Re: Flew with a Robinson factory pilot today..

[Don W]

Hi Kevin,

You didn't say, but I'm assuming that you were
flying a R22, and not the R44. I've only done
about 3 autos in the R22, but what you are saying
makes sense to me, and was also the way I was
taught. As long as you don't let the rotor RPM
get into the red, you are fine, and the additional
rotational momentum will be a good thing when you
go to set it down.

OTOH, I personally would tend to keep the rotor on
the high end and avoid getting even close to the
90% because of the possibility of a blade stall,
and the unrecoverable fatal consequences.

The OTHER Kevin in San Diego wrote:
>
> I've always argued that once you're stabilized in the auto at 60-65
> knots and get the rpm in the green, you don't have to do JACK with the
> collective for most maneuvers on the way down as long as you don't
> exceed 110% (max power off RPM in the R22) or go below 90% RPM. I've
> argued that in the flare, your RPM goes well above 102% so why not let
> it get into the upper yellow arc on the way down? Once you're back to
> your 60-65 knots, the RPM will drop right back into the green..
>

[Stuart & Kathryn Fields]

Kevin: Are you still planning on going to the Central Sierra Helicopter
Fly-In? Would love to meet you and talk about some of the things you
learned as well as maybe talk you into an article about some of your
experiences.

--
Stuart Fields
Experimental Helo magazine
P. O. Box 1585
Inyokern, CA 93527
(760) 377-4478
(760) 408-9747 general and layout cell
(760) 608-1299 technical and advertising cell

www.vkss.com
www.experimentalhelo.com


"The OTHER Kevin in San Diego" <skiddz "AT" adelphia "DOT" net> wrote in
message ...
> On Thu, 27 Apr 2006 17:59:27 GMT, Don W
> > wrote:
>
> >Hi Kevin,
> >
> >You didn't say, but I'm assuming that you were
> >flying a R22, and not the R44. I've only done
> >about 3 autos in the R22, but what you are saying
> >makes sense to me, and was also the way I was
> >taught. As long as you don't let the rotor RPM
> >get into the red, you are fine, and the additional
> >rotational momentum will be a good thing when you
> >go to set it down.
> >
> >OTOH, I personally would tend to keep the rotor on
> >the high end and avoid getting even close to the
> >90% because of the possibility of a blade stall,
> >and the unrecoverable fatal consequences.
>
> Oh, yeah, R22. (Can't afford the 44 right now) I'd also prefer to
> keep the rotor RPM on the high side, but best glide in both the 44 and
> the 22 is 90% @ 75kts.. I was always "fearful" (for lack of a more
> appropriate term) of letting the nose get too low in an auto for fear
> of decaying rotor RPM but this guy showed me you could push the nose
> over as far as 20 degrees coming out of a zero airspeed auto to build
> airspeed for the flare - without touching the collective. It was VERY
> educational and a lot of fun to do..
>
> I'm going to head up to the school in a little while and schedule some
> time with the head instructor to work on some of these new skills
> while they're still fresh in my mind.

[JohnO]

The OTHER Kevin in San Diego wrote:
> On Fri, 28 Apr 2006 07:30:59 -0700, "Stuart & Kathryn Fields"
> > wrote:
>
> >Kevin: Are you still planning on going to the Central Sierra Helicopter
> >Fly-In? Would love to meet you and talk about some of the things you
> >learned as well as maybe talk you into an article about some of your
> >experiences.
>
> It's still on my calendar, but there have been some MAJOR shake-ups at
> work that may prevent me from coming. I won't be arriving in any sort
> of helicopter (unfortunately) unless the lease on "my" R22 comes
> through in the next couple days. If it does, the hel;icopter is in
> Sacramento so I'd certainly stop at the ranch to say "howdy"
>
> If you see a lifted '02 F350 crew cab 4wd in white with 4 large desert
> lights on the front up there, you'll know I made it.

Sounds like it would be cheaper to fly in in an R22!

[Steve R]

"The OTHER Kevin in San Diego" <skiddz "AT" adelphia "DOT" net> wrote in
message ...
> On 29 Apr 2006 15:41:31 -0700, "JohnO" > wrote:
>
>
>>Sounds like it would be cheaper to fly in in an R22!
>
> Having done the math, the truck would be a little more than half as
> expensive to drive vs. flying. The R22 would be a lot more fun tho.
>
>

Well then, if the R22 is more than twice the fun, you've just broke even!

Sounds like a deal to me! :-D

Fly Safe,
Steve R.

[D Peter Maus]

The OTHER Kevin in San Diego wrote:
> On 30 Apr 2006 16:15:38 -0700, "JohnO" > wrote:
>
>> The OTHER Kevin in San Diego wrote:
>>> On 29 Apr 2006 15:41:31 -0700, "JohnO" > wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>> Sounds like it would be cheaper to fly in in an R22!
>>> Having done the math, the truck would be a little more than half as
>>> expensive to drive vs. flying. The R22 would be a lot more fun tho.
>> But did you factor in your valuable time?
>
> The time savings really wouldn't be that great. About 5 hours round
> trip as I've got the flight planned right now. As for "valuable
> time", my weekends are for ****ing away hours doing what I want to do
> so they're not worth much. :)
>
>
>
>


Beg to differ, Kevin, but hours spent ****ing away doing what you
want to do are the most valuable hours of all.

[Steve R]

"D Peter Maus" > wrote in message
...
> The OTHER Kevin in San Diego wrote:
>> On 30 Apr 2006 16:15:38 -0700, "JohnO" > wrote:
>>
>>> The OTHER Kevin in San Diego wrote:
>>>> On 29 Apr 2006 15:41:31 -0700, "JohnO" > wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> Sounds like it would be cheaper to fly in in an R22!
>>>> Having done the math, the truck would be a little more than half as
>>>> expensive to drive vs. flying. The R22 would be a lot more fun tho.
>>> But did you factor in your valuable time?
>>
>> The time savings really wouldn't be that great. About 5 hours round
>> trip as I've got the flight planned right now. As for "valuable
>> time", my weekends are for ****ing away hours doing what I want to do
>> so they're not worth much. :)
>>
> Beg to differ, Kevin, but hours spent ****ing away doing what you want
> to do are the most valuable hours of all.

Amen to that! :-)