Learning to Fly Helicopters

[mts4602]

I've always heard that helicopters are harder to learn to fly than fixed wing. I assume that would be true since it seems you are doing a whole lot more in a helicopter and always making small corrections and such.

I was just wondering for those of you that fly helicopters, when you first started out, what was the hardest thing to learn or perform well?

For me, learning to fly a Cessna, it's landings. Which to me is obvious but maybe thats not the case for others. So if you could pick one or two things that you would say are the hardest things about learning to fly helicopters what would they be?

Matt

 

[Fly Navy]

always making small corrections and such.

This is universal of flying, no matter what aircraft.

 

[phrogpilot73]

Hovering.

 

[Tom]

I've heard that's pretty easy actually...that and auto-rotations...

 

[phrogpilot73]

I've heard that's pretty easy actually...that and auto-rotations...

It's easy AFTER you've mastered it. Hovering is when the helicopter is in its most unstable flight regime. It will just "click" when you figure it out, and everything else falls into place...

 

[mts4602]

This is universal of flying, no matter what aircraft.

True

I guess I was thinking about how you can trim out the airplane and it "kind of" flys itself, but then again you still have to make corrections.

 

[Fly Navy]

True

I guess I was thinking about how you can trim out the airplane and it "kind of" flys itself, but then again you still have to make corrections.

That's straight and level flying *yawn*

 

[zippy]

That's straight and level flying *yawn*

Get used to that thought tanker boy...

 

[Fly Navy]

Get used to that thought tanker boy...

Go get a box lunch, why don't you?

 

[mts4602]

That's straight and level flying *yawn*

So that's what it's called?

 

[zippy]

Go get a box lunch, why don't you?

Can't right now. Bar, happy hour. 'nough said.

 

[Fly Navy]

Can't right now. Bar, happy hour. 'nough said.

I didn't think 3Ps were allowed to drink, aren't you supposed to be doing your 5 hour preflight?

 

[rare21]

I've always heard that helicopters are harder to learn to fly than fixed wing. I assume that would be true since it seems you are doing a whole lot more in a helicopter and always making small corrections and such.

I was just wondering for those of you that fly helicopters, when you first started out, what was the hardest thing to learn or perform well?

For me, learning to fly a Cessna, it's landings. Which to me is obvious but maybe thats not the case for others. So if you could pick one or two things that you would say are the hardest things about learning to fly helicopters what would they be?

Matt

no matter how hard or easy it is...its the best fun you can have

 

[Gatordev]

This is universal of flying, no matter what aircraft.

Independent of tactics for a sec... Everything has it's advantages and disadvantages. Flying a generic helo is "hard," not just because of hovering, but also having to micro-manage the aircraft while also trying to keep whatever needle you're looking at centered. Like Phrog said, once you get it, it becomes easier.

Jets (like Tacair) are hard because the world moves by a lot faster while you're trying to keep the needle centered. Whether that needle is to a relatively simple approach or to the back of the boat is kind of irrelevant (albeit one is obviously harder than the other) Once you've mastered that, it's not as big a deal, as well.

Throw tactics in there (be it Tracom or Fleet), and either one, in it's own right, get's that much more complicated.

 

[gregsivers]

Hovering was the hardest thing for me too. In HTs my onwing had me hover up close to the trees at Santa Rosa, that helped get my drift under control REAL fast. Nothing like the thought of drifting into a tree on your second flight in a helo...

That being up to this point, I just found out landing a 60B on a frigate aint so easy either.