Blender - nicely said

Then there is the attitude difference:
In a helicopter, generally,
ATTITUDE=AIRSPEED
POWER=RATE OF DESCENT.

That is, for a given attitude, the airspeed will be fairly constant - choose a 60-knot attitude, and with enough time (attitude is instant, performance takes time) you will have 60 knots. Then, depending on where the power is, you will be in a 60-knot climb, or a 60-knot descent, or level at 60 knots.

In a plank, there is an infinite number of attitudes for an airspeed, and it is only the power setting that governs what you got. Point the nose at the ground, and control airspeed with power, speedbrakes, flaps or whatever.:ok:

Blender.

I wasn't challenging you to a p***ing contest. Honest. Go back and re-read my post. I repeat: "I get what you're trying to say".

I was contesting your implied view that airline flying consists of nothing more than "pushing buttons", requires little in the way of airmanship, hardly anything in the way of handling, and "very unexercised" decision making.

Interesting implication in that statement.

Tell that to the Lauda Air 767 pax and crew.

I must remember that.

Anyway, I'm off to push some buttons.

The issue is not so much fixed wing or rotor, military or civil, male or female, or even Navy or Army--left-handed people make better helicopter pilots than right handed people.

Bong! Wrong!
Only met 2 x cacky-handers trying to fly helos, both grossly under-talented and unco.
2 out of 2, but only a small sample.

Anybody else got better statistical representation than that?

But it seems that hellyklopper pilets are the wurst spelers on erth - another thread about wasting police time is a fine example.

So, if you are a dyslexic left-hander, stick with planks.:8

I reckon ambidextrous drummers with a leaning towards jazz have got a head start on any of us..........:8:p

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choppers Vs planes
 

Right then, first post on this website after months of confusion. Have spent countless hours doing research for plane training and have finally found a school that fits my needs BUT then the thought of helicopter training poisioned my mind and has left me back at square one with a load more stuff to find out.

Now, this isnt gonna be a 'what school is best' post but more of a 'what are the pro's and con's of each profession?' I realise that some of these are subjective questions of which the answers are neither right or wrong. here goes

Which is the more 'enjoyable' to fly?

It seems to me that Heli flying is more diverse and therefore more interesting than fixed wing flying. - Is this true, or at least a belief shared by many?

I know that finding jobs flying either can be tough but is one field easier to get employment in than the other? (this is assuming one has at least CPL, IR, fATPL in either and possibly some instructor experience. Furthermore, i'm a UK native with no desire to live here at all - which field has better opportunites for working oversees?

Which field provides the greater salaries? (this is, sadly, quite relavant to me as i would have to pay back a large loan).

Hope that these questions dont seem to stupid for all those far wiser than me out there. Would appriciate any comments back which, hopefully, will help me choose what to learn to fly.

Ciao

From a pilot's point of view-
Airplanes are easier to learn, but harder to fly- even though there's a lot of time that the airplane flies itself. You've got reconfiguring to do, and less real control when it counts. Crosswinds, for example. Overestimate the aircrafts ability, and by the time you're made aware of your mistake, you're in deep. If you're going someplace civilized, with a runway, go by plane. Autorotations are for thrill seekers.

Helos are harder to learn, and challenging to fly, and go places that can be really difficult. The helo never flies itself. It may diverge from trim slowly, but it will need corection in a few seconds. Autorotations are life insurance.

Airplanes are automobiles and helicopters are motorcycles, or tractors.

Hi,
Did you ask about Gyrocopters ?
If airplanes are automobiles and choppers tractors, gyros may be the mountain bikes.
the gyros perform what a chopper does excepted hover, but at a much lower price.
cheers

Hi there,

I fly both helicopters and airplanes, with years in the airplane first.

Either will provide you with all the challenge you can handle, depending on what route you follow. I flew many years in the Arctic in FW where daily work required landing on ever changing sandbars, beaches, unprepared mountain ridges, tundra, and flying in weather far below what is comforatable. This was not only challenging, but satisfying at the end of the day. This type of work requires solid decision making, excellent "hands and feet," and a certain distain for arbatrary rules. Make no mistake, this work is as far from normal FW flying as helicopters are. Regular pavement to pavement IFR type stuff requires an ability to mulit-task, follow rules, and understand complex a/c systems. This also is challenge, but a very different one.

