Today's flight (20JUL14) I brought a sibling from out of town with me and because I had a passenger we couldn't do some of the riskier maneuvers. We didn't do autos or slopes, I can't remember if we did run on landings. So it was mostly normal take-offs, normal landings, steep approaches and max performance take-offs.
I setup the GoPro and had configured it to record in 720 because my computer struggles with resolutions above that, but it defaults to time lapse so I got a time lapse sequence and I didn't think it showed anything interesting or was particularly neat. I am almost done editing the videos from the only flight I have recorded. In fact, a video is rendering right now!
I did pretty good with the flight today. Having a passenger was a good experience as to how the balance and performance change. Hovering took more power, which meant I was up to max continuous power quicker and even used into the power available for 5 minute take off. What it translated into was that I had to fly more like an airplane than a helicopter. The rotors produce lift but when the helicopter is moving the increased airflow across the rotor disc produces more lift. It was something I can't remember experiencing; the other helicopter I had flown with passengers was fuel injected and had more horsepower available because of it.
I had to abort one of the max performance take-offs because I was the 5 minute take-off power and stopped climbing. After slowly lowering back to the ground, I made a normal take-off. I thought I was going to be nervous with my sibling riding along, but she was so quiet I basically forgot she was in the back.
Over all it was a good flight and I experienced a few things that I don't think I would have experienced until much later in my training.
R48
Monday, July 28, 2014
Monday, July 21, 2014
Break (as in no flight this week)
Today (06JUL14) I spent C2 working on ground school, reviewing all the things I need to know for the oral part of the check ride. Aerodynamic, emergency procedures, rules and regulations. I need to study some, but know most everything I should.
R48
R48
Monday, July 14, 2014
Prep (as in Check-ride prep)
I am a little late this week with this post; school and work have been taking all my free time.
Today's flight (29JUN14) was longer and it was working on maneuvers for the check ride. Working on the maneuvers that I can do well to maintain the skills I do have and improve the others. Overall, I am getting better at doing the maneuver on the first try. I brought and mounted my GoPro camera (Full disclosure: I own GoPro stock); I was able to capture video of the flight, but because we had the doors off and I haven't bought an adapter cable, you can only hear the audio when the engine is idle and airspeed zero. I will eventually buy an adapter cable that will capture all the intercom and radio communications.
After getting the helicopter started, we headed out toward the TV station again. Being the only off-airport location they have permission to land at, we went there to practice off-airport operations. I made my assessment of the area and began my approach. I wasn't descending like I needed to, so I went around again. I made a better approach the second time and landed as needed in the field. The field at the TV station has some slopes that are not as steep compared to the Quincy airport, so we tried a new technique for landing on slopes. I did better at slopes on the first try and the new technique helped overall. I made a max. performance takeoff from the field and headed towards Quincy.
As we were approaching Quincy we heard the jump plane call "4 parachutes out over Quincy", so we flew towards town and climbed up to 2000 feet for some turning auto-rotation practice. I entered the auto, established the glide and properly managed the RPMs as we entered and exited the turn. I rolled the throttle back on and flew towards the airport. The jumpers were on the ground, so we made a normal approach.
I did the approach fine on my first attempt. I took off again and landed with a steep approach. Performed an air taxi, followed by a quick stop. A trip around the pattern for a running landing. A running (sometimes called a run-on) landing is used when you don't think the helicopter can hover. Maybe one magneto is malfunctioning, you are at a high gross weight, or at a location with high density altitude. A running landing is also one of the components used if I had to make a real forced landing; after the auto-rotation you flare to reduce descent and airspeed, then you let the helicopter settle to ground and touchdown with the skids level, running on them until the helicopter stops.
After running landing, we moved to the slopes. The slopes at Quincy are pretty steep, nothing outside the limits of the helicopter, but probably close to them. I did OK, on the slopes at Quincy, better than the last time.
