Hotdogs Posted January 13, 2013 Report Share Posted January 13, 2013 Automation is a strong word. As for flying characteristics, we have much less help than the other airframes. We have a SCAS system with 10% control authority on the cyclic servos and tailrotor. It can be bumped off if you want. No autopilot, force trim is for ground use only (98% of the time). What is nice is our rather kick ass navigation system. How do you have force trim for ground use only? and don't you mean a kick ass nav system call the GPS? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I3uller Posted January 13, 2013 Report Share Posted January 13, 2013 AK, the more I hear about the 58 and it's mission the more confident I become in my decision to select it...but could you please stop it? You're making these last few months before I start building my packet that much longer for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akscott60 Posted January 13, 2013 Report Share Posted January 13, 2013 How do you have force trim for ground use only? and don't you mean a kick ass nav system call the GPS? When I land, I put on the force trim. When Im about to pull pitch, I turn it off. We have an EGI. Embedded INS/GPS for the rest of ya'll. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotdogs Posted January 14, 2013 Report Share Posted January 14, 2013 When I land, I put on the force trim. When Im about to pull pitch, I turn it off. We have an EGI. Embedded INS/GPS for the rest of ya'll. I can't imagine flying force trim off day in and day out. I bet that's annoying. EGI is pretty standard on most military aircraft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akscott60 Posted January 14, 2013 Report Share Posted January 14, 2013 I cant imagine flying with force trim. Last time was in instrument training in the TH67. I dont even fly with any tension on the cyclic. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotdogs Posted January 14, 2013 Report Share Posted January 14, 2013 I cant imagine flying with force trim. Last time was in instrument training in the TH67. I dont even fly with any tension on the cyclic. We have a pretty obvious nose down attitude during level flight, and while completely doable with out - it's pretty necessary. With you guys being so power limited why don't they just take the whole system out and save the weight? Especially if you guys only use it on the ground. Is it required by the FAA to keep you guys legal in IMC? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akscott60 Posted January 14, 2013 Report Share Posted January 14, 2013 (edited) We arent legal in IMC. I have no nav radios. I can plug a GPS approach into the computer or do a PAR/ASR. Emergency only. As for making us lighter, well, every time they make something lighter, the add something new. Like floor armor, L2 MUM, CMOS, etc. Edited January 14, 2013 by akscott60 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Velocity173 Posted January 14, 2013 Report Share Posted January 14, 2013 I cant imagine flying with force trim. Last time was in instrument training in the TH67. I dont even fly with any tension on the cyclic. Yeah even in the Black Hawk I flew mostly with force trim released. Only time I used it was for long flights and instruments. The 407 has no force trim at all. I fly with my fingertips on the cyclic with light pressure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jester2138 Posted January 14, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2013 Thats awesome! Did you video it? Unfortunately, no! I'm a huge photography buff too, so it's even weirder that I don't have a picture. I was so excited after we landed that I completely forgot! My first helicopter experience will have to be preserved via memory only... Soon you will fly a real one, too.... Let's hope so! congrats on the first flight! You have that perma-grin? What did your CFI demonstrate? Any autos? Perma-grin, yes! I've been riding the high all day. No autos. This being my first time even near an operating helicopter, I spent most of the time getting over the initial sensory overload... I did about 50% of some approaches and hovering, though. I gotta say, flying low doors-off over my hometown and through the downtown area was one of the most thrilling experiences of my life. There's nothing like looking down through the door and seeing houses and streets wizz by below the skids. Then making a quick 90 degree right turn and gently setting down in a field. Then taking off and going somewhere else. Floating over the wetlands and watching geese fly in formation in front of you. Going over an amusement park and seeing a million things happening at once. Such freedom. I've always loved flying but never touched a helicopter. Helicopters are everything I loved about fixed-wing but times 100,000. Hopefully I can retain this feeling forever. And real helicopters have cyclics between your legs One of the weirdest adjustments for me was making my mind understand that not ALL movement in the cyclic affected the helicopter. You can move it up and down with no reaction. I'm not sure I liked that part about the R22. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jester2138 Posted January 14, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2013 The main thing I'm worried about now is how badly I want to keep flying now, regardless of whether I can afford it... heh... Can I maintain my self-discipline long enough to be accepted and start flight school? Ehhhh... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsey Posted January 14, 2013 Report Share Posted January 14, 2013 One of the weirdest adjustments for me was making my mind understand that not ALL movement in the cyclic affected the helicopter. You can move it up and down with no reaction. I'm not sure I liked that part about the R22. If you get more time in it, you will learn to love it. I hated it at first too, but it's quite nice actually. Anchor it against your thigh, and you won't have that up/down movement, and then you won't even think about it at all. Gonna go up again? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jester2138 Posted January 14, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2013 Gonna go up again? Hopefully, though as a full-time student at one of those obscenely expensive universities in the country's most obscenely expensive city I'm not sure it will make sense to start formally training. I'm sure this initial honeymoon excitement will fade and the financial reality regarding the hourly cost will set in and dissuade me from going up more than a few times a semester. My primary goal with this was to at least have been in a helicopter before I put in my packet. Now, hopefully, I can build a little time despite the constraints. It won't be anything significant, though, not at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsey Posted January 14, 2013 Report Share Posted January 14, 2013 I'm sure this initial honeymoon excitement will fade and the financial reality regarding the hourly cost will set in and dissuade me from going up more than a few times a semester. That's what I thought. Now I'm a CFI with a nice fat loan. