Helicopter Solo

silver-eagle

silver-eagle

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~John
FINALLY... .6 without the dead weight in the left seat! Yippie!
 

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Cool !

Congratulations !

Hey, that helicopter still has training wheels :D
 
I've got about 1.6 hours rotocraft and can maintain a solid, stabilized hover for about .04 nanoseconds. Geez those things are skittish!

Congrats!
 
Welcome to the club! Someday I'll get a piston checkout. There's no challenge with turbines. :)
 
Cool!! Where it's three TO's and landings for ASEL, what's the routine for rotor?
 
Thanks all and I thought flying planes was fun.
I let the instructor out on the taxiway, did a midfield takeoff, around the pattern and back to the numbers, set down, pick up, and around again for three cycles. Back to the taxiway to pick him up and back to parking.
 
.7 in a 300CBi made me crazy for helicopters.

Unfortunately it's too expensive ($ and hours of free time) for what would be strictly a vanity rating for me.

Sooper dooper fun though, that is for damn sure.
 
Congratulations. :thumbsup: Until someone has a little slingwing time logged it is almost impossible to explain the feeling. Even with the lead sleds I flew the maneuverability and utility was the best feeling in the world.
 
LDJones said:
I've got about 1.6 hours rotocraft and can maintain a solid, stabilized hover for about .04 nanoseconds. Geez those things are skittish!

Congrats!
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Yup. I got a few minutes of dual in an R44 a few years ago. Raised my respect for rotary-wing guys quite a bit. Held it in a hover for about three minutes, but that was into a 10 or 15-knot wind, making it easier. I was sweating when I was done.

Dan
 
Dan Thomas said:
Yup. I got a few minutes of dual in an R44 a few years ago. Raised my respect for rotary-wing guys quite a bit. Held it in a hover for about three minutes, but that was into a 10 or 15-knot wind, making it easier. I was sweating when I was done.

Dan
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If, on your first attempt at hovering, you're able to keep it in the same county, you're doing pretty good!
 
bqmassey said:
If, on your first attempt at hovering, you're able to keep it in the same county, you're doing pretty good!
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:yeahthat:

Once you get a feel for how much "complementary input" to use on the controls to maintain position, hovering is one of the coolest things to do in the air. At some helicopter competitions I have attended the neatest trial is the hover course. Two lines are suspended from the helo with a 2 foot hunk of wooden 4x4 on the end. One line is three feet longer than the other and the trick is to keep the long line on the ground while maneuvering forwards, backwards and sideways through a cone course without letting the shorter line touch. What a hoot!!!
 
Helicopters are awesome. I had the opportunity to start my helicopter add on over ten years ago. Unfortunately the deal I had worked out fizzled shortly after my solo. Never have finished. Hopefully some time soon though.

Congratulations on the first solo.
 
This is going to be my gift to my CFI. An hour lesson in a helicopter. He has alway wanted to fly them, but can't justify the $450 an hour it costs.

Figure it will be something he will remember for the rest of his life, so it's worth it.
 
Mafoo said:
This is going to be my gift to my CFI. An hour lesson in a helicopter. He has alway wanted to fly them, but can't justify the $450 an hour it costs.

Figure it will be something he will remember for the rest of his life, so it's worth it.
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What was this in? $450 an hour is close R44 rates. Why not start with something smaller?
 
Satchmo10th said:
What was this in? $450 an hour is close R44 rates. Why not start with something smaller?
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It's in an enstrom. That's his cheapest option. The options are:

Enstrom
Enstrom 480 turbine
Bell 206 jet ranger
Bell long ranger
Bell 407

The others are far more expensive. We live in the middle of nowhere, so if you want to fly a helicopter, that's your only option. Didn't know it was high for what it is though. I think I will shop around. I am sure he won't mind driving an hour to the lesson :)
 
Mafoo said:
It's in an enstrom. That's his cheapest option. The options are:

Enstrom
Enstrom 480 turbine
Bell 206 jet ranger
Bell long ranger
Bell 407

The others are far more expensive. We live in the middle of nowhere, so if you want to fly a helicopter, that's your only option. Didn't know it was high for what it is though. I think I will shop around. I am sure he won't mind driving an hour to the lesson :)
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Get him the 407. It's faster, smoother, and looks better than all those other toys. :D
 
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Congratulations! I too wanted to be a helicopter pilot...did an intro flgiht in an R44 but then looked into the cost...went to fixed wing with the intention of getting the helicopter add on, but who knows if that will ever happen.
 
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