Rogue Posted August 9, 2008 Posted August 9, 2008 After poking around in the muck long enough I finally found someone in close enough proximity to home base to give me an introduction flight. One word - WOW ! I've got some fixed wing time under the belt but the helicopter experience was totally new for me. I went for a flight in a Bell 47 with John Prox from Enterprise Helicopters and it was the best money I've spent in a long time. There were a couple of times I got nervous and I'll tell you what - hovering isn't no joke!!! I was all over the place trying to hover, quite honestly I scared the crap out of myself trying to hover! a real humbling experience. I'll have to take John's and ya'll's word for it that hovering is a learned skill because it made me seriously doubt I was capable of doing it. I like a challenge however so now I just need to keep saving every penny! Jeff Quote
captkirkyota Posted August 9, 2008 Posted August 9, 2008 After poking around in the muck long enough I finally found someone in close enough proximity to home base to give me an introduction flight. One word - WOW ! I've got some fixed wing time under the belt but the helicopter experience was totally new for me. I went for a flight in a Bell 47 with John Prox from Enterprise Helicopters and it was the best money I've spent in a long time. There were a couple of times I got nervous and I'll tell you what - hovering isn't no joke!!! I was all over the place trying to hover, quite honestly I scared the crap out of myself trying to hover! a real humbling experience. I'll have to take John's and ya'll's word for it that hovering is a learned skill because it made me seriously doubt I was capable of doing it. I like a challenge however so now I just need to keep saving every penny! Jeff Welcome to the best drug addiction.where in the pan handle are you located? Quote
Goldy Posted August 9, 2008 Posted August 9, 2008 Rogue- I really hate to tell you this...but I think the 47 is one of the easiest ships to hover !! That being said, its great to hear from a first timer. I love taking people up on their first helo flight..it reminds us all why we got into it in the first place. You now obviously have the bug, I suggest you re-mortgage your house, divorce the wife, and tell the kids you will see them again in a couple years..easier to just get it over with quickly! Goldy Quote
tattooed Posted August 9, 2008 Posted August 9, 2008 Rogue- I really hate to tell you this...but I think the 47 is one of the easiest ships to hover !! That being said, its great to hear from a first timer. I love taking people up on their first helo flight..it reminds us all why we got into it in the first place. You now obviously have the bug, I suggest you re-mortgage your house, divorce the wife, and tell the kids you will see them again in a couple years..easier to just get it over with quickly! Goldy Goldy is not joking. I see myself living in the back of a hangar soon. Quote
FLHooker Posted August 9, 2008 Posted August 9, 2008 Rogue, Good stuff man, like captkirk said, Welcome to the addiction, it only gets better! CHAD Quote
Rogue Posted August 10, 2008 Author Posted August 10, 2008 Ha! yea that's funny! I was talking about living in a Hangar with John! He also said what you said Goldy, that the Bell 47 is one of the easiest to hover, which is why I was pretty bummed out about my terrible performance. Oh well I'll give it a few more tries and see what happens, I was definetly tense and overcontrolling but at the same time I felt like I was putting minor inputs in and not getting what I wanted which led to the overcontrolling - pilot induced oscillation for sure!!! Captkirk I live in Crestview, if Al Gore is right I'll own beachfront property in 10 - 20 years!!! hahhaaha Quote
Rogue Posted October 11, 2008 Author Posted October 11, 2008 WOOOHOOO! Gave it another try today again with John Prox of Enterprise Helicopters - I did SIGNIFICANTLY better. I actually feel like I can do it now! I was able to keep a good stable hover however for no more than 30 seconds at a time then I'd let it get out of shape but I was able to get it back under control all by myself. I did find that every time I screwed up I was tensing up on the controls. So if I can give any advice to other students out there it is RELAX! that cannot be stressed enough RELAX! seriously I was able to do pretty darn good on only my second time ever in a helicopter on a fairly windy day and I am nothing special. I think it helped that my instructor has lots of instruction experience, he works LSI at Mother Rucker. Can't wait to do it again Jeff Quote
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