Comments on: How Helicopters Fly

By: Maria Langer

Maria Langer — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:22:55 +0000

Andy: It really depends on how the helicopter got into that spin. Normally, the rotor pedals will stop a spin, but if the tail rotor’s gone bad (or chopped off), the pedals probably won’t help. Sometimes flying straight at a high speed can keep you from spinning with a non-functioning tail rotor.

It’s not at all like an airplane. You don’t “pull out of a spin.” You prevent yourself from getting into one; if you start to spin, you use your pedals to stop it before it gets out of control.

By: andy

andy — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:35:43 +0000

I am writing a novel in which a helicopter goes out of control and starts spinning. How would a pilot pull out of a spin? Gyrating.

By: Maria Langer

Maria Langer — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 02:20:59 +0000

Forgot your last question, about buying an R44 to learn in. Sure. If you have the money, why not? But a lot of flight schools will still charge up to $100 per hour to put an instructor in there with you.

Why not learn in an R22 and bang that around on the ground for your hovering autos? It’s cheaper in the long run. You can then get an R44 and take your last 10 hours of training in that so you’re ready for the SFAR 73 sign-off.

By: Maria Langer

Maria Langer — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 02:18:57 +0000

Yes, we practice autorotations, but with the engine running. You just throttle it down to idle, lower the collective, and down you come.

There are two kinds of stalls in a helicopter:

Retreating blade stall can happen when you go too fast and the blade moving from front to back — there’s always one doing that — stalls. It’s easy to recognize, avoid, and recover from.

Main rotor RPM loss can stall all blades. This could happen if you don’t give it enough throttle or completely screw up an autorotation and you let the RPM decay past the point of no return. But most helicopters have correlators or governors (or both, like mine does) to prevent this from being an issue.

If you’re really serious about flying helicopters, get yourself a copy of the FAA book, Rotorcraft Flying Handbook.” I just saw on Amazon.com that it’s been revised. This book is a MUST HAVE for anyone learning to fly helicopters. Try this URL (if it works). Good luck!

http://www.amazon.com/Rotorcraft-Handbook-Federal-Aviation-Administration/dp/1602390606/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/105-6337828-2691653?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1187576230&sr=8-1

By: Tom Goin

Tom Goin — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 01:12:23 +0000

Maria,

I enjoyed your article. Nine years ago I was in a fixed wing crash with my instructor. He stalled us on a take off and nearly took me out permanently. Now that my children are soon to be out of high school, I have really been getting interested in flying helicopters. My wife is a little worried, but I see myself getting in a helicopter soon. I have done power on and off stalls in a fixed wing aircraft. My question to you is it similar when going into autorotation to that of the power off stall?

I also have been thinking about purchasing the R44 to take lessons in my own helicopter. Do you think this is a good or bad idea.

Tom Goin

By: BOB RUBBI

BOB RUBBI — Sun, 27 May 2007 17:12:51 +0000

Thanks Maria for this article,now it makes more sence how this machines fly,the way you discribe on how they hover, is much easy to understand than reading on the books,some instructors don`t realized that you probably have no knoledge about flyng but is been your dream for life,so when you to ground school they start talking about collective,cyclic,correlator etc.etc.now i`m taking lesson and want to make a carrear on this, get my cfi,and teach people gs showing an actual heli, and or parts, to make it easear.

Age, is not an obstacle if you healthy,falloing yuor advise i join ssh,and so far is been excellent!

By: Maria Langer

Maria Langer — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 14:24:41 +0000

For flight training in the Phoenix area, I recommend Gold Coast Helicopter in Glendale (623-935-3388). They’re got a nice, laid-back atmosphere with a small handful of students and you can get lots of personal attention. That’s where my husband is training.

If you’re interested in a helicopter career, you might want to check out Silver State helicopters, which has locations in Mesa (Williams Gateway) and Glendale. They’ll take you through the whole program more quickly, but you need to be SURE that that’s what you want. If you do contact either of them, please mention that Maria from Flying M Air sent you. The helicopter world is small and it’s always good to to let other companies know that you’re thinking of them.

By: Doug

Doug — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 05:27:44 +0000

Great description! I live in Scottsdale. I just got back from Maui where I went for my first helicopter ride. I loved it and want to start taking lessons!

Any tips?

Doug

By: Anthony Denne

Anthony Denne — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 12:11:09 +0000

Thanks Maria, for an interesting piece on flying helicopters. It’s an ambition of mine to learn to fly too and your article was very inspiring.

When my wife and I were married in Vegas 11yrs ago we took a fixed wing flight over the Grand Canyon (ahhhsome!, as they say) and we hope to return some time and do it again but definately in a helicopter next time…

Thanks again from this side of the Pond in the UK (we can only dream of 115f…phew)

Regards

Tony