"The OTHER Kevin in San Diego" skiddz *AT* adelphia *DOT* net wrote in
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On 23 Sep 2004 17:55:20 -0700, (Filip Zawadiak) wrote:

... and I still can't stop smiling :-))

Flying helicopter is soo different from an airplane, it really felt
like flying magic carpet :-) And it's so nice to watch grass waves
around :-) In airplane you get from ground so fast it's hard to notice
how nice view you can have from so low altitude.

I love the view out the front of the R22 and especially out the sides
when the doors are off. (Haven't yet flown with the doors on so can't
comment on that view) MUCH better visibility than I experienced in my
fixed wing days back in the mid 90s.

The first time I flew a Robbie 22 the doors were off, and it was October
over here in the UK. 23knot winds which blew right through the heli:-) The
2nd time we put the doors on and it felt REALLY "confined" when compared to
the Bell 47 and Enstrom's I'd flown prior to the Robbie. Didn't take long to
appreciate those doors though, as the temps dropped rapidly and the
"confined" became "cozy"


That was just a "discovery flight", 0.4hr, but great :-) Just wish I
had made some pictures during small "loop" from airport and back...

I never really though how long does it take to start and stop rotor in
a helicopter. And it really feels like driving one-wheeled bicycle,
much harder than flying airplane - in airplane I was practically
flying from first lesson, maybye not very nice, but flying. And in
helicopter I would crash it in 5 seconds without help of instructor.
Now I really appreciate pilots keeping those things steady in the air
:-))

Yep. I wouldn't call myself a "pilot" just yet, but having around 15
hours actual stick time now, I can really appreciate how precise you
have to be to fly smoothly and accurately.

It's a pity I came here just for a week, and all helicopters were
booked :-( Would try more hoovering :-) That's a challenge ;-)

I got hovering down a lot faster than it's been taking me to get
normal approaches down. ehehe I don't even think about the hover
now. It's becoming "second nature".

Kev, did your instructor put you in front of a "magnetic" tie down when you
first stated hovering? Mine did (at least I convinced myself it was
magnetic:-)) No amount of back stick seemed to stop the (concrete) tie down
from sliding under the belly. I was mesmerised by the thing and it wasn't
until Kurt told me to look WAY past it that it stayed where it was supposed
to.

Definitely will try again!

Do so! Fixed wing was enjoyable, but this flying weedwhacker stuff is
a friggin' blast! (even when I'm completely frustrated!) I can't
wait for my solo endorsement and then my checkride. Hell, I can't
wait to get my CFI so I can teach other poor dumb *******s how to go
broke and enjoy doing it.

And that must be easy (going broke I mean :-)

Beav