R22 lessons

stan i have about 150 hrs now in the r22 and youll love the autorotations. that is after you get over the feeling that the carpet just got yanked out from under you and you leave your stomach a few hundred feet up then get totally focused on the rotor tach cuz you dont want an overspeed wich can happen very very quickly then oh yea uh look outside.. then back inside, oh fix airspeed but then as you do the rotor speed needs fixing so adjust collective, oh now we are about 40 feet agl start flare ok more flare, uh crack throttle uh level ship just above ground dont give too much throttle or engine could overspeed uh ok its all over and your in a hover.. then you think what just happened.. hehe.... it all happens so so so fast at first.. lots going on, but youll get them after a while.. oh and the one problem i have is to remember to breath.. hehe..
 
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stan here is a link to youtube it has a really good 180 auto with words flashing accross the screen to show everything that is going on.. of course they dont mention to go back up and get your stomach..;)

if the link doesnt work here is what its called.. it comes up on the r22 autorotation search in youtube.

180 degree autorotation with commentry
 
One thing I failed to mention was while my instructor was taking off ...I was paying close attention to the pedals. Obviously I was expecting lots of left pedal on take off and sure enough...there was. I was watching the pedals as we went through translational lift and you could see the need for less left pedal....and then neutral as we accelerated and climbed out.


Simple stuff but I while I was not on the controls...I could observe this stuff!

One of the biggest thing I learned after my first lesson was that I didnt even have to think about adding left pedal as collective was added...or right pedal as collective was reduced. I just simple moved my number 13's as needed to keep the nose pointed where I wanted it to. A no brainer! and I was expecting to have to "think" all this stuff through.

I understand how when you go through translational lift that the collective is lowered.....and right pedal is needed. I have not performed these manuevers yet...but I am sure I will just do it....and not think it! However, it is nice to know all the aerodynamics that are going on with a powered rotor....even though your feet and hands could care less....they are just going to do what is necessary to fly the mission.


Geessshhhh .........this stuff may be second hand to the helicopter veterans....and someday I will be one....but for now this stuff gets my heart pumping thinking about it. I have always loved the pursuit of rotorcraft, but right now I am freakin wound about it. I am LOVING this.....:D


Stan
 
Hi Stan

QUOTE:
"I understand how when you go through translational lift that the collective is lowered.....and right pedal is needed. I have not performed these manuevers yet...but I am sure I will just do it....and not think it! However, it is nice to know all the aerodynamics that are going on with a powered rotor....even though your feet and hands could care less....they are just going to do what is necessary to fly the mission."

On takeoff in an R22 the need for less left pedal just after going through translational lift is due to the tail rotor getting more efficient,just like the main rotor. You should maintain the hover power (manifold pressure) setting throughout your transition from hover to climbout.

You will find , in a normal takeoff, that when in your takeoff run the manifod press drops about an inch when you get to about 40 kts on your takeoff and raise the nose slightly to the 60Kt attitude to climb out. this is caused by the governor sensing a slight RRPM increase when you raise the nose, the Gov reduces the throttle and you end up climbing out at a lower rate.
Make a mental note on the MP the next time you are hovering just before you transition and partway up your climbout have a look in and adjust the collective.

Dont get hung up on hovering, that will "Click" with you.

Never take your hand off the collective in the hover, and only for short periods to change freq etc in the cruise,

Always think about applying Carb heat when you think about lowering the collective

try to fly on the minimum power setting you can get away with

Always fly the tail! ALWAYS get into the habit of clearing the area you are putting the tail into when you are doing hover turns, even in a big field with no obstacles. the Day you need to do it, you will.

Have a ball!
Paddy
 
Stan,

You've done so well and your enthusiasm, coupled with the good vibes of this thread, has just got me to thinkin' about getting an hour or so of dual in a heli, if nothing other than to see what I have lost. Quite a bit, I'm sure.

