Helicopter superstitions and "old wives" tales?

A few weeks ago on my last flight I kept having to put the collective lock
on and scratch my nose on the circuit approach. Could be nerves, but my
instructor noticed and commented "we'll have to get the tail rotor looked at
during the next service." When I queried that odd announcement, I was told
that an itchy nose is often a sign that the tail rotor is out of balance!
(Harmonic resonance I guess.)

Anyone else heard of that before, and are there any other similar odd things
in the heli biz? (Ok, I know the one about it being bad luck to jump whilst
underneath a spinning rotor!!)

Si

Simon Robbins wrote:

A few weeks ago on my last flight I kept having to put the collective lock
on and scratch my nose on the circuit approach. Could be nerves, but my
instructor noticed and commented "we'll have to get the tail rotor looked at
during the next service." When I queried that odd announcement, I was told
that an itchy nose is often a sign that the tail rotor is out of balance!
(Harmonic resonance I guess.)



Hi Si. I'm glad you are doing so good. A tail rotor out of balance
causes a high frequency vibration which you can feel as a buzzing. In
the aircraft I've flown you sometimes can feel it in the pedals and you
may feel like your feet are going to sleep. Other times you may feel it
in the door frame when you touch it with your hand. I don't know what
an R22 feels like though.


Anyone else heard of that before, and are there any other similar odd things
in the heli biz? (Ok, I know the one about it being bad luck to jump whilst
underneath a spinning rotor!!)

Si



1. Always take a pee break on the side opposite of the tail rotor.
Also, always verify the air flow direction prior to letting loose.

2. Never ever walk backwards on a flight line full of running helicopters.

3. Never grasp the tail rotor drive shaft to slow the main rotor blades
on shutdown.

I don't know of any more old wives tales. The above were actual events
taken from personal experience/observations

--

boB,
SAG 70

U.S. Army Aviation (retired)
Central Texas - 5NM West of Gray Army Airfield (KGRK)

"boB" wrote in message
...
Hi Si. I'm glad you are doing so good. A tail rotor out of balance
causes a high frequency vibration which you can feel as a buzzing. In
the aircraft I've flown you sometimes can feel it in the pedals and you
may feel like your feet are going to sleep.

Actually, flying that ship for the previous couple of hour lessons I had
commented that I was getting pins & needles in my feet. I thought a lot of
that is just due to my student legs, but it was a rattly old bird so you
could be right.

Si

OK Bob you got me on one. Whats with never grabbing the tail rotor shaft to
slow down the main rotor on shut down? I don't have a rotor brake and have
used the hands on (no gloves) approach to speed up the slow down on the MR.

--
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


"boB" wrote in message
...
Simon Robbins wrote:

A few weeks ago on my last flight I kept having to put the collective
lock
on and scratch my nose on the circuit approach. Could be nerves, but my
instructor noticed and commented "we'll have to get the tail rotor
looked at
during the next service." When I queried that odd announcement, I was
told
that an itchy nose is often a sign that the tail rotor is out of
balance!
(Harmonic resonance I guess.)



Hi Si. I'm glad you are doing so good. A tail rotor out of balance
causes a high frequency vibration which you can feel as a buzzing. In
the aircraft I've flown you sometimes can feel it in the pedals and you
may feel like your feet are going to sleep. Other times you may feel it
in the door frame when you touch it with your hand. I don't know what
an R22 feels like though.


Anyone else heard of that before, and are there any other similar odd
things
in the heli biz? (Ok, I know the one about it being bad luck to jump
whilst
underneath a spinning rotor!!)

Si



1. Always take a pee break on the side opposite of the tail rotor.
Also, always verify the air flow direction prior to letting loose.

2. Never ever walk backwards on a flight line full of running
helicopters.

3. Never grasp the tail rotor drive shaft to slow the main rotor blades
on shutdown.

I don't know of any more old wives tales. The above were actual events
taken from personal experience/observations

--

boB,
SAG 70

U.S. Army Aviation (retired)
Central Texas - 5NM West of Gray Army Airfield (KGRK)

Stuart & Kathryn Fields wrote:
OK Bob you got me on one. Whats with never grabbing the tail rotor shaft to
slow down the main rotor on shut down? I don't have a rotor brake and have
used the hands on (no gloves) approach to speed up the slow down on the MR.


I should have said "with gloves". Sorry. The flight gloves have a bit
of leather which after a flight has a good grip. Grabbing the t/r drive
shaft with those on could ruin a persons day. We never had a rotor
brake and had to sit and wait for the blades to stop turning. On a
windy day it could take several minutes so I understand having to wait.

--

boB,
SAG 70

U.S. Army Aviation (retired)
Central Texas - 5NM West of Gray Army Airfield (KGRK)

Stu
I've done the same thing if the tailrotor drive shaft was slick. The
last TomCat I flew had some kind of compound they called "Bear Grease"
slathered on the drive shaft as a corrosion preventive. It has a lack
of "slick" to it and did not lend itself well to slowing the rpms with
your hands! In fact, the stuff has the same consistency as the Rhino
coatings in truck beds...

"Simon Robbins" wrote in message
...

SNIP... I was told
that an itchy nose is often a sign that the tail rotor is out of balance!
(Harmonic resonance I guess.)

Not necessarily the T/R but it is a well known sign of a high frequency
vibration somewhere.
There are lots of things in helicopters that can give a HF vibration other
than the T/R. Drive shafts, fans, etc.
I flew in a Bo105 the other day that gave me an itchy nose due to M/R
needing balance.

Slatts

Slats
While many focus on the blades for freq problems, the damned engine is
turning faster than any other components and can create confusing
vibrations for the unwary. Of course if you are flying a turbine, we
have a different set of conditions to deal with.
I daresay, helicopters pilots have the most finely tuned sense of
vibrations of most trades, except perhaps musicians? And its amazing to
me how many pilots are musicians!
Cheers

"Ol Shy & Bashful" wrote in message
oups.com...
Slats
While many focus on the blades for freq problems, the damned engine is
turning faster than any other components and can create confusing
vibrations for the unwary. Of course if you are flying a turbine, we
have a different set of conditions to deal with.
I daresay, helicopters pilots have the most finely tuned sense of
vibrations of most trades, except perhaps musicians? And its amazing to
me how many pilots are musicians!

Particularly as most are half deaf!

Slatts

Slatts
....."particularly since most are half deaf"
Musicians or pilots? I suppose the rockers are both? I know my high
freq hearing has deterioratred over the years of flying piston and
turbine equipment but I'm still able to tune my cello. bass, and
guitars OK. I have a hard time hearing my wife sometimes
though......ggg