised rotary...heh heh

[EN48]

There would be no challenge for many helo pilots on this forum in jumping in a glider for the first time.

Well ... not so fast there. I'd suggest that an aero tow might challenge a helo pilot a bit, and remember that every landing in a glider is an EOL. However, as with helos, these things are meant to be operated by humans, so almost anyone can learn to do it. I am wondering what took our boy so long to learn to hover - I taught myself in 2 minutes!

[valve guide]

Maybe he should try and help out "hogg get away from that thing!" Like to see him in it himself. As whirls says instructor doing all the work making it look easy, if indeed it ever happened at all. As for a free flight well enough posts already to cover that

[n5296s]

I'd suggest that an aero tow might challenge a helo pilot a bit,

It took me about 3 hours to solo the glider, and 20 to solo the heli. When I soloed the glider it was no big deal. When I soloed the heli I was, to put it mildly, nervous. Yeah, aero-tows take a bit of getting used to, and early release is a bit of a surprise when you're used to powered airplanes.

But it isn't the same league as far as learning curve goes.

n5296s

[Blue Rotor Ronin]

I've never seen such handbag flailing, shame on you!!! He may well have hovered in less time than your own fragile memories allowed, some people have the touch,you're like a rotary of Harpies. How dare you disrespect a humble crab's request for free flying and requirements that you should bring it to one's doorstep..... Mate, congratulations!! I haven't seen such contempt before, if you're going to post again make sure you include the words RAF and freebie in the same sentence, so much fun; good luck on finding your free 'Glory ride'..

[MightyGem]

I'd suggest that an aero tow might challenge a helo pilot

And, of course there's the winch launch! I did my first winch launch after about 20 or so aerotows and it scared the **** out of me.

[500e]

VH-XXX
I like the sound of the warm fuzzy feeling and departing with 40K, the only feeling I got when learning to hover was a real sweaty feeling and wondering why I was parting with large chunks of cash to scare myself & instructor.
Not telling how long it took to hover, but is was a fair bit longer than 15 min

[JaredYng]

On your next flight be sure to ask the instructor to let you have the controls slope operations or perhaps a 180 auto if you're feeling real good! I think that will surely change your mind.

[biggles99]

I am dismayed

at the general attitude of all you guys who have jumped down Adam's throat.

You don't know him, he asked a perfectly reasonable question, and it was all stated without malice or hidden agenda.

How about some common decency, and manners?

It may have been a naive question (but I don't think so) but Adam is a pilot just like you and me.

You should be ashamed of yourselves.

And no, I have never heard of, met, talked to Adam in my life.

Big Ls -- a R22 and R44 pilot and not an instructor so obviously I cannot help with the hover challenge.

PS. If you want to come as a passenger for 15 minutes, Adam, you will be welcome. No charge. and hopefully you wont think too badly of all helicopter pilots.

[mini]

The downside of PPrunes popularity... this and the NASCAR/Indy whatever post.

[CDP200]

Whilst no doubt 'adam' should appreciate your generosity, i beleive the communication which ultimately led to this post should be made clear for all to see.

please read the comments below for the video. My sinceret apologies to those in the video for 'airing old news/hurts'



Apologies to those who see my cut and paste skills as 'behind' the curve it took me a bit longer too hover...

[Canuck Guy]

I am dismayed
at the general attitude of all you guys who have jumped down Adam's throat.

You don't know him, he asked a perfectly reasonable question, and it was all stated without malice or hidden agenda.

How about some common decency, and manners?

Decency would have been at least offering to buy lunch for whoever was willing to flush about $1000 down the drain, so this guy can thump his chest in front of his pals. Manners would be saying he's willing to drive out to you, not ask you to fly the helicopter out to him.

There is nothing reasonable in his request.