As the title says this week i did something different to the norm. I gots me a ride in a helicopter!!! Met a fella called Alin at the ATPL's tother week whos doing the heli-course out of Weston. Got to talking about exams and all and whether studying together was a possibility. Also the thought of taking each other up to see how the other half live or fly. So i got the chance first on saturday, the most beautiful day in so many weeks, with loverly blue skies and warm sunshine....wow
When i got to Weston Alin was already out doing his pre-flight checks, i joined him out there and got my first proper look up close and personal with one of these beasties. Little bit different somebody put the prop on the roof instead of in the nose and made it a wee bit bigger at the time. The other shocking thing was the shear size of it- from far away they looked absolutlely tiny but gettin up close and personal, there was actually pleanty more room inside it then probs a 172, and defs way bigger then a 152.
The other interesting thing to discover was how much longer it took to get the thing up and running, checks, engine start, wait for engine to warm up a taste, start rotor, sync rotor, more checks and more checks, we (in our planes) wuda been half way to kilcock already!!
Eventually it was time, the man gently eased her off the ground a couple of feet and then headed off away from the parking area. He asked me if i wanted a slow departure or a fast one?? No contest there.. so we were away at speed and rising up as we went.
So how was it, a lot more unstable then the fixed wing but i spose thats to be expected, tho after the initial few seconds that wasnt an issue anymore. Much better view from the front, down to the lack of engine bay and prop up there, and dispite only being 20odd kts slower, it felt a lot slower.
We went out as far as kilcock, did a couple of steepish turns, and a sudden increase of speed thing, before heading back in to the field.
Lotsa fun, and really interesting to see the differences
When i got to Weston Alin was already out doing his pre-flight checks, i joined him out there and got my first proper look up close and personal with one of these beasties. Little bit different somebody put the prop on the roof instead of in the nose and made it a wee bit bigger at the time. The other shocking thing was the shear size of it- from far away they looked absolutlely tiny but gettin up close and personal, there was actually pleanty more room inside it then probs a 172, and defs way bigger then a 152.
The other interesting thing to discover was how much longer it took to get the thing up and running, checks, engine start, wait for engine to warm up a taste, start rotor, sync rotor, more checks and more checks, we (in our planes) wuda been half way to kilcock already!!
Eventually it was time, the man gently eased her off the ground a couple of feet and then headed off away from the parking area. He asked me if i wanted a slow departure or a fast one?? No contest there.. so we were away at speed and rising up as we went.
So how was it, a lot more unstable then the fixed wing but i spose thats to be expected, tho after the initial few seconds that wasnt an issue anymore. Much better view from the front, down to the lack of engine bay and prop up there, and dispite only being 20odd kts slower, it felt a lot slower.
We went out as far as kilcock, did a couple of steepish turns, and a sudden increase of speed thing, before heading back in to the field.
Lotsa fun, and really interesting to see the differences
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| From HELI |
My Ride for the day
Inside and out
Closest i've ever been to the VOR
Token 2 person pic
The lift off captured -I cudnt resist adding the music
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