Robinson Factory Safety Course Suggestions

[ArmamentDawg]

I'll be attending the 24Sept07 Robinson Factory Pilots Safety Course. Any suggestions on cheap hotels, good restaraunts, what to bring with, what to expect/watch out for etc... would be appreciated.

[Chi-town]

The hotel right across the street from the factory (Ramada I think). You can walk to and from class. Restaurants and bars are walking distance (nice Irish pub there).

 

Bring your POH to write notes in the margins. Tell the instructor you fly with what you want to work on so he can focus the short flight on what you would like to improve on or see demo'd.

 

Have fun.

[Goldy]

I'll be attending the 24Sept07 Robinson Factory Pilots Safety Course. Any suggestions on cheap hotels, good restaraunts, what to bring with, what to expect/watch out for etc... would be appreciated.

 

 

Make sure you are doing the ride in the ship you fly the most. If all of your time is in the R22, dont fly the R44 for the last day ride. They want to show you manuevers and check out your skills in a ship you are comfortable in...and trust me, you want to be comfortable flying it. Great group of guys and pilots. Most of us were pretty nervous before the ride, not knowing what to expect...all of us were pretty comfy afterwards. They want you to show them where you are at, and they want to show you things you may not see anywhere else...zero airspeed autos, full touch down auto's in the 22, low rpm work....all good stuff.

 

If you bring a bag that fits under the seat of an R44, they will give you a free ride to LAX to meet your flight. The heliport at LAX is right next to American Airlines ...

 

Have fun, Goldy

[FUSE]

If you bring a bag that fits under the seat of an R44, they will give you a free ride to LAX to meet your flight. The heliport at LAX is right next to American Airlines ...

 

Have fun, Goldy

 

 

And I thought it was really cool doing an auto to the heliport at LAX...

[Copterpilot213]

Enjoy the lunches and try to sit next to Frank if you can. He's really interesting to talk to.

 

Oh and during the factory tour, try to be in the front if you want any chance of hearing what the guide will be telling you about everything.

 

Lastly, if you want Robinson shirts and such, bring some extra cash.

 

The flight is awesome, I had so much fun going up with Ken. He taught me things that are really valuable.

 

Have fun!

 

Jeff

[klas]

...Bring your POH to write notes in the margins. ...

 

They gave us a brand new POH when I took it, do they not do this anymore?

[Collective Down!]

don't buy the $30 "flight training guide," they gave us one at the course, and they promised a revised version soon.

 

I thought the extended glide auto was a good maneuver to have demonstrated and then practice on the flight.

 

There is a Panera Bread within walking distance of the Ramada and they have free wireless internet.

 

There were signs in the presentation room that say no coffee or cell phones (i think that's what it prohibited)... Frank gets IRATE if you don't obey the sign. One guy had a cell phone go off during Frank's speech, and you could cut the tension with knife.

 

If you elect to "fly late" there may be an oppurtunity to fly both the R22 and R44.

 

Take a ton of notes, and keep all the handouts.

 

(I went December 2005)

[Goldy]

don't buy the $30 "flight training guide," they gave us one at the course, and they promised a revised version soon.

 

(I went December 2005)

 

I went Jan 07, I thought they gave us a Flight Training guide free, and we had to buy a new POH if we didnt have one. I flew with Simon...great guy.

[lockedcj7]

The Ramada might have wireless now but it didn't when I went in the Spring of 2005. +1 on sitting with Frank at lunch. Hang out, ask lots of questions and handle all the samples during the maint. talk. I bought the cheap POH from helicopters only and made notes in it. Worked great. The zero airspeed auto was my favorite part of the flight. Pack light so you can hop the R-44 to LAX. If you plan ahead and are adventurous, you can catch the city bus from the airport to the hotel. I think there's a bus that goes straight down Hwy 1 to the Ramada and it'll save you the $40 cab ride.