I started with the gyro, went to helis, which cost many "pesos" over a period of a year or so, and then back to the gyro. I liked both but we all must face the reality that one can fly many gyro hours on the cost of one helo hour; back then and even more so now. :twitch:

I wish you luck and success in your new endeavor. ;)


Cheers :)
 
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I just realized it was March, Stan, and I wondered if you were going to come up to visit again! Time flew since your last flight. :)

Angie
 
Angie: I am going to start taking lessons in April. I will be taking lessons both at your place and at Kankakee which is much closer. I am going to play it by ear, and I think it will be to my advantage to learn from more than one instructor. I would like to make more Chapter 18 meetings when they are at the airport and take a lesson on that day.

I am in no big hurry with the lessons..but when I start..I want to keep taking them steadily. Lansing is a long ways and since I dont have a SparrowHawk to fly up there ....the bulk will probably be at KKK.

See you...

Stan

It's a wonder the KKK hasn't been visited by the....:party:

REAL Boy's With the HOODS.. Cross Burnin and all..
 
Ok, I have savored that first R22 flight for 2 1/2 months now. I am starting my official lessons today. Its not a nice day, but who cares? I will be inside!

I will be hitting it steady..by that I mean hopefully one lesson a week...at most every two weeks.

I have to have 20 hours minimum to solo the R22. My first instructor commented after the one hour I had with him on my initial flight that he thought I would have no problem. Well....time will tell and we shall see! If I go at it half way....I wont achieve that goal...I must be committed.

Angie...I had commented that I would be taking instruction at Kankakee also...and the much closer driving distance to this airport will allow me much to slip away easier for a more accelerated training program. I would like to still obtain lessons at Lansing when I am physically up there ...say for a Chapter 18 meeting that the distance makes it hard for me to attend.

Again: I am a newbie at this and KNOW I have a LOT to learn...and to learn it RIGHT! I will post my blunders....my successes...and if it takes 40 hours to solo....well...that will be posted also...but my warchest will be depleted by then!

I will post pictures from todays adventure.

Stan
 
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enjoy Stan, I'm sure transitioning to heli will not be a problem for you. I'll try to convince the rest of the club to have the rest of the sumer meetings at Lansing. That will give you a good reason to visit during your training.
 
Stan I am sure you will enjoy training in the R22 as it is a very fun and responsive machine. I liked it better than the Jetranger. No I am not a helicopter pilot only enough time to be dangerous.

On the warchest side of it, may I suggest a company called Pilot Flight Training Financing. http://www.pilotfinance.com/pages/539359/index.htm

The thing I like about this company is it allows you to set up, we will call it a trust fund. You determine how much you wish to borrow and how many times per week you wish to train. These two items will determine how much your monthly payments will be. For instance, if you borrow $5,000 and fly twice per week your monthly payment may be only $108.00 per month on a seventy two month loan. You can payoff the note sooner if desired.

The one thing I like about this program compared to others out there, is no one gets the money up front. When you fly the FBO will use a special invoice that the student and the instructor must both sign documenting the flight for payment. The flight school faxes the invoice and receives a check in about five days. There is no cost to the FBO for setting up and using this program nor do they receive a kick back. There only payment is a student that complete the training without worrying over finances. The down side is if you do not fly you must still make your monthly payment.

When you finish the training any money left over could go back towards early payment of the loan or flown out. Make sure you do not mark the box where the FBO receives any of the left over money as a bonus for early completion.

The only thing I do not like about this program is they will not at this time loan for the Sport Pilot Certificate. They feel it is not a large enough dollar value for them work with at this time.
 
You shouldn't have any trouble soloing the R22 in 20 hours given your background, have fun!
 
Had a good but intensive training session today. It was cold, windy and rainy....but that didnt hinder us one bit. Couldnt even tell the wind except for drift. I took these pictures odviously while my instructor was flying and was taxiing and departing the pattern.

