Helicopter lessons

[BlackC55]

I am 30 soon and would not mind having helicopter lessons for my birthday.

Anyone done it before?

How hard is it to work towards a licence?

 

[jonnyboy]

Close to 40 here wondering about lighgt plane private pilots licence, two worries though, first is the amount of crashes we hear of lately, second is I'm scared of flying


Can't help your question thought Olly, sorry

 

[PXW]

I am 30 soon and would not mind having helicopter lessons for my birthday.

Anyone done it before?

How hard is it to work towards a licence?

Aah, the folly of youth! Try this for some basic info - never done it myself, though I have had friends who have flown helicopters. I was a bit surprised that you don't have to progress via fixed wing.

All the best with the venture

 

[corned]

I can tell you that helicopters are as different to fixed wing as bikes are to cars.

There are a whole host of things which apply to rotary over and above everything which applies to fixed. The licence is different and requires many more hours. You will also need much deeper pockets for every aspect of rotary wing flying. If a small Cessna can be hired for £80/hour dry, you will probably be looking at something like £200/hour for a Robinson R22 or similar. Then there's the maintenance/service/insurance costs to account for, which are out of all proportion to fixed wing equivalents. It all adds up to making helos v.expensive toys to play with.

Now if you just fancy a couple of hours experience of flying a helo, then that is a different prospect altogether.

My only experience of actually flying a helo was over in FL - and a Bell 47 'Sioux' to boot. Brilliant!!!! The best fun I have ever had with my trousers on. You won't believe just how sensitive and responsive the controls are. I found it much more exhilarating than a Cessna, so the fun quotient is way higher - in my opinion. You pays your money and takes your choice.

If you want my opinion, you should take a day out and have a trip over to your local aerodrome and go and have a chat. I have done this in several places and always found the people to be exceedingly welcoming and happy to chat. I have never found anyone to be snobish in the slightest. On the contrary - they are like-minded people who like to have some fun. Talking with them will give you a much better idea of what you are thinking of getting into.

What you must do, is do something. I.e. don't prevaricate - get out and do the research and then get started. If you really do have 'the bug', then you will regret never doing anything in later life.

As soon as I have got my business up and running to a sustainable state, then I am doing exactly the same thing. See you up there!

 

[BlackC55]

Thanks for the advice.

I am planning for the future really because when PCS is 10 years old I will probably take a bit of a back seat and will want to enjoy more time off.

I always have to challenge myself or I get bored very easily. Karting is my next mission as well as running PCS full time.

I quite fancy flying for a living one day...... maybe.

 

[219]

I've had two lessons on a R22 - great fun ! Tried fixed wing a few years back when up with a frien who had his PPL - boring !

Have a trial lesson and judge for yourself .

Don't know if the site still exists Helicopter.com 'the site for vertical flight'

You can download the R22 flight manual if of interest .

 

[janner]

I did a trial flight last week in an R22 and thoroughly enjoyed it. You have to give it a go, even if it's just once. I won't take it up but it's another one of those things ticked off my 'things to do before I die list'.
Here's me squeezed (man, are they small!) into it.

 

[BlackC55]

That is cool.

I can't wait.

 

[jonathan]

It cost loads more to get your licence to fly a chopper than it does to fly a fixed wing. When i done my PPL (private pilots licence) it cost me about £4000 at the time and a chopper was about £12000, that was about 15 years ago so the price must have gone up since then. To sit your PPL you need to have 40 hours in the air and i think there was three written exams. To qualify you need to take off and land in three different airports having your papers stamped to say you were competent with your flying and the radio, all of this is done solo. Its easy to fly a plane, I was flying solo after 12 hours of ever getting into a plane the avarage is 16 hours. A chopper on the other hand is a hole different thing you need to tap your feet, rub your belly and do circles with your hand round your head all at the same time if you can do this you may have a chance. there's no time to rest. A fixed wing is so much more relaxing. Try this first and when you get your PPL you can progress to a chopper its a cheaper way of doing it. you can get to places so much quicker than you would in a car its nothing to fly off for the weekend. You only pay for the plane when its in the air and for landing / parking fees so its not to expensive great fun though go for it .

 

[gaz_l]

Hi Olly,

Mrs. Gaz got me a helicopter flying lesson a couple of years ago for my birthday, one of the most brilliant (and scary!) things I've ever done.

I did an hour in an R22, the instructor introduced the controls one at a time - stick, rudder, and collective - then built up to using all three at once. At the end of the hour, I managed to hold it in a hover some 30ft up which will live with me a long time as one of the most terrifying things I've ever done - as said, you wouldn't believe how sensitive the controls are and balancing all three at once is like patting your head whilst rubbing your stomach - and keeping half a dozen plates spinning at the same time. Sensory overload to the power of 10.

Of course, being a bloke, I arrived for the lesson thinking "it's got an internal combustion engine, I'll pick it up in no time" but after that hour I was physically and mentally exhausted - but exhilarated as well. However, the instructor told me that as I managed to hover it, I could fly one no problems - all I needed was practise. I'd love to give it a go, but it's a very expensive pastime so reluctantly I think I'll stick to getting my jollies at ground level.

I'd wholeheartedly recommend it Give it a go..

Cheers,

Gaz

 

[BlackC55]

Emma thinks I cant multi task.

I will show her god dammit by flying a chopper.

(The A-Team is in my head)

 

[jonathan]

Emma thinks I cant multi task.

I will show her god dammit by flying a chopper.

(The A-Team is in my head)

i ant getting on no plane you crazy fool !!!!!

 

[BTB 500]

it's a very expensive pastime so reluctantly I think I'll stick to getting my jollies at ground level.

As a lifelong aviation enthusiast and r/c model flyer I came to the same conclusion! If money (and time) was no object then it's something I'd do, but otherwise it's not top of the list of priorities!

Because I love flying itself (rather than wanting it as a means of transport) I think I'd go for a fixed-wing PPL(D) and get a 3-axis Microlight.

 

[The G.F.P]

for me it would stop at lesson 1

1 - dont get in a helicopter, ever

that was cheap and quick

 

[BTB 500]

I've been winched into a helicopter, which was fun

 

[ringway]

No matter how cold it gets, NEVER turn off the fan.

 

[Mactech]

I have been in quite a few (mostly with F1 racers at the helm) but only tried to fly one once.
I could either keep the thing going in the right direction or at the correct altitude......but ran out of talent if asked to do both!
It will tease your brain and empty your wallet....you have been warned

 

[corned]

This was my ride, although it was in USMC (MASH) colours when I was in it.

After the hour, he had me taxi back to the hangar - about half a mile. At 6 feet off the (concrete) taxiway. I was wrecked afterwards! Those controls are so sensitive. The collective was held by hand, but literally controlled between finger and thumb. No autothrottle on those things - you had to give a little twist as you pulled up, otherwise you risked stalling the engine!

Loved it.

 

[glojo]

You will love it.. Flying in a helicopter is amazing and I envy you.... Go for it

 

[stumpy1]

I know a great instructor if you want his number.