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I'm in Training Right Now. How Can I Be Most Effective?


LionBear

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I'm very new with 4 hours under my belt so far, but want to ensure I can do everything possible to be effective and safe in order to become a a great pilot. Any advice on the following, or other is greatly appreciated:

- Training I can do at home (work on my muscle memory, or other)

- Training resources online

- Financial assistance (grants, trade for training, etc)

 

Thank you

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I'm very new with 4 hours under my belt so far, but want to ensure I can do everything possible to be effective and safe in order to become a a great pilot. Any advice on the following, or other is greatly appreciated:

- Training I can do at home (work on my muscle memory, or other)

- Training resources online

- Financial assistance (grants, trade for training, etc)

 

Thank you

 

This a great time to start asking yourself this question. Your school should have a maneuvers guide of some sort -- a description of the different things you will be learning in the helicopter and how you will go about doing them. Get a copy of this, take it home and sit yourself down with your imaginary cyclic, collective and pedals. It won't be a substitute for actually being in the helicopter but will help you keep your head in the game.

 

Sit down with your maneuvers guide and walk yourself through it, reading it out loud and following along with your imaginary controls. This is going to be even more useful as you get into more complex, less seat-of-the-pants portions of your training like off airport landings and even autorotations. Talk yourself through the maneuvers at home, talk through them in the cockpit with your instructor, and one day you will be talking through them with your students...

 

Just a note -- don't worry about trying to learn all of them by heart at once, work on the maneuvers you are actually learning in the helicopter at this stage, using the home work to reinforce things you are actually doing in the air.

 

Best of luck and keep that great attitude!

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Thanks for your advice! Now I just need to find a way to finance my way through flight training. I know I can't just go when I have the money. I need to go routinely so I can fully develop my skills, and not just come in every few weeks or so. This is by far my biggest obstacle.

 

If anyone has experience or ideas on how to finance flight training(outside of military service or loans), I'm all ears!

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If anyone has experience or ideas on how to finance flight training(outside of military service or loans), I'm all ears!

 

Save and then train smart. Lots you can do to get to your commercial ticket cheaper than the next guy. You can search old posts here for a ton of ideas, but you're on the right track by not flying once a month or even once a year. My first 5 hours of training was spread over about 3 years....not very effective.

 

Good luck and have fun,

 

Goldy

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Logan, it appears that you are trying your best to get the worst reputation on this entire site. Instead of encouraging others to quit, or discouraging them from even beginning...........maybe you should remove YOURSELF from the apparent glut of pilots. Make way for people with the right attitude and will to be in the industry.

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Buy the helicopter flight manual. Read it lightly. Then study it in detail. Make a list of questions for your instructor.

 

Memorize the checklists. Start with pre-flight checklist. Go through the checks and then verify each item on the check list. You may find it ueful to do your own verson of each check list to have a logical order that fits you.

 

Do some imaginary flying in the aircraft cockpit. The controls feel strange initially. Find all of the switches. Remember where they are. It is much cheaper and more effective doing this on the ground with the engine shut down. Learn the operation of the radios, transponder and GPS on the ground.

 

After every flight ask you instructor for study topics relevent to your next flight. Try to keep you brain focused on Helicopter flight.

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Logan has a valid warning. You will be challenged and come back from each lesson sweating. Helicopter flight is addictive and expensive. It is so much fun that you may not be able to stand it.

 

Rick- I'll be at CMA Sat about 9am having breakfast,(if the weather holds)...stop in !

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Logan has a valid warning. You will be challenged and come back from each lesson sweating. Helicopter flight is addictive and expensive. It is so much fun that you may not be able to stand it.

 

Sweet baby jesus! You have justified (or at least let me know I am not alone) My reasons for this damned obsession. I have read pretty much every post on this forum for the last year+. I have learned that this is not per say a wise career choice. But I'll be damned if I can find one I'd rather do.

 

Dang intro flights! been hooked since the first one. Especially after I learned the VA would pay for training... So far my situation has held me back from starting though. :wacko:

Edited by gary-mike
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you should quit training and get out now. Your making a mistake becoming a helicopter pilot.

What a huge mistake! Man, last night really confirmed it, I need a new job. I mean, night NVG/HUD aided flight in a UH-60, three point landings, single engine takeoffs, single engine rolling take-off, free BBQ dinner at the FBO, confined area, 15 deg slope landing. I just cant take it anymore Logan, this stuff is awful. Save me from myself.

 

I agree with Hovergirl, your positive attitude will lead you in the right direction, just keep an open mind and willingness to learn. Welcome.

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