First Helo Lesson

Gerhardt said:
Just for fun, read up on insurance for Robbies. It's incredibly expensive through most insurers. And the one who insures the most, Pathfinder, has some incredible clauses in their policies.
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Pathfinder is not the only choice.
These guys are great, from personal experience.
 
jaybee said:
No, that is the letter of the law.



I'm a licensed A&P that has been to Robinson's Maintenance course and have been doing Robinson maintenance for a little while now...



Where did I say to not follow the maintenance manual? In fact, what I said was to to follow the maintenance manual. The blades are the only calendar limited items. Where did I ever say to not replace timed-out items, not do preventative maintenance, or annual inspections. Oh, that's right I didn't.

Since you are not able to admit that you were not correct on the legal way to comply with a 12 year inspection you resort to ridicule and conjecture ? How sad... and pathetic.
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A little problem in reading comprehension huh? :rolleyes2:

Ok, we were trying to have a meaningful conversation on helicopters, but now the vitriol is spewing. :nonod:

Ya'll have fun and figure it out yourselves.
 
RotorAndWing said:
Ok, we were trying to have a meaningful conversation on helicopters, but now the vitriol is spewing. :nonod:

Ya'll have fun and figure it out yourselves.
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From what I have been able to find out he is dead on. R-22's flown under Part 91 don't need the 12 year inspection. All 4 blades need to be replaced on a "calendar schedule", but not most the rest. Certainly, operating times apply, and those cannot be changed or waived, but the time thing does not apply. You certainly can if you want, just not needed.

I am certainly no expert on helo maintenance, but this subject always seems to **** people off. It makes no sense to me to time something out that hasn't been used.
 
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Geico266 said:
It makes no sense to me to time something out that hasn't been used.
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corrosion is that way...and corrosion in cyclically highly stressed components is a really bad thing (TM).
 
Geico266 said:
Of course! Everything you said is true, but it makes zero sense in my example to sell "calendar timed out" parts (that you cannot use on the helo A) to helo B and now suddenly, magically, those parts can be used again. :rolleyes:
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This is where paperwork makes the difference between airworthy and scrap.

Its also where a few shady players forge documents to make $.

It's not really different than life limited parts on airplanes.
 
Clark1961 said:
corrosion is that way...and corrosion in cyclically highly stressed components is a really bad thing (TM).
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I just pulled apart a bunch of stuff on a 2010 car. While in my opinion it was in decent shape for a car, there is no way fasteners (lightly corroded) and parts like that would ever get re-used on an aircraft.

Corrosion is the biggest maintenance expense in all of aviation (IMHO)
 
The blades from what I am told are timed out in 12 years, if privately owned that is what the 12 year is, blade replacement. I do not work at a Robinson Center, the ship I work for does contract for a center. We do work on others that are privately owned.

We just had to replace blades on a 300hr old 44 due to hangar rash. We could not get new blades until we turned in the old ones, that is how they keep old blades from showing up later.
 
Luvrv8 said:
The blades from what I am told are timed out in 12 years, if privately owned that is what the 12 year is, blade replacement. I do not work at a Robinson Center, the ship I work for does contract for a center. We do work on others that are privately owned.

We just had to replace blades on a 300hr old 44 due to hangar rash. We could not get new blades until we turned in the old ones, that is how they keep old blades from showing up later.
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Lots of old blades on the market. :dunno:
 
Can't answer why, I know every time we get new blades for the overhauls and the hangar rash deal we had to give our old ones first. On a couple overhauls we were able to cut off the spindles and return them.
 
Code:
2.3 hours and I was able to take off, stay in the pattern, make the approach, bring it to a 3' hover, land, and take off again unassisted 4 out of 8 times by myself! I love flying helos!


:heli:


:cheers:
 
Geico266 said:
2.3 hours and I was able to take off, stay in the pattern, make the approach, bring it to a 3' hover, land, and take off again unassisted 4 out of 8 times by myself! I love flying helos!


:heli:


:cheers:
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That's good. Next lesson I want to hear you did an auto to the ground.:D
 
I had a real mental challenge getting over the need to make big inputs close to the ground. Some fixed wing experience helps, other hinder. ;)

Rudder input is fair/good, collective was good, but cyclic movement needs work. Not out of control, just need small smooth inputs consistently.

Was a good flight lesson today! I would call it a break though. :happydance:
 
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Geico266 said:
I had a real mental challenge getting over the need to make big inputs close to the ground. Rudder input is fair/good, collective was good, but cyclic movement needs work. Not out of control, just need small smooth inputs consistently.

Was a good flight lesson today!
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What was the wind conditions?
 