After slopes, we waited for the jump plane to take off, then I went around the pattern and setup for a straight in auto-rotation. I entered the auto slower than normal and lost additional airspeed as I descended. You need the airspeed to have energy to use at the end for the flare and touchdown. I got the airspeed back, but I lost RPMs. The maneuver was recoverable, but in the interest of safety, both C2 and I at nearly the same instance said to add throttle and go around. Went around again and had a successful auto.
I setup for a turning auto. Sometimes the best place to land isn't in front of you, so you have to turn to land safely. The first one went OK, I did pretty good. I turned kind of tight so I had to adjust to make my spot. The second one was good, but I turned very steep, which drove the rotor RPM almost to max. With jumpers on their way up we taxied to the fuel pump, shutdown and got fuel. After a short break, we started up with an airplane really close to the tail rotor. It made us kind of nervous, so we quickly started and hovered away from the fuel pumps.
I did another running landing in preparation for a hydraulics off landing. The R44 has hydraulics to reduce the force from the pilot needed to control the helicopter. When the hydraulics fail, hovering will be practically impossible. After a successful running landing, I took off for the pattern and once I was in the downwind leg, the hydraulics went off. Controlling the helicopter without hydraulics is not hard, sort of like driving a car without power steering. Fine until you need to travel through a parking lot at low speed. The camera battery ran out as I was on final. I landed perfectly and was happy to have the hydraulics back.
After this, I am pretty sure we took off and went back to Tallahassee.
R48
Today's flight (29JUN14) was longer and it was working on maneuvers for the check ride. Working on the maneuvers that I can do well to maintain the skills I do have and improve the others. Overall, I am getting better at doing the maneuver on the first try. I brought and mounted my GoPro camera (Full disclosure: I own GoPro stock); I was able to capture video of the flight, but because we had the doors off and I haven't bought an adapter cable, you can only hear the audio when the engine is idle and airspeed zero. I will eventually buy an adapter cable that will capture all the intercom and radio communications.
After getting the helicopter started, we headed out toward the TV station again. Being the only off-airport location they have permission to land at, we went there to practice off-airport operations. I made my assessment of the area and began my approach. I wasn't descending like I needed to, so I went around again. I made a better approach the second time and landed as needed in the field. The field at the TV station has some slopes that are not as steep compared to the Quincy airport, so we tried a new technique for landing on slopes. I did better at slopes on the first try and the new technique helped overall. I made a max. performance takeoff from the field and headed towards Quincy.
As we were approaching Quincy we heard the jump plane call "4 parachutes out over Quincy", so we flew towards town and climbed up to 2000 feet for some turning auto-rotation practice. I entered the auto, established the glide and properly managed the RPMs as we entered and exited the turn. I rolled the throttle back on and flew towards the airport. The jumpers were on the ground, so we made a normal approach.
I did the approach fine on my first attempt. I took off again and landed with a steep approach. Performed an air taxi, followed by a quick stop. A trip around the pattern for a running landing. A running (sometimes called a run-on) landing is used when you don't think the helicopter can hover. Maybe one magneto is malfunctioning, you are at a high gross weight, or at a location with high density altitude. A running landing is also one of the components used if I had to make a real forced landing; after the auto-rotation you flare to reduce descent and airspeed, then you let the helicopter settle to ground and touchdown with the skids level, running on them until the helicopter stops.
After running landing, we moved to the slopes. The slopes at Quincy are pretty steep, nothing outside the limits of the helicopter, but probably close to them. I did OK, on the slopes at Quincy, better than the last time.
After slopes, we waited for the jump plane to take off, then I went around the pattern and setup for a straight in auto-rotation. I entered the auto slower than normal and lost additional airspeed as I descended. You need the airspeed to have energy to use at the end for the flare and touchdown. I got the airspeed back, but I lost RPMs. The maneuver was recoverable, but in the interest of safety, both C2 and I at nearly the same instance said to add throttle and go around. Went around again and had a successful auto.
