Path: cygnus.com!enews.sgi.com!howland.erols.net!news-out.worldnet.att.net.MISMATCH!wn3feed!worldnet.att.net!135.173.83.54!bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net.POSTED!not-for-mail From: "Capt. Doug" Newsgroups: rec.aviation.piloting References: Subject: Re: Transition To Helicopter from Airplane Lines: 68 X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.00.2615.200 Message-ID: Date: Wed, 01 May 2002 02:53:45 GMT Organization: AT&T Worldnet >Mike <> wrote in message > Hi, I am a PP-ASEL and I anticipate starting my flight training next week on > a R-22 to add on to my certificate for my rotorcraft rating.. What should I > expect with the training? Has anyone done this? I know they are 2 completely > different animals (airplane & Helo). Tips? Suggestions? This isn't meant to discourage you- only enlighten you! R-22 Helicopter Safety Notice SN-29 Dated 13Mar.'92 "AIRPLANE PILOTS HIGH RISK WHEN FLYING HELICOPTERS" "There have been a number of fatal accidents involving experienced pilots who had many hours in airplanes but with only limited experience flying helicopters. The ingrained reactions of an experienced airplane pilot can be deadly when flying helicopters. The airplane pilot may fly the helicopter well when doing normal manuevers under ordinary conditions when there is time to think about the proper control responses. But when required to react suddenly under unexpected circumstances he may revert to his airplane reactions and commit a fatal error. Under those conditions his hands and feet move purely by reaction without conscious thought. And, those reactions may well be based on his greater experience, ie., the reactions developed flying airplanes. For instance, in the airplane his reaction to a warning horn (stall) would be to immediately go forward with the stick and add power. In the helicopter, application of forward stick when the pilot hears a horn (low RPM) would drive the rotor RPM even lower and can result in rotor stall, especially if he also 'adds power' (up collective). In less than one second the pilot could stall his rotor causing the helicopter to fall out of the sky. Another example is the reaction necessary to make the aircraft go down. If the helicopter pilot must suddenly descend to avoid a bird or another aircraft, he rapidly lowers the collective with very little movement of the cyclic stick. In the same situation, the airplane pilot would push the stick forward to dive. A rapid forward movement of the helicopter cyclic stick under these conditions would result in a low 'G' condition which could cause mast bumping resulting in separation of the rotor shaft or one blade striking the fuselage. A similar situation exists when terminating a climb after a pull-up.The airplane pilot does it with forward stick. The helicopter pilot must use his collective or a very gentle application of forward cyclic. To stay alive in the helicopter, the experienced airplane pilot must devote considerable time and effort to developing safe helicopter reactions. The helicopter reactions must be stronger and take precedence over the pilot's airplane reactions because everything happens faster in a helicopter. The pilot does not have time to realize he made the wrong move, think about it, and then correct it. It's too late. The rotor has already stalled or a blade has already struck the airframe and there is no chance of recovery. To develope safe helicopter reactions the airplane pilot must practice each procedure over and over again with a competent instructor until his hands and feet will always make the right move without requiring conscious thought. AND, ABOVE ALL, HE MUST NEVER ABRUPTLY PUSH THE CYCLIC STICK FORWARD. Please also re-read Safety Notices SN-11 and SN-24 which are in the back of your R22 Pilot's Operating Handbook." D.