He gave me the controls for some staight and level flight....and I was busy getting used to thinking with one brain trying to control two feet, two hands, and I needed two sets of eyes. I was politely but stearnly asked to maintain 1200 feet...70 m.p.h. I would do ok for awhile...then either my airspeed or my altitude, or both would drift out of his acceptable range and I would have to correct...all the time trying to answer questions like how do I speed up...and I would answer, then he would ask immediately which way the collective should go. Well...this is easy sitting across the table at a coffee shop..but when I am on information overload.....my brain was like my dial up...the answer would come out,,but a few seconds later. On the ground he was asking all kinds of questions about translational lift...transverse flow...translating tendency and I was giving myself an A- for answering but while flying....forget it ...I just wanted to pull his mike cord!

We came down to hover and he gave me one control at a time.....I wasnt doing too bad...but after having all three controls for awhile...I would just ask to have him fly it for 30 seconds so I could reboot my brain. I was enjoying this immensely as the challenge is a reward in itself.

I learned today that while hovering....any amount of control input has to be reacted to with an equal and opposite amount of inputs to cancel out the first. In other words....if I needed a gentle back cyclic and gave it a gentle touch....all I needed was an equal an opposite touch to check the movement. Likewise....if I ham fisted an input...you can bet tnat I needed an equally strong and opposite ham fisted response!

Also....the slower my reaction to checking an unwanted movement...the harder the input was needed to check it....and likewise another opposite and equal response to check that movement.

We each have our little quirks...and mine is getting used to that tilt bar. I KNOW that tilting it doesnt do anything...but try telling that to my overtaxed brain when I am on overload. I was occasionally catching myself giving it slight steering wheel type inputs....but would immediately know it doesnt work that way....and I finally got those reactions erased from my data bank.

I also found the sweet spot to keep my forearm on my leg so as just my wrist and fingers were doing the very subtle inputs needed. This was much easier than hanging my arm from my shoulder and doing all that unneccessary work by carrying my arm.

I settled in and was comfortable hovering....it was by the way a gusty day and that part had to add a little to the movements.

Anyway....I said I would post all.....some of you helicopter pilots are probably laughing...and that is my intent....I want to come back to this whole thread some day when I have my helicopter rating and laugh right along with you all. I knew it would be a challenge and I am freakin loving it.

Oh...the autorotations that my instructor did for me were freakin awesome. I really cant say the bottom dropped out...it just reminded me of chopping power in my SparrowHawk and the view was the same to me.....its just the fact that you level off at the bottom at 0 mph...then have that collective to lower you down softly. I am freakin hooked for life. :peace:

Stan
 

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This is my instructor demonstrating a straight in autorotation. The first picture shows the needles still married together...the second shows the needles split. I am more impressed than ever what these things can do. I can see me landing all over on our family farms doing fast stops...and landing.
 

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Here he is demonstrating a 180 degree autorotation. Again...the first picture is before the power was cut...and the needles are still married....the rest shows the needles split.


I couldnt be any more enthused about this latest challenge in my life....even though I came back more tired than expected and not quite in control like I thought. But I said I have a lot to learn...


My instructor suggested 2 lessons a week would be in my best interest...and thats what I will try to do.

This will not hurt my stairbusiness as this is nothing but one big CATALYST that has me oozing with extra energy that I will apply to my stairways. I know how I am wired....and both my stairs and my hobby of flying will advance.

Stay tuned to more good, bad and indifferent reports.

Stan
 

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Ol Robby needs a gentle touch....she talks back to you....kind of slaps you around at first...then you soon start to get in resonance with her nuances...and she starts responding. Man...I better get off here....:tape:
... I have tasted the fruit and it has spoiled me. I actually am more mellowed out on my delayed Helicycle shipment as I want to savor the build....try to do it right....savor my R22 training....and then experience what all the other Helicycle pilots are telling me. "I will freakin love that machine"!

I know this process is going slow....but it feels so fast right now. I dont want it to end.....

Stan

If you think it's good now - wait until you solo!

You'll relish the idea of sitting there, three to five feet of the deck, floating on your own cushion of air as you hone your groundwork skills.

Then when you get signed off for out of area ... WOW!

tyc
 
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