John Privett Posted January 1, 2021 Share Posted January 1, 2021 A heli? If it's a 'simple' one, like an R22, then keeping the thing going in straight and level flight is probably not too much of a problem. I had a flight in one at Shoreham, heck... must be twenty+ years ago! In level flight it flew in a similar manner to the fixed-wing full-size aircraft that I've occasionally been handed the controls of - Cessna 152, Piper Cub, Cirrus SR22, Jet Provost... ok, the JP had a few extra buttons and knobs for the noisy fan thing behind us that I didn't get to touch! I was talked through the descent into Shoreham in the R22, down to about 20 feet where the instructor took over. He then landed the heli, then demonstrated the hover and gave me one control at a time in the hover. He then got me to try the hover using all controls. That was DIFFICULT! Twenty years later I can still hear the instructors voice (reassuringly) belting out several times, "I HAVE CONTROL..." as he took control back before I progressed from being hopelessly out of shape to dangerously so. I have the evidence on video somewhere too! So, back to J D 8's question - I reckon I could get the heli back to the field, and at least I could then crash it in front of the airport fire & rescue crew! A couple of years ago I had another heli flight - strictly sight-seeing only - in the Canadian Rockies, in a Bell Long Ranger. There were only my daughter and I as passengers, plus the pilot. I sat up front, and was surprised to see the dual-controls had been removed on the heli. Probably safer that way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon H Posted January 2, 2021 Share Posted January 2, 2021 Never tried to fly a heli but i would still give it a go. I look at it like this. I either sit there and wait for the grim reaper, or i try something in the slim chance it will shoo him away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J D 8 Posted January 2, 2021 Share Posted January 2, 2021 While serving in HM Coastguard I had a number of trips in the back of RAF Sea Kings. On one such flight the Winchman asked if anyone would like to visit the flight deck. I put my hand up and made my way there to be greeted by two kids who looked like they had left school the day before. Decided the best thing was to go back to the rear and not think about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil McCavity Posted January 2, 2021 Share Posted January 2, 2021 I'm interested in this theoretical list of qualifications and where a model flyer sits. Does a PC/Playstation sim nut trump the model flyer, does a B cert trump a A cert or a recognised pattern flyer trump all of those? Would you be happy sitting in the passenger compartment knowing the guy at the controls was no more qualified than you? Would a WW2 bomber pilot trump everyone? What about the guy who works on Boeing, Airbus, whatever flight systems? it's a ridiculous scenario and unnerving seeing how many are far too keen to " Give it a go" without even mentioning the 300+ souls on board. The passengers wouldn't even entertain the idea. Edited By Phil McCavity on 02/01/2021 19:13:28 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin McIntosh Posted January 2, 2021 Share Posted January 2, 2021 The only experience I had of light aircraft was at Dunkeswell (ex US base) in Devon in the early nineties. A guy walked into the local pub I ran and recognised me. Turned out that he used to go to the Sutton Coldfield club with his father and now flew a Cessna for a living taking pics of buildings. He was a fully qualified instructor and asked if I would like a free lesson. You bet! Off we went the next day when he showed me how to fly using the basic instruments such as keeping that ball in the centre of a screen so that you do not yaw in a turn. Later, there was a radio message from the pilot of a Rutan Easy home built canard to say that he was just leaving Derby and would arrive soon. 200 miles away and he was there after only 55min. The whole flying club turned out to see it land since it was the only one in this country. I provided lunch for my friend and the pilot before returning to the airfield when I was offered a flight in it. Nobody was even allowed to sit in the thing never mind go up in it. He only had 10mins fuel left and asked to keep checking on the two sight glass gauges. He then asked control if he could beat up the runway, which we did at zero feet at 200mph, then pulled up into a chandelle and went vertically down, all this after a curry. I got to have a go myself. No rudder pedal but the joystick was much like that on a Tx, 100x10mm alloy and very light to the touch. I later had some more lessons including four touch and go`s The first was very bad and the rest much worse so glad that it was not a 737. On the first the instructor asked if I thought that I was too high or too low. The runway looked like a matchstick but luckily I said too low. I was later allowed to loop a Stampe at a US open day, the pilot must have been nuts to let me do it. Having been on a flight from Corfu when toxic fumes entered the cockpit causing an emergency landing in Italy, then I would say yes, I would give it a go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perttime Posted January 3, 2021 Share Posted January 3, 2021 Pilots incapacitated and you are the only one with ANY clue? What are your chances of survival if you get in the seat and try to figure out how to get an instructor on the radio? What are your chances of survival if you don't? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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