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If you plan to fly helicopters for a career, then you will eventually need an instrument rating, even if the job is VFR only. It's probably a good idea to get it now if you have the time and money. That way when the job comes up that requires an instrument rating, you'll be ready to jump on it.

Winds 170/5.

Coincidentally I just returned from a flight in the very area I am talking about. WX at KBFL, the nearest weather reporting station, was 10SM SCT45 BKN70. We just entered the Kern River Valley and vis was 3SM in rain and clouds at 3000MSL, so probably BKN22 or so. We got turned around for other...

Are there any provisions for requesting a weather reporting station be installed? As I understand it, an ASOS system is operated by the NWS or FAA. Who would I contact or where would I go to make a request? What are the criteria for installing a weather station? The particular location I am...

Most helicopter missions wouldn't benefit from an autopilot much. I find a force trim system much more useful. In a helicopter, if you let go of the controls, the cyclic will flop over and put the helicopter in an unusual attitude almost immediately. A force trim holds the cyclic in the position...

I actually enjoy landing airplanes with a little less L/D / higher wing loading. The Sonex is a good example. If you slow to 70 knots and cut the power turning base, you'll end up short. My preferred method is holding 100MPH in a descending turn, bleeding airspeed short final, and just a touch...

There must be a lot of aviation lawyers on this forum looking for business. Suggesting this guy spend a few hundred dollars to talk to a lawyer about a BS low flying call in is a little extreme. Tell the investigator the truth and spend 5 minutes on the phone and $0.

Pilots that don't really speak English and no possible reprimand for disobeying controllers really adds to the fun.

Kandahar or Bagram airfield have to be top 10. It is astonishing that there isn't a midair per day there.

It's actually 1/10th of that :)

The roll rate is absolutely ridiculous. Good video.

That plane looks very similar to one I saw at the Crossville, TN Sonex fly in this year, also for sale. Is the previous owner an AF Helicopter pilot who flew it from the right seat?

Sounds like fun. What engine is in it? The fun per dollar with a Sonex is pretty tough to beat. I just started on my Corvair motor and will be getting a second hand unstarted Sonex Taildragger kit in December.

I'm still amazed these things don't hit the tail. My wife threw a peach out the window of a C-152 once and it came within a 1/2 inch of the tail. She got a little scared that she came 1/2 inch from causing us to spiral out of control and crash. Obviously this wouldn't happen, but in the moment...

Jeff, you are correct. MOAs are to separate IFR traffic from military traffic. No requirements VFR. Restricted areas cannot be entered when hot unless given permission by the controlling agency. I can usually get through R-5311 above 4,000 as an example. Ron confused you because we were in fact...

I don't think any viper model cobras are in operational units yet. They are still fighting with Ws.

The Viper project is a gigantic waste of money. I think they are coming out close to $30 million each. About the same as an Apache. They just won't let an old dog die. There is a reason the army went to AH-64s and UH-60s. They are simply better, more technologically advanced aircraft. Hueys and...

The HIND is very analog and very Russian. Accuracy is not one of its strong suits. It lacks good sensors. It is robust like all Russian equipment, but not refined. It's fast, but it can barely hover. How is that useful? The ones I saw required a runway. They could not takeoff and land at the...

The EAA put on a decent webinar about this a couple months ago. http://www.eaavideo.org/video.aspx?v=3682661115001

The Hind is absolute Russian garbage. I've seen them, sat in them, fought on the battlefield with them. I wouldn't fly one. Again, one of those helicopters everyone likes for nostalgic purposes, but in reality it is old, tired technology. Without going in to too much detail, even in flat open...