 

I wish I had rented a car one day when we finished early so I could explore a little, go to the beach and eat at some of the local hangouts. Instead, I shopped at Whole Foods and ate in my hotel room.

Edited August 24, 2007 by lockedcj7

[FUSE]

The Ramada might have wireless now but it didn't when I went in the Spring of 2005. +1 on sitting with Frank at lunch. Hang out, ask lots of questions and handle all the samples during the maint. talk. I bought the cheap POH from helicopters only and made notes in it. Worked great. The zero airspeed auto was my favorite part of the flight. Pack light so you can hop the R-44 to LAX. If you plan ahead and are adventurous, you can catch the city bus from the airport to the hotel. I think there's a bus that goes straight down Hwy 1 to the Ramada and it'll save you the $40 cab ride.

 

I wish I had rented a car one day when we finished early so I could explore a little, go to the beach and eat at some of the local hangouts. Instead, I shopped at Whole Foods and ate in my hotel room.

 

Yes it does have wireless internet now...

 

Also I took the Shuttle Bus I think it's called. The larger Blue Vans. Cost me 17 bucks to go from the airport to the Ramada.

[ArmamentDawg]

Just got back from the Robbie course:

 

Aside from the hospitality being incredible for the $500 price tag, and every instructor (classroom and flight) being a helo-genius... the flight was the coolest experience of my life.

 

My IP, Simon, was an Australian contractor who flew like friggen Maverick. I'm pretty sure at 1000 AGL and 70Kts, he could auto to anywhere in about a 2 mile radius. On one of the autos, he just slammed on the brakes, brought us to 0 airspeed, did a 180 pedal turn, then nosed over as we plumeted through about 500 feet AGL to pick up just enough speed to make the runway numbers we were passing directly over when he chopped the throttle. He pushed the 44 we were using way further than I thought possible in every phase of flight. He even demonstrated low-g. At 100kts he told me to take my hands off the controlls, and just lightly eased foreward on the collective. Immidiatly, we started into the death roll, and I reflexively reached for the cyclic (intending of course to input left cyclic). Fortunately he reloaded the blades, and pulled out of the roll before I could kill us both.

 

Even the ferry from torrance to LAX was a clinic. We couldn't raise the tower at first so the Robbie test pilot that was flying went into the tightest holding pattern you could imagine. I could swear the AI was showing about a 75 degree bank. As soon as we got clearance, he did some kind of hammerheadish dive. I'm not exactly sure what happened there, but I looked up and the horizon was no where near where I expected it to be. We rolled out, crossed the active runway, and pulled up into a hover about 1/4 mie downwind from the parking ramp we were headed to. He chopped the throttle, hover autoed to about 200 feet above the pad elevation, while responding to a radio call and giving us directions to our respective terminals, then brought in power, approached the pad and put us down like he was dropping a feather.

 

I know I'm a long way from having the skill, even a purpose, to fly like they did, but those flights expanded my concept of the performance capabilities of the 44 like listening to Hendrix changes the way a guitar player thinks.

 

Robbie safety course: $500

 

Learning how to kill yourself in a helicopter: priceless

 

Seriously, the last week has been the greatest value I have ever gotten from $500. I learned more about helo-safety, and had more fun than I could have ever expected.

[lelebebbel]

i agree the course is great value for money, highly entertaining and you will definitely learn a ton.

 

if you want to do more flying while you are there, i can highly recommend simon. in addition to being a factory pilot, he has a 44 and runs a little flight school on the airfield. I flew 4 hours with him in his 44 (which is equiped with cameras for post flight evaluation, very cool stuff) and then I did the safety course flight in the 44, ending up with the required 5 hours dual for the R44 PIC endorsement.

The schools name is advanced flight - www.advflt.com

If you want to take lessons with him, call before you go there.

Edited September 28, 2007 by lelebebbel

[delorean]

I just wish they'd take the school on the road......I know it's a major quality control issue, but it's the travel expenses and all those days away from work that would kill me. I haven't been there in 7 years, so I need to go again per Pathfinder if I ever want to fly a Robinson again (if their insurance hasn't changed.)