Helicopter flying is much like the "bush work" described above, and will challenge you every day. There is a huge variety of work to be done in heicopters that can often make every day different. There is also the IFR route in rotary, offering the same type of work as in FW - just alot slower!

As for getting work, here in Canada, either is very difficult and the prospect for decent pay is a few years away. If you say "no problem," then flying could be for you. If you want a decent paycheck right away, I might suggest something else.

Good luck, sorry for the ramble, it's early morning here.

AR

"Any place that truly NEEDS helicopters is not worth visiting."

"Any place that truly NEEDS helicopters is not worth visiting."

Aww.. come on Nick:)

Maybe some truth to this, however depends on the individual.
I work in Greenland, a truly awesome land which most surely would not survive without helicopter transport.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1.../AirAlpha2.jpg

http://www.scanair.no/images/OY-HIA-airalphaGL.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...222iceberg.jpg

http://iserit.greennet.gl/alfis/oyhia-3.JPG

http://iserit.greennet.gl/waltere/

http://www.airgreenland.gl/viewPage.php?id=168

http://www.airalpha.com/

What was that you said Nick!!

How does one beat scenery like that eh???

You lucky man Aesir.

airline capt and heli ATPL.

I LOVE having coffee brought to me on demand and the flying is very challenging to do it right. The pay is good as are the prospects if you're in the right airline as far as security goes. However I started out on helicopters and I really miss the buzz. so much so I am going to renew my ATPL and do a bit of freelance in the summers to keep my hand in.

my advice. Planks are far more civilised and you'll probably get a better standard of living. Heli's are more fun, more exciting, worse paid and less secure employment wise.

if you have a family go for an airline. if you don't, you're young and looking for adventure go to the heli's.

if you're qualified professionally and making good money outside aviation then hang in there and buy a stearman and an R22 and have some fun.

best of luck
FS:ok:

career: rotary or fixed wing?
 

hey!

im 21 years old, i have my ppl (A) with 125hrs, im doing a degree in aviation mangement and working at london city airport in ground services and it is my ambition to become a commercial pilot. i intend do the theory in the summer of 2006 and to self finance my training probably using a bank loan to train intensively for my CPL in the states in 2006/2007.

however i am unsure as to whether i should aim for my fixed wing or rotary commercial licence! ...as i understand it rotary is much more exciting and varied both flying and work but training cost is greater and salaries are less in comparison to fixed wing.

how does the industry compare for rotary and fixed wing? - are my assumptions true and which has the greatest level of employment? any advice plz!!!

ps. im putting this down to a trial lesson i had for my 21st birthday in an r22 at egsh and having recently finished reading chickenhawk! :)

Ueful links here

"im doing a degree in aviation mangement"
At a university? :confused:

Can't decide whether to go fixed wing or rotary? Why not let the Queen decide for you. Try here.

Regards,

Jucky

Fixed to fling
 

I am seeking a little industry advice...
Currently an Australian CPL(Aeroplane) holder, I am in the process of gaining a helicopter CPL and am wondering what the prospects would be of obtaining work with only 60 - 70 hours rotary (the minimum req for conversion)? Can anyone give me an idea as to what sort of hours operators look for? I have around 2500 hours fixed wing, will this account for anything..?

Thanks in advance,

RD

I did much the same. I had nearly 3,000 hours fixed wing before I went rotary. I obtained the commercial with 50 hours but really did not expect a job of any kind. I owned a helicopter so built up 200 hours fairly quickly and took the flight instructor rating to find I was uninsurable as a flight instructor! I could fly photographers, rides, sightseeing etc until I had 250 in a helo. I bought a helicopter school so that was my job sorted out.

The instructors I employ seem to need the golden 1,000 hours in helicopters before they get a sniff of a job. It does not seem to matter how much fixed wing time they have, if you want to fly helicopters you need rotary time.

I don't think there is any short cut. You need to build up helicopter time and the traditional route is through instructing. It is not a bad job in itself, you will learn a lot and get to fly different types of machine and you actually get paid as well!

Good luck,

Chopperpilot47

Rubber Dog,

Afriend of mine had about 1500hrs plank time and did his helo conversion.

he went up north to one of the larger mustering crowds and got a job flying planks in the meantime buttering up management that eventually he would like to get into helo's.

he ended up doing the odd ferry etc for a while and they put him through his mustering ticket now he's on helo's full time up there. so it can happen if you try hard enough!