At 2.5 hours, you’re well ahead of the curve. Congratulations. I only personally know one other who was also hovering on the second attempt - your humble and obedient, if I may say.
When I was teaching at RW, it generally took nearly all of 10 hours to get them to the point where they could lift off, hover, and land with a reasonable expectation that they wouldn’t roll their pretty new helicopter over and snap off the blades, which would only serve to upset them. The reason for this is not that RW students are more dim than average - they are not. Rather, the RW, for all it’s snappy dressing, flies like a fairly primitive helicopter. Sure, it has those cool FADEC systems, but they just keep the engine timing and mixture where they belong - they do nothing to maintain rotor RPM. It’s the only helicopter I’ve ever flown where Transverse Flow Effect made a real difference, not just something to recite in the checkride. It is, in my experience, the hardest thing to fly that can be made to fly.
On the other side of the curve is the AStar and the Boeing Vertol 107II. Practically fly themselves. Which leads to my gross helicopter generalization: the more a helicopter costs, the easier it is to fly.
By the way, did any of you see the footage of the Amtrak train wreck on CNN Sunday, March 18th? Guess who was flying the helicopter that got it?
You’ll have to forgive me - I got the call to get out there at 4:15 this morning, and I haven’t been back to sleep yet.
Fly Safely.
The only thing cooler than a helicopter, is a cooler helicopter.
Canadian PP SEL, night rated, commercial work done, and about 1/2 of my IFR rating.
I got my license in about 1986, bought a Grumman AA1 in 1991 and sold it in 1998. I loved that airplane, but once we had a baby it was impossible for the family to travel in it. I’m still thinking about a replacement…
Looking in the log book, I’m signed off in: Cessna 150, 172, 172XP, 182, Grumman Yankee, Grumman Tiger, Piper Archer and Warrior, Maule M5-210C, Stinson 108, Mooney M20C, and Glasair III.
I haven’t flown for a couple of years now, but I’m going to get checked out again this summer.
Wow! I am impressed! I had no idea there were so many dopers with wings!
I have always wanted to pursue a PPL but never seemed to get around to it. This may just give me the bit of motivation I need!
I have a total of about 5mins stick time in a King Air, and probably about 10 in a C172 (freinds of the family indulging my dream).
If you count Sim time, probably 500 hours in a 737 and at least the same in an F-16C… and many other shorter amounts in other various others. Thats gotta count towards something, right???
Nah, didn’t think so.
Man, I think I might make a phone call today to check into this! Thanks for giving me a kick in the butt.
I also flew from a Navy flying club - North Island. So we coudln’t do any of the aero stuff either. Not that I would have - I was a very gentle flier. OK, I was a wuss… still am a wuss.
I think Jax Navy Flying Club has a T-34. Too bad I’m too broke to join. <sigh>
I’m a newbie pilot (as well as a newbie doper :)) got my license 2 years ago in a C152. Learned to fly out at Paine Field, Everett in the crystal blue beautiful Puget Sound.
The scariest moment I’ve had so far was a night flight when right at touchdown with my wheels, I had a coyote run between the gear of the plane missing being beheaded from the prop by scant millimeters…
I didn’t get that close, but while on final to Fox Field in the high desert (not to far from Edwards AFB) I heard, “Attention all aircraft: Caution. Coyote traffic on the runway.”
Considering my sig, I should’ve picked up on that.
I own/fly a 69 C-150. Bought the plane first, took lessons and passed checkride in it. Now have over 200 hours PIC. Would like to move up to a C-182 in a year or two.
Kinda strange, I had many hobbies before I started flying, now it’s dwindled down to just about one! If I’m not flying, I’m thinking about flying!!
I earned my Private certificate when I was in college, and got the Instrument and Commercial about 5 years later. I have about 100 hours in a C150, about 200 in a C172, another 200 in a C182, and about 20 in a PA-28.
Both of my parents are pilots, and my mom was a CFII. (I couldn’t beat the price of lessons there!) She was my instructor for the Private, but I chose to go to use instructors from a flying club when working on my instrument and commercial.
I attended the Air Traffic Controller academy in Oklahoma City, but I was in the 40% that didn’t pass the screen. Bummer. But I guess it’s better to wash out sooner rather than later.
Sometime in the next 2-3 years I’d like to start a partnership with 3 other pilots and purchase a C172 or C182.
I’ve been reading the SDMB every day for the last 2 months, and this is my very first post ever!
