Logged myfirst Helo time

[redcell38]

Logged 1.2 hours today in a r-22. Got my instrument airplane last week and I am looking to get a dual rating. The helo is a whole different animal.
It was really neat flying low and fast and trying to hover.
I am debating on getting my dual rating because of the expense however where I live (10 minutes from the Gulf of Mexico) I am more apt to get a helo job.

 

[meritflyer]

What is a dual rating (for us fixed wing guys

) ?

 

[RynoB]

It was really neat flying low and fast and trying to hover.

I remember learning to hover. I was flying low and fast too.

 

[redcell38]

Helicopter rated as well as airpalne. Here is my breakdown I have 170 hours total. For my commercial airplane I need 250 right. So the helicopter private is 30 hours and because I have my instrument already I only need 15 hours helo inst. I would only need 50 hours for helo commercial. that would put me 30 hours short of my airplane commercial. Sounds confusing but to get your commercial in airplane or helicopter you can use the FAR rules to get you where you need to be.Not all your hours have to be in helicoper or airplane you can combine them.
With that being said there are safety issues that even though you have the hours you might not really be safe.
I figure since I am spending the money a few thousand more I can have both and if I instruct I can go just about anywhere.

 

[scottyboy75]

Congrats on the Helo time. Welcome to the dark side. I am looking for dual ratings but have done rotor first. The problem with helos is that it all is insurance driven. I would take a look at SFAR 73 to part 61. Most schools require 200 hrs in helo to teach and that number is rising. When it comes to checkrides I do not count my airplane time for anything. It is getting to the point where most places are requiring a comm license to carry pax for fun.
Someone once told me that learning to hover is like trying to balance a bb in the center of a garbage can lid. Once you find your hover button though its a whole new world. Now hovering becomes a second nature and the helo becomes a part of you. Kinda like a kayak.

 

[redcell38]

to teach in the r-22 yes you need 200 hours. It is funny that that, that specific aircraft is named in the FAR, I can't think of any others llike that.
Insurance is the killer for all ratings and flying and it does seem like it is getting worse. I am getting another log book so I can log each on their own.
Even though I will have all the ratings when I am done and will probably have the helo cfi rating first. I will end up teaching fixed until I get the hours built up for helo.
I was thinking of taking a photo course when I get my commercial I could build time that way.

 

[UH60driver]

Someone once told me that learning to hover is like trying to balance a bb in the center of a garbage can lid. Once you find your hover button though its a whole new world. Now hovering becomes a second nature and the helo becomes a part of you. Kinda like a kayak.

It's funny you mentioned that. There is this contraption in the Aviation Library at Fort Rucker that works just like you described. It is a flat short open top wooden box which is attached to a set of tubes rigged to a cyclic. It can move freely in any direction, corresponding to the displacement of the cyclic stick; it will never stay level. An iron ball (bearing ball) sits on top of the box and the objective of the machine is to try to maintain the ball centered on the box. As the box begins to tilt in any direction, the person has to attempt to keep the ball in the middle of the box by adjusting the cyclic.

Congratulations on your first hours of helo, Redcell38. Welcome to the insane side (at least that's what we're considered).

Luis

 

[n57flyguy]

Your so lucky!!! Congrats!!!

All you need is a helo avatar!

 

[scottyboy75]

Are you talking about boatpix? I am not sure about them I have heard some bad and some good. There is also some guy that at the begining of each spring that will sell some time in an Enstrom in support of logging. I missed the email this spring or I would foward it to you.
It's funny how hard it is to learn to hover but once you learn you do not even think about it anymore. I spent 15 minutes in a hover waiting to take off the ship was rock steady. My wife didn't even think we were off the ground.

 

[Ian_J]

It's funny you mentioned that. There is this contraption in the Aviation Library at Fort Rucker that works just like you described. It is a flat short open top wooden box which is attached to a set of tubes rigged to a cyclic. It can move freely in any direction, corresponding to the displacement of the cyclic stick; it will never stay level. An iron ball (bearing ball) sits on top of the box and the objective of the machine is to try to maintain the ball centered on the box. As the box begins to tilt in any direction, the person has to attempt to keep the ball in the middle of the box by adjusting the cyclic.

Congratulations on your first hours of helo, Redcell38. Welcome to the insane side (at least that's what we're considered).

Luis

Ha! I remember that thing. Thought I was never going to learn how to hover.

Congrats redcell... welcome to the other side. Keep us updated on your training and let us know when you find your hover button!

 

[scottyboy75]

We should start I learned to hover thread.