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yamer Posted January 14, 2013 Report Share Posted January 14, 2013 Oh my god... You guys TOTALLY jacked the thread... How mean! Lol poor guy got his grin taken away by your 4 person side conversation! Lmao 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gary-mike Posted January 14, 2013 Report Share Posted January 14, 2013 That's what I thought. Now I'm a CFI with a nice fat loan. But you are living the dream! Hopefully a good paying job or your military waiver comes through for you soon. You are doing great Lindsey! Keep pushing forward with your endless determination. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gary-mike Posted January 14, 2013 Report Share Posted January 14, 2013 (edited) Oh my god... You guys TOTALLY jacked the thread... How mean! Lol poor guy got his grin taken away by your 4 person side conversation! Lmao There was a good window to the world he wants to step into though. It just helped feed his new addiction. Edited January 14, 2013 by gary-mike 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsey Posted January 14, 2013 Report Share Posted January 14, 2013 But you are living the dream! Hopefully a good paying job or your military waiver comes through for you soon. You are doing great Lindsey! Keep pushing forward with your endless determination. Roger that! I just meant that he shouldn't count on his honeymoon excitement to fade anytime soon...because mine never did. I love what I do. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gary-mike Posted January 14, 2013 Report Share Posted January 14, 2013 Mine too, almost three years from my first flight and it is all I think about to this day. Finally starting official ground school tomorrow. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I3uller Posted January 14, 2013 Report Share Posted January 14, 2013 We arent legal in IMC. I have no nav radios. I can plug a GPS approach into the computer or do a PAR/ASR. Emergency only. As for making us lighter, well, every time they make something lighter, the add something new. Like floor armor, L2 MUM, CMOS, etc. Floor armor, L2 MUM, CMOS, a fat guy or two, etc.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC8488 Posted January 14, 2013 Report Share Posted January 14, 2013 Jester, it sounds like you have your "why I want to be a WOFT aviator" essay in the bag. Start writing it now while you have this exerience fresh in your mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Velocity173 Posted January 14, 2013 Report Share Posted January 14, 2013 "When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return."-L Da Vinci 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jester2138 Posted January 14, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2013 There was a good window to the world he wants to step into though. It just helped feed his new addiction. Yes, you can talk about helicopters all you want, I won't mind Jester, it sounds like you have your "why I want to be a WOFT aviator" essay in the bag. Start writing it now while you have this exerience fresh in your mind. That is probably very good advice. I will get on that! That's what I thought. Now I'm a CFI with a nice fat loan. How long did it take you to get to CFI, and how easy/hard is it to pay off those loans while working as a CFI? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsey Posted January 14, 2013 Report Share Posted January 14, 2013 How long did it take you to get to CFI, and how easy/hard is it to pay off those loans while working as a CFI? Took me about a year and a half, though I didn't get my instrument rating because I'll let the Army pay for that one. Pretty pointless in a 22 anyway, unless your goal is to become a civilian pilot. Lots of WX cancellations as well since I did my training in the PNW. Quite doable to do your PPL/CPL/CFI in a year if you put your mind to it. However, I don't recommend this path if your sole goal is to join the Army to fly. The exception is if you really want to be a CFI and experience the civilian (read: freedom) side of flying before you are limited to the mission-based Army world. Those were my reasons and I don't regret it. I have only been working as an instructor for about 6-7 months, but it has been a blast and I have gained a lot of experience and knowledge that you can't gain as a student. Regarding the loan, I moved back home to save $$$ since being a CFI is almost like working for free. You get more than minimum wage, but not much, and if you spend a lot of time in the office and not much time flying (for weather, lack of students, etc), it will work out to under minimum wage because *typically* you are only paid for flight time and ground instruction, not office time answering the phones. I make enough to pay my minimum monthly payment, and my cell phone bill, and not much more. If you have a second job it is doable, but I opted to spend time working out and pursuing WOFT rather than bringing in a little extra cash. Don't expect to pay anything off while working as a CFI. Most people don't pay anything off until they get their first turbine gig. However, I'm not too worried because once I'm (finally) down at Rucker, I know I'll be paid enough that I can pay my loan off smartly and quickly as long as I live well within my means (who wants to split an apartment down there?). In short, don't get the ratings just to pad your résumé for WOFT. As DC#### pointed out above, you don't need it to be selected. That said, getting ~5 hours wouldn't hurt if you can easily afford it. Spread it out, and use that flight time to keep your motivation high and to enhance your basic knowledge of helicopter flying. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharyouTree Posted January 15, 2013 Report Share Posted January 15, 2013 Let me know if you are ever in Seattle, we'll go for a flight. Is this offer valid for all real helicopter pilots? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsey Posted January 15, 2013 Report Share Posted January 15, 2013 Is this offer valid for all real helicopter pilots? Yup...but I never said anything about it being free. Pay up, son! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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