Cyclic to 'control column' transition.

[Dan Reno]

A Pilatus PC-6 (XSTOL) may be in the cards so I’m curious if transition from a ‘cyclic stick’ to ‘control column’ offers-up any idiosyncrasies one should be made well aware of. Has anyone here done the transition from a helo, to fixed wing with a ‘control column’ (not yoke)? Easy/hard? Impressions? Thanks in advance!

[warmkiter]

yes, you need to learn how to fly a powerfull taildragger capable to operate at the very end of the flight-envelope. maybe start with something easier if you have doubts about flying with a stick. try a supercub or a decathlon or a TMG before bending the PC-6

I did it vice versa. fixed to rotary. just take small steps, relax and enjoy the ride.

L

[monacam44]

Heli to FW

Hi Dan,

Only thing I was unsure about when I converted helicopter to FW last summer was using my left hand for the intricate bit instead of the right as in the helicopter. No big deal at all. I initially converted on a PA28 with a yoke, no problem. Then to a Chipmunk and finally my RV6, both with a stick as in the Pilatus. Again no problem. Not with the stick part at least. Tail wheel conversion is a challenge, and takes time to be competent at. To be good at, longer! But it's really fun flying so enjoy!

Mona
G-RVCL

[Jack Carson]

Left Handed Mohawk

Dan,
I switched between the AH-1G and the OV-1B daily when at Patuxent River. The Grumman had a traditional left hand joy stick with the throttles on the right. The transition was very easy and became natural within minutes of sitting in the aircraft.
Jack

[EN48]

anyone here done the transition from a helo, to fixed wing with a ‘control column’ (not yoke)? Easy/hard?

Not sure if you are concerned about flying FW with a stick vs yoke, or the transition from RW to FW. The former will be easy. (In fact, stick vs yoke, left hand vs right hand all easy and quick to adapt to.) The latter, given that the PC-6 is a large tail dragger will potentially be hard if you have little/no prior FW experience, and medium if you have significant FW experience but no tail dragger experience. Have never flown a PC-6, but other tail draggers from Pitts to DC-3 and they can bite faster than you can say "ground loop." This is not something you are going to get genuinely good at (able to tackle challenging wx with confidence and skill) in a few days or weeks - more like months or even years depending on how much you are flying. Mastering a tail dragger was far more challenging than anything I have done in a helicopter (so far). If you were transitioning to a PC-12 your life would be much easier!

While all tail draggers have considerable potential to destroy a pilot's ego, some are a bit less demanding than others. As others have suggested, you may want to do some early training on something a bit less expensive to fix than a PC-6. Of the taildraggers I have flown, the Citabria/Decathlon series was the most manageable. (And perhaps surprisingly, the DC-3.) The other end of the spectrum: Pitts S2A, Cessna 305F/L19 Bird Dog. However, these aircraft are intended to be flown by humans, and it can be done with diligence, patience, and expert instruction.

[ReverseFlight]

Transition should pose no problems. If anything, you may transition better than your fixed wing yoke bretheren. When I first flew aerobatics in a Pitts Special S2A (really wild stick), I took to it like a duck to water : years of flying in helicopters previously had conditioned me to fly with a light touch. My hand just fell into the right place as soon as I sat in.

Although there're no low-G issues as in teetering MR heads, be gentle with pushovers in something like an S2A, or you may send your instructor's head up through the perspex !

[Sandy Toad]

Like most UK Service pilots, I started Chipmunk before Helicopters. In a later job had a chance to fly the Turbo Porter as well, swapping daily between various helicopters, PC 6 and Learjet. Yes you need to treat PC 6 with respect but it is awesome (for a plank ).
Biggest problem was visibility and not being able to see ahead beyond that long nose and PT6A!!

[EN48]

If anything, you may transition better than your fixed wing yoke bretheren.

Agree. The attentiveness to pedal inputs required in a helicopter will be useful in a tail dragger. For 2-5 seconds on takeoff and landing your rudder pedal skills in a tail dragger will be critical. Many FW pilots who fly tri gear airplanes are lazy on the rudder pedals and this gets them into trouble in a tail dragger. Once you are definitely on or off the ground, the tail dragger is like any other airplane. PC-6 looks like great fun!

Terminology (as far as I can determine):

"control stick" or "stick" - airplane control similar to cyclic in that it moves longitudinally and laterally to provide pitch and roll control

""yoke" - a more or less "U" shaped grip usually attached to a shaft (in lighter airplanes) which protrudes through the instrument panel and which is pushed or pulled to provide pitch control, and which turns clockwise or counter clockwise to provide roll control, or may also be attached to a ...

"control column" (in larger airplanes) which extends from the floor and moves longitudinally only to provide pitch control; the attached yoke turns clockwise and counter clockwise to provide roll control.

Not sure that there are precise definitions of these terms, but above is my best understanding.

[cladosporangium]

Helicopter: Stop, then land.

Fixed-wing: Land, then stop.

Simples.