I setup for a turning auto. Sometimes the best place to land isn't in front of you, so you have to turn to land safely. The first one went OK, I did pretty good. I turned kind of tight so I had to adjust to make my spot. The second one was good, but I turned very steep, which drove the rotor RPM almost to max. With jumpers on their way up we taxied to the fuel pump, shutdown and got fuel. After a short break, we started up with an airplane really close to the tail rotor. It made us kind of nervous, so we quickly started and hovered away from the fuel pumps.
I did another running landing in preparation for a hydraulics off landing. The R44 has hydraulics to reduce the force from the pilot needed to control the helicopter. When the hydraulics fail, hovering will be practically impossible. After a successful running landing, I took off for the pattern and once I was in the downwind leg, the hydraulics went off. Controlling the helicopter without hydraulics is not hard, sort of like driving a car without power steering. Fine until you need to travel through a parking lot at low speed. The camera battery ran out as I was on final. I landed perfectly and was happy to have the hydraulics back.
After this, I am pretty sure we took off and went back to Tallahassee.
R48
Monday, July 7, 2014
Jumpers (as in Avoiding them)
Today's flight was longer but more of the same, prepping for the up coming check ride. We took off and flew towards a TV station that the school has permission to use their land for off-airport landings. C2 had not been there and I have only been there once. We departed TLH and flew to the North looking for a small clearing and the tower by the station building. We found it and I proceeded to perform an off airport landing.
I started by circling the field at a high altitude looking for any obstacles and searching for something that would indicate wind direction. The field at the station is surrounded by power lines, trees, and has two tall towers on either side. It is a fair representation of what an off-airport landing could be. There was smoke in the distance that showed the wind was probably from the North. I made a lower circle around the site and planned my approach so I would land into the wind.
I slowed down and began my decent, holding altitude over the trees, waited until I was sure the tail would clear them without contact, and continued descending. I was in a steeper than normal approach, but not a real steep approach. I continued my descent ending in a hover near the middle of the field. C2 asked how I was going to take off, so I explained I was going to hover to the back of the field and make a maximum performance take-off. Waiting until I was clear of the trees and power lines in front of me to begin any forward movement, picking a path over the shortest trees with an open field behind them. C2 showed me a few things about the max. performance take-offs, confined areas and off airport operations. He also has a different way of doing the max. performance take-off; I like it better than the other way I was taught.
I made a max. performance take-off out over my planned departure path and we headed to Quincy. I found Quincy and made a normal approach. That was good because my first approach was a good one. Sometimes when the first time I do a maneuver while flying it is bad, but when I do it again later in the flight it is good. One of the things I have to do as I prepare for the check ride is to make the first maneuver a good one. We headed for the slopes and I did them really poorly, I mean really poorly. One of the mistakes I was making was looking at the ground close to where I was trying to land. Noting that slopes still "need improvement", I held a hover while Jump1, the plane from the local skydiving school, took off and ascended with jumpers. C2 wanted to look for more potential off airport locations and I needed to practice recovering from settling with power (AKA vortex ring state).
We took off and headed Northeast of the airfield looking for the field I had used once before to practice off airport landings. I found the field but trees has been planted since I used it making it unusable for off airport operations. Settling with power is a condition where the helicopter sinks into the vortices created by the main rotor. These vortices disrupt the airflow causing a loss of lift, applying power to stop the descent makes it worse. To recover from settling with power you must reduce power, which stops the vortices, and apply forward cyclic to move the helicopter away from the disturbed air. After you gain some airspeed, you can add power to start climbing and finally leveling the helicopter returning to a normal flight profile.
The jumpers were still in the air as we traveled back to the airfield, so we continued out over the town of Quincy and climbed to 3000 feet. It is common to introduce new concepts at higher altitudes so you have time to recover if things don't go as planned. C2 discussed the points of a turning auto-rotation and what to watch out for and how to manage the rotor RPM. Turning causes the rotor RPMs to increase, so to avoid an over speed, you have to raise the collective (which will decrease rotor RPM) before you turn. I entered an auto-rotation, got into a glide and began to turn. I controlled the RPMs the whole time! Since we were well above the ground, at the point where you begin to flare for landing, I rolled the throttle back on and allowed the governor to take over. After the engine and rotor RPMs had stabilized I added power and again headed towards the airfield.
