Checklist prior to training

[i4iq]

Hi All

 

I've ordered the following books today from Amazon after reading some of the recommendations on this forum.

 

1 "Learning to Fly Helicopters"

R. Randall Padfield; Paperback; $16.47

 

1 "Principles of Helicopter Flight/ 1749T"

W. J. Wagtendonk; Paperback; $15.72

 

1 "Instrument Flying Handbook: 2001 (FAA Handbook)"

Federal Aviation Administration; Paperback; $15.72

 

1 "Rotorcraft Flying Handbook: FAA - H808321"

Federal Aviation Administration; Paperback; $11.53

 

1 "Instrument Procedures Handbook : FAA-H-8261-1 (FAA Handbook series)"

Federal Aviation Administration; Paperback; $19.77

 

1 "FAR/AIM 2006 : Federal Aviation Regulations/Aeronautical Information Manual for 2006 (FAR/AIM series)"

Federal Aviation Administration; Paperback; $10.85

 

1 "Private Pilot Test Prep 2006 : Study and Prepare for the Recreational and Private Airplane, Helicopter, Gyroplane, Glider, Balloon, and Airship FAA Knowledge Exams (Test Prep series)"

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA); Paperback; $10.17

 

I aim to begin training in June, from scratch through to CFII in the US and am trying to get a good birdseye view of the materials I'll be expected to learn during the course.

 

Would it be worth buying any of the Sporty's Instrument DVD courses? I know they're intended for fixed wingers but I was wondering how useful they would be for me. I've got the Intro, Cross Country, Advanced and Advanced cross country DVD's from them but they don't seem to go into much detail.

 

Can anyone recommend any DVD's particularly useful for what I plan to do?

 

I'm also going through MS Flight Sim Instrument levels, which are a good intro but only seem to scratch the surface.

 

Any input much appreciated

[flingwing206]

I've ordered the following books today from Amazon after reading some of the recommendations on this forum.

 

1 "Learning to Fly Helicopters"

R. Randall Padfield; Paperback; $16.47

 

1 "Principles of Helicopter Flight/ 1749T"

W. J. Wagtendonk; Paperback; $15.72

 

1 "Rotorcraft Flying Handbook: FAA - H808321"

Federal Aviation Administration; Paperback; $11.53

All good - you might add "Cyclic & Collective" by Shawn Coyle

1 "Instrument Flying Handbook: 2001 (FAA Handbook)"

Federal Aviation Administration; Paperback; $15.72

 

1 "Instrument Procedures Handbook : FAA-H-8261-1 (FAA Handbook series)"

Federal Aviation Administration; Paperback; $19.77

...set these aside for the moment, you won't need (or want) to look at them until you after your PPL checkride

1 "FAR/AIM 2006 : Federal Aviation Regulations/Aeronautical Information Manual for 2006 (FAR/AIM series)"

Federal Aviation Administration; Paperback; $10.85

You will learn your way around this one, but only the AIM section will be deciperable without the help of a professional!

1 "Private Pilot Test Prep 2006 : Study and Prepare for the Recreational and Private Airplane, Helicopter, Gyroplane, Glider, Balloon, and Airship FAA Knowledge Exams (Test Prep series)"

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA); Paperback; $10.17

Start this after you have been through the first three books on your list. You might also pick up a copy of Ron Machado's Private Pilot Handbook - it is an EXCELLENT test (and oral exam) study guide

I aim to begin training in June, from scratch through to CFII in the US and am trying to get a good birdseye view of the materials I'll be expected to learn during the course.

 

I'm also going through MS Flight Sim Instrument levels, which are a good intro but only seem to scratch the surface.

I'd leave Flight Sim alone until you get to your instrument training, then it makes a great procedures trainer. I used it to practice every instrument flight the night before, then again after the flight - for every hour I had in the aircraft, I had at least three in FS2002. I finished my IFR rating at one hour over the Part 141 minimums. However, using it before you have a solid amount of time in the helicopter can cause a lot of bad habits to develop - these habits can be hard (and expensive) to break.

 

All in all it seems like you are putting a lot of energy and enthusiasm into your prep! Good on you - hope all goes well.

[i4iq]

Thanks Flingwing206

 

I've ordered Cyclic & Collective More Art And Science of Flying Helicopters. Although Amazon didn't have it I got it through one of their affiliates.

 

Were the bad habits you mention about instrument procedures, flying or both? With regards to flying, I'm trying to use it to practice hovering, which I seem to able to do with all settings at realistic - although I take your point, it's not the real thing but others have commented on it being useful when it comes to the first hours of learning to hover.

 

Thanks for the input. I was wondering whether to get a helmet or not too.

[TaIk2Kevin]

"Fatal Traps" Thats a good book.

[67november]

i4ig, thanks for the check list and FW206 thanks for the prioritization (sp?).

[flingwing206]

Were the bad habits you mention about instrument procedures, flying or both? With regards to flying, I'm trying to use it to practice hovering, which I seem to able to do with all settings at realistic - although I take your point, it's not the real thing but others have commented on it being useful when it comes to the first hours of learning to hover.

The important thing is what control inputs you are using, and how. Learning to fly a helicopter on a computer is a lot like learning to snowboard on an arcade game. With a good instructor who knows the idiosyncracies of the sim as well as the realities of helicopter aerodynamics, you can get some good initial learning with a sim (I generally do the first 1-2 hours of training in our FlyIt). Without the instruction, you will figure out how to fly the sim, but you will develop habits/techniques which are at best inappropriate and at worse impossible to do in a real helicopter. You are better off turning the realism all the way down and just having fun, at least until you can consistantly hover a real helicopter.

Thanks for the input. I was wondering whether to get a helmet or not too.

That's a personal choice - ultimately, there is no question that a helmet provides an added element of safety in the event of a bird strike or a crash. Helmets are rarely seen at most training schools (most times, students don't even have their own headsets). There's really little reason NOT to wear one, yet most of us don't. Cost? Comfort? Convenience? Is it uncool? Makes the pax nervous? If you want one, wear one - people WILL give you crap, they WILL poke fun behind your back - even when they know you are actually the smarter pilot.

[i4iq]

Thanks FW206

 

Always good to have your input