 

If they could get an instructor to go to the cities where all the major flight schools are once or twice a year........ The school would provide the helicopters, and the they would pay a flat rate for the class for up to XX amount of students. They could give their student a discount, and charge whatever they wanted for the outsiders. You'd miss out on the factory tour, bogus/broken parts, and a few other things, but that would also condense the course to down a day or 1/2 day.

 

It'll never, EVER happen. RHC is way too anal--especially with their insurance and school (but it makes results.) It's a nice thought......Bell has been doing it for many years. They charge a ton of money, but it's easier to pay one guy's expenses rather than 40.

 

While we're at it, how about parts distubuting warehouse located on in the Central US or East coast?? Waiting on parts from Torrance sucks!

[Goldy]

I'll second the endorsement of Simon. I flew with him last year, and yes, he is a great pilot. I hope to go flying in his 44 in a few months for some advanced manuevers. It sure makes you feel inferior when you are flying with that caliber...but you sure learn.

 

Anyone wanting to fly Robbies has to do this class...as far as taking it on the road, they do have a course that travels to different countries, just not within the US. I live in L.A. so its pretty easy for me..

Goldy

[cavin]

Just got back from the Robbie course:

 

Aside from the hospitality being incredible for the $500 price tag, and every instructor (classroom and flight) being a helo-genius... the flight was the coolest experience of my life.

 

My IP, Simon, was an Australian contractor who flew like friggen Maverick. I'm pretty sure at 1000 AGL and 70Kts, he could auto to anywhere in about a 2 mile radius. On one of the autos, he just slammed on the brakes, brought us to 0 airspeed, did a 180 pedal turn, then nosed over as we plumeted through about 500 feet AGL to pick up just enough speed to make the runway numbers we were passing directly over when he chopped the throttle. He pushed the 44 we were using way further than I thought possible in every phase of flight. He even demonstrated low-g. At 100kts he told me to take my hands off the controlls, and just lightly eased foreward on the collective. Immidiatly, we started into the death roll, and I reflexively reached for the cyclic (intending of course to input left cyclic). Fortunately he reloaded the blades, and pulled out of the roll before I could kill us both.

 

Even the ferry from torrance to LAX was a clinic. We couldn't raise the tower at first so the Robbie test pilot that was flying went into the tightest holding pattern you could imagine. I could swear the AI was showing about a 75 degree bank. As soon as we got clearance, he did some kind of hammerheadish dive. I'm not exactly sure what happened there, but I looked up and the horizon was no where near where I expected it to be. We rolled out, crossed the active runway, and pulled up into a hover about 1/4 mie downwind from the parking ramp we were headed to. He chopped the throttle, hover autoed to about 200 feet above the pad elevation, while responding to a radio call and giving us directions to our respective terminals, then brought in power, approached the pad and put us down like he was dropping a feather.

 

I know I'm a long way from having the skill, even a purpose, to fly like they did, but those flights expanded my concept of the performance capabilities of the 44 like listening to Hendrix changes the way a guitar player thinks.

 

Robbie safety course: $500

 

Learning how to kill yourself in a helicopter: priceless

 

Seriously, the last week has been the greatest value I have ever gotten from $500. I learned more about helo-safety, and had more fun than I could have ever expected.

 

 

How do you ease forward on the collective?

[TheLorax]

cyclic?

[nsdqjr]

He even demonstrated low-g. At 100kts he told me to take my hands off the controlls, and just lightly eased foreward on the collective. Immidiatly, we started into the death roll, and I reflexively reached for the cyclic (intending of course to input left cyclic). Fortunately he reloaded the blades, and pulled out of the roll before I could kill us both.

 

The instructor demonstrates a maneuver prohibited in an FAA approved POH and you give him a resounding endorsement??