Rotarywing said:
What was the wind conditions?
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15 knots. I know, that is cheating. :redface: :lol:

Hey! I'm only 2 hours in! :dunno:

It was really a good lesson because I could feel the transition in and out of translational lift really well. A couple of my hovers were way too high, but the wind helped me recognize that and move forward and lower to a better hover height. I might not be saying that right, but you helo pro guys know what I mean. I could really "feel" it today. The Huges 269a was really talking to me today.
 
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Geico,

You haven't lost interest yet? Cool. When do you get to do some smoke trails and that famous overhead break I always hear about?

:D

David
 
Although they discontinued the practice soon after they started in the mid 80's.. We were doing 200 ft. hovering autos to the ground with full face first generation NVG's for the Scout Track guys...its really the only time I thought I would die in a helicopter at my own hands...everything else was easy compared...Keep it up I still jump at every chance to get in a helicopter.
 
A helo license is very high on my wish list. Then, I want either a Mosquito XET or Helicycle single seat turbine helicopter :D :

S5032395.jpg


Helicycle start, take off and landing. Love the turbine sound: http://youtu.be/ck45IAsNGbM

Despite of the strong sentiment against experimental helicopters here in this forum, the reputation of these two is excellent. Especially the Helicycle is a piece of art. Other than Rotorways, which are often sold with very few hours and for a ridiculously low price, because of their maintenance issues, the turbine versions of the Mosquito and the Helicycle also hold their value very well.

I am not sure about the Helicycle, the Mosquito XET can however also be bought as a factory built, starting at around $60,000. Not too bad, in my opinion, for a well proven turbine helicopter...
 
German guy said:
A helo license is very high on my wish list. Then, I want either a Mosquito XET or Helicycle single seat turbine helicopter :D :

S5032395.jpg


Helicycle start, take off and landing. Love the turbine sound: http://youtu.be/ck45IAsNGbM

Despite of the strong sentiment against experimental helicopters here in this forum, the reputation of these two is excellent. Especially the Helicycle is a piece of art. Other than Rotorways, which are often sold with very few hours and for a ridiculously low price, because of their maintenance issues, the turbine versions of the Mosquito and the Helicycle also hold their value very well.

I am not sure about the Helicycle, the Mosquito XET can however also be bought as a factory built, starting at around $60,000. Not too bad, in my opinion, for a well proven turbine helicopter...
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Pre-owned Helicycles tend to show up on the market periodically. One big issue for them is that the (turbine) engine is very hard to obtain (and they are long out of production).
 
RotorDude said:
Pre-owned Helicycles tend to show up on the market periodically. One big issue for them is that the (turbine) engine is very hard to obtain (and they are long out of production).
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Yes, they are occasionally offered. Prices for Helicycles as well as for Mosquito XETs are typically in the range of $45,000 to $70,000. The Helicycle kit starts, including turbine, at just above $40,000.

The Solar turbine, which comes with the Helicycle, is refurbished to factory-specs. As far as I know, the turbine has been produced in large volumes for APU's, so that spare parts are widely available.

I heard that in order to build a Mosquito XET, the builder has to find a turbine himself. Not sure if this is true, though. :dunno:
 
Latest lesson today was 8 out of 8 take offs, approach to hover, landing, take off completed by myself. Not solo, but with the CFI sitting next to me. Felt really good into and out of translational lift. Really Fe?t like I knew what I was doing andI could handle the ship by myself. 2.8 hours total.

We also started turns in a hover. Winds were 310 @ 15 knots gusts to 20 knots, but declining rapidly. Was 12 knots steady at the end of the lesson.

A great day, and a great flying lessons.
 
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Flew about 2 hours in an r22 last week and got about an hour of stick time. Wish they were not $250/hr

I have read a lot about helicopter flying but never tried it (save for RC). We did some maneuvering and the instructor demonstrated a few 180 autorotations.

Don't have the spare $$ to pursue the rating at the moment but I really enjoyed it. White knuckle at first. But after you get a feel for how they handle, and what an autorotation looks like that goes away.
 
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I am fortunate to get involved in helis is about 10 years ago. They are the most fun to fly.
I picked up a helicycle last year and have put on about 70 hours on it. It is time to sell. It is in the pick on the left. It is a great example with all the latest upgrades. Nothing to do but fly.
 
Nice toy collection! :yes:

turboeddie said:
P1010028.jpg


I am fortunate to get involved in helis is about 10 years ago. They are the most fun to fly.
I picked up a helicycle last year and have put on about 70 hours on it. It is time to sell. It is in the pick on the left. It is a great example with all the latest upgrades. Nothing to do but fly.
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I got my helicopter training for free, it only cost 6 years of my life.

Ron%201967_zps1wvnoocx.jpg
 
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