Young pilots
 

I am currently learning to fly in an R22 and meet my instructor at the airfield where he flies in. He sometimes flies in with his ten year old son who clearly is flying the helicopter, hovering landing etc. I asked if he can fly and he said its amazing kids are far superior to any adults hes taught. The child has over 100 hours flight time but he says no time can be booked until fourteen years of age. He also has pedal extensions because his legs aren't long enough

Are then any other chopper kids out there

Re: Young pilots
 

i know of a 11 year old that can start, hover, and fly a gazelle and a md 600

he has problems with nav though

Re: Young pilots
 

I have met many Pilots who fly like 10 year olds........Some are no longer with us..

Re: Young pilots
 

I am currently teaching a 15yr old, who is definately picking it up as fast or faster then any other student I have had. (Just a note my student is paying for the training by working after school and weekends, talk about dedication) I also teach students in their 60's and while they are perfectly capable it is a longer road to the end. It seems like the older you get the longer it takes to train your muscles to new tasks. :E

Re: Young pilots
 

My son starting flying fixed wing with me at 7 with big cushions to sit on. By 11 he could take off, fly all the en route, handle the nav, join the circuit, land, handle PFLs, in fact do everything except the RT because he didn't like to try it. In the early days he used to use the AH as he could not see out over the panel. Unfortunately at 33 he now has no interest.

I started rotary at 56 and it did take me a while to burn in the hovering synaptic pathways.

Re: Young pilots
 

helichick,

is he taller than you?

Re: Young pilots
 

Hey Flap,

Actually he's just barely taller and together we weigh less then 265lbs so lots of power available...

Re: Young pilots
 

At age fourteen my son found the connection between his backside and eyes and after appro 15 min was able to hover he R22 dead still into wind, at age 18 he took cotrol of friends Gazelle whilst out on a birthday treat and flew like he had always been in them, Like his mother he has a varied idea about directions and navigation but I think he will get there!

Peter R-B:ok:

Re: Young pilots
 

jc1234,

Not being flippant (honest !!), but do adults with kids minds count ? I know a lot of them...........

An old sweat once told me, "There are old helicopter pilots and there are bold helicopter pilots, but there are very few old, bold helicopter pilots".

Cheers,

NEO:ok:

Re: Young pilots
 

OTOH............

I had a sixteen year old for a trial lesson. During the briefing, I emphasised looking outside, as one does. As soon as we got into the helicopter he stared at the instrument panel, and asked me which ones he should be looking at. I told him again to keep looking outside. When I gave him control he was all over the place, and it turned out that he thought looking at the horizon meant looking at the AI. :hmm: I started again with words of one syllable, like "the world out there", but it still didn't help; no matter what I did he was fixated on the instrument panel.

Too many computer games perhaps?

Or just plain stupid?

Anyway, proof that just being young doesn't make you a natural helicopter pilot.

Re: Young pilots
 

Sounds like an IFR pilot in the making:)

Re: Young pilots
 

My 12 year old son can't stay awake for long enough! I guarantee within 5 minutes of setting off in my JR, he's off catching flies:confused: .

Has shown absolutely no interest in flying it. When they start young, I think they consider it no big deal.

Re: Young pilots
 

"Dad, when I grow up I want to be a helicopter pilot".

"Don't be stupid son, you know you can't do both"

Re: Young pilots
 

What does a helicopter pilot say halfway through a first date?

"Well, that's enough about me, let's talk about helicopters"

:p