Video (as in that video I shot is finally ready!)

I finally got the video I recorded of my flight on 29 June edited and worked into a format that I like (Since then I thought of a better way to present the videos, so I am working on them some more).  I am going to begin with a picture of the dash of the Robinson R44.

I have numbered some of the gauges on the instrument panel.  They are: 

1. Tachometer - The needle on the left is for the engine and the needle on the right is for the rotors
2. Airspeed - This shows the airspeed of the helicopter. 
3. Artifical Horizon - This is primarily used in Instrument flights with little or no visibility. 
4. Altimeter - Indicates your elevation above sea level. 
5. Manifold Pressure (MAP) - This shows the air pressure in the intake manifold.  The higher the indication the more power is being demanded from the engine.  There is a limit on how much power you can safely pull.  
6. Low Rotor RPM light - This is light and a horn activate when the rotor system drops below 97%. 
7. Vertical Airspeed Indicator - This shows the rate at when you are changing elevation in feet per minute either up or down.  It maxes out at 2000 ft/min.  
8. Clutch Light - The drive belts are tensioned automatically; when the light is on the tension mechanism is active.  

You can see the instrument panel in all the videos and can kind of tell what is going on from what the instruments indicate.  I am going to publish this late and incomplete.

I was working on the videos and realized it would probably be better to narrate what is going on in the video versus showing the video and writing about what is happening.  I think it will be a better experience for those who view the blog.

Here is a video of me climbing to 2000 feet MSL and practicing a turning auto.  As I climb the vertical speed indicator (gauge #7)  shows a climb of over 1000 fpm and the Manifold pressure (gauge #5) shows about 25 inches, meaning I am at almost max power.  The Altimeter (#4) shows the climb from 1000 to 2000 feet.  The auto begins when the engine tach needle drops below 80%.  The rotor tach needle stays above 90%.  Although in the turn it drops below 97% which activates the Low rotor RPM horn and light.

The whole auto lasted 40 seconds and you can see the vertical airspeed indicator peg out at 2000 fpm descent and we lost almost 1200 feet of altitude in the process.

R48