The jumpers were on the ground and we practiced a few more things before heading back to Tallahassee. I am getting better at all the maneuvers I need to be able to do. I feel confident on the controls of the helicopter.
Leave a comment if there is something you want me to explain in more detail or if you have questions. I got the mounts I needed for my GoPro camera so I will be able to add pictures and videos soon.
R48
I started by circling the field at a high altitude looking for any obstacles and searching for something that would indicate wind direction. The field at the station is surrounded by power lines, trees, and has two tall towers on either side. It is a fair representation of what an off-airport landing could be. There was smoke in the distance that showed the wind was probably from the North. I made a lower circle around the site and planned my approach so I would land into the wind.
I slowed down and began my decent, holding altitude over the trees, waited until I was sure the tail would clear them without contact, and continued descending. I was in a steeper than normal approach, but not a real steep approach. I continued my descent ending in a hover near the middle of the field. C2 asked how I was going to take off, so I explained I was going to hover to the back of the field and make a maximum performance take-off. Waiting until I was clear of the trees and power lines in front of me to begin any forward movement, picking a path over the shortest trees with an open field behind them. C2 showed me a few things about the max. performance take-offs, confined areas and off airport operations. He also has a different way of doing the max. performance take-off; I like it better than the other way I was taught.
I made a max. performance take-off out over my planned departure path and we headed to Quincy. I found Quincy and made a normal approach. That was good because my first approach was a good one. Sometimes when the first time I do a maneuver while flying it is bad, but when I do it again later in the flight it is good. One of the things I have to do as I prepare for the check ride is to make the first maneuver a good one. We headed for the slopes and I did them really poorly, I mean really poorly. One of the mistakes I was making was looking at the ground close to where I was trying to land. Noting that slopes still "need improvement", I held a hover while Jump1, the plane from the local skydiving school, took off and ascended with jumpers. C2 wanted to look for more potential off airport locations and I needed to practice recovering from settling with power (AKA vortex ring state).
We took off and headed Northeast of the airfield looking for the field I had used once before to practice off airport landings. I found the field but trees has been planted since I used it making it unusable for off airport operations. Settling with power is a condition where the helicopter sinks into the vortices created by the main rotor. These vortices disrupt the airflow causing a loss of lift, applying power to stop the descent makes it worse. To recover from settling with power you must reduce power, which stops the vortices, and apply forward cyclic to move the helicopter away from the disturbed air. After you gain some airspeed, you can add power to start climbing and finally leveling the helicopter returning to a normal flight profile.
The jumpers were still in the air as we traveled back to the airfield, so we continued out over the town of Quincy and climbed to 3000 feet. It is common to introduce new concepts at higher altitudes so you have time to recover if things don't go as planned. C2 discussed the points of a turning auto-rotation and what to watch out for and how to manage the rotor RPM. Turning causes the rotor RPMs to increase, so to avoid an over speed, you have to raise the collective (which will decrease rotor RPM) before you turn. I entered an auto-rotation, got into a glide and began to turn. I controlled the RPMs the whole time! Since we were well above the ground, at the point where you begin to flare for landing, I rolled the throttle back on and allowed the governor to take over. After the engine and rotor RPMs had stabilized I added power and again headed towards the airfield.
The jumpers were on the ground and we practiced a few more things before heading back to Tallahassee. I am getting better at all the maneuvers I need to be able to do. I feel confident on the controls of the helicopter.
Leave a comment if there is something you want me to explain in more detail or if you have questions. I got the mounts I needed for my GoPro camera so I will be able to add pictures and videos soon.
R48
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)