Mowing the lawns - having trouble

[heli kiwi]

Not sure if this should be here or in the Biz Jets, Ag Flying, GA etc. forum.

Tried mowing the lawns today after letting the kids do it for the last few years.
First off the throttle was the wrong way round, pushing it all the way forward makes the engine die. Had me tumbling around looking for the fuel pump switch. None fitted.
Secondly I keep looking down to check the lightbar to line me up for the next run. Again none fitted.

Anyone else having trouble. Obviously too many years in the cockpit has got to me.

Brett

[heli1]

Just get some sheep.

[oldbeefer]

The throttle was probably designed for the northern hemisphere!

[roscoe1]

I had a flight instructor friend who taught primary students in J-3 Cubs in the North Eastern US. She was confounded by every young student pushing the opposite heel brake to initiate a taxi turn. They pushed right pedal to turn left and vice versa. It happened so often that she mentioned it to the guy she worked for and he asked her where she grew up. It was not where there was any snow. He said " well you never had a Flexible Flier sled then, did you?" The problem with the young student pilots was that they were thinking of their steering bar on their sleds. Push right side to turn left etc. Muscle memory can be an insidious problem.

[Nigerian Expat Outlaw]

heli kiwi,

I truly sympathise. My grandson gave me a very small size childs' radio controlled helicopter (it's control range is 20 feet) for Xmas and with 10,000 helicopter hours, 8,500 of them single pilot, I can't even hover it. The reason (aka my excuse) is that the collective is oriented the wrong way; down is more power, up is less. probably designed by a malignant engineer/mechanic.........

I feel so much better; a problem shared is a problem halved, my Mum used to say.

Cheers,

NEO

[CelticRambler]

Originally Posted by heli kiwi

First off the throttle was the wrong way round, pushing it all the way forward makes the engine die. Had me tumbling around looking for the fuel pump switch. None fitted.

If it's like mine, pushing the throttle lever all the way forward engages the choke. Good for starting, not good for continuing!

But a starter motor would be even better for starting, and I don't seem to have one of those at the moment.

[rotorfan]

Originally Posted by heli kiwi

First off the throttle was the wrong way round, pushing it all the way forward makes the engine die.

Not nearly as bad as the heli throttle and my motorcycle throttle working opposite. Ask me how I know

[Fareastdriver]

Not nearly as bad as the heli throttle and my motorcycle throttle working opposite

Both are ergonomically correct. The helicopter throttle follows that natural hand movement when the left elbow is bent upwards. The motorcycle follows the hand and elbow as the rider crouches down to streamline oneself.

[rotorfan]

FED~

I won't disagree, but when I was first learning RW flying, the muscle memory for motorcycling was strong, and nothing about the heli seemed intuitive. What could go wrong?

[tottigol]

Don't know what kind of mower you use, but on my Craftsman if I push the throttle lever past military detent, the lawn gets burned.

[gator2]

Pedals in aircraft are counter-intuitive. If you are playing soccer and want to cut left, you push with your right foot. Riding a bike and standing on the pedals, turn left, weight goes on right foot. Skiing the Alps with Prince William, to turn left towards the bar you push with your right ski. Playing hockey turn left, push on right skate.


Get in a heli for first lesson, turn left push with left foot. WTF?


Give the bike some gas, roll the throttle towards you. Gas in a heli, roll it away. WTF?


Oh, I guess everything is just bassackwards in a heli. Nope. The pole and lever go the right way. Who designed this crap?

[ShyTorque]

My first landing ever was in the front seat of a Slingsby open topped glider at RAF Swanton Morley, some 45 years ago. It was also the first time I'd been allowed to touch the controls of any aircraft. The previous two flights had been with a staff cadet, for flight experience only. Due to a mis-communication, the gliding instructor (Ron Page, the CGI) thought I'd done effects of controls already and made me land it. I did OK, it was a reasonable landing as I recall, but as the airspeed reduced after touching down, the left wing dropped. The instructor shouted "Pick up the wing with rudder!" I tried to, but chose the wrong rudder pedal because I didn't know the sense was different to the handlebars of my bicycle. The wingtip hit hard and we partly ground looped. I got a rollocking until I pointed out that I'd never touched the controls before. He almost apologised.

[AnFI]

gator
control stability is considered
like a car steering wheel 10 to 2 etc

[Freewheel]

Originally Posted by heli kiwi

Not sure if this should be here or in the Biz Jets, Ag Flying, GA etc. forum.

Tried mowing the lawns today after letting the kids do it for the last few years.
First off the throttle was the wrong way round, pushing it all the way forward makes the engine die. Had me tumbling around looking for the fuel pump switch. None fitted.
Secondly I keep looking down to check the lightbar to line me up for the next run. Again none fitted.

Anyone else having trouble. Obviously too many years in the cockpit has got to me.

Brett

Britt,

You need to get yourself a proper mower. My Victa has the throttle go the correct way, even the height adjustment goes the correct way.

Basically you need to punch it off and get yourself a mower made in Australia.

[krypton_john]

Originally Posted by gator2

Pedals in aircraft are counter-intuitive. If you are playing soccer and want to cut left, you push with your right foot. Riding a bike and standing on the pedals, turn left, weight goes on right foot. Skiing the Alps with Prince William, to turn left towards the bar you push with your right ski. Playing hockey turn left, push on right skate.


Get in a heli for first lesson, turn left push with left foot. WTF?


Give the bike some gas, roll the throttle towards you. Gas in a heli, roll it away. WTF?


Oh, I guess everything is just bassackwards in a heli. Nope. The pole and lever go the right way. Who designed this crap?

Helicopters need to be same as fixed wing. Want to move the nose left? Left pedal. The brakes work the same way - top of left pedal actuates left brake to do a taxiway spot turn to the left.