Steve Mushero

Flying

See a Log of my training - updated after every flight !.

Quote:
'When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been and there you will always long to return' 
Leonardo da Vinci

This is the helicopter we use - a Robinson R22B.  Here is another link about our helicopter from a school in Seattle.

  Close-ups of instrument panel are down below

This is the school where I am learning. 

Perhaps I'll run a lottery for the privilege of taking the first flight with me !

A great quote from the RAF:

"A superior pilot is one who stays out of trouble by using his superior judgment to avoid situations which might require the use of his superior skill."

Ten Commandments of Helicopter Flying:

  1. He who inspecteth not his aircraft gives his angels cause to concern him.
  2. Thou shalt not become airborne without first ascertaining the level of thy propellant.
  3. Let infinite discretion govern thy movement near the ground, for thy area of destruction is vast.
  4. Thy rotor RPM is thy staff of life, without it thou shall surely perish.
  5. Thou shalt maintain thy speed between ten and four hundred feet, lest the earth rise and smite thee.
  6. Thou shalt not make trial of thy center of gravity, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.
  7. Thou shalt not let thy confidence exceed thy ability, for broad is the way to destruction.
  8. He that doeth his approach and alloweth the wind to turn behind him shall surely make restitution.
  9. He who allows a tail rotor to catch in the thorns, curseth his children and his children's children.
  10. Observe thou this parable lest on the morrow thy friends mourn thee.

Other lessons in progress:

* Navy says that turning landing lights on in bird flock significantly reduces chances of strike.

* Carb heat - how does auto work and what is landing position (NTSB says off)

Also, from the Robinson safety course:

  1. Stay 500' AGL
  2. Avoid over pitch (low RPM)
  3. Add throttle and lower collective simultaneously to raise RPM
  4. Min airspeed is about 60 kts
  5. Do not over control in turbulence
  6. No abrupt control inputs
  7. Low-G, gentle aft cyclic
  8. Maintain 30kts until  rate of decent is below 300 FPM

Close-ups of instrument panel:

Warning Lights - chip and temp lights are bad news, as is low fuel and low RPM:

Upper panel - that's VSI, Airspeed and RPM on top, Altimeter, turn indicator (not used) and manifold pressuer on bottom.

Middle panel - clock and carb temp on left, oil, fuel temp and alternator on right.

Swtiches for lights, alternator, clutch, mags and master below.

Lower panels, with temp guage, landing light and air, then GPS, radios and transponder below.  On the horizontal are cyclic friction, trim, and mixture (never touched in flight).

The Robinson R-22 Rotor Hub; I spend lots of time looking at this
in great detail during the pre-flight; anything here breaks and very
bad things happen.  Fortunately, it never happens.