Heating and cooling the helicopter cabin can be accomplished in different ways. The simplest form of cooling is by ram air. Air ducts in the front or sides of the helicopter are opened or closed by the pilot to let ram air into the cabin. This system is limited as it requires forward airspeed to […]
Helicopters, unlike airplanes, generally operate under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) and require pilots to maintain aircraft control by visual cues. However, when unforecast weather leads to degraded visibility, the pilot may be at increased risk of Inadvertent flight into Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IIMC). During an IIMC encounter, the pilot may be unprepared for the loss
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The part on helicopter flying training is a thorough technical manual created especially to help candidates getting ready for their private, commercial, or flight instructor pilot certifications that include a helicopter class rating. For certified flight instructors as well, this part is an invaluable teaching resource. Preparing for Pilot Certificates This training part equips you
Helicopter Flying: A Comprehensive Guide for Pilots and Flight Instructors Read Post »
The accident rate for helicopters has traditionally been higher than the accident rate of fixed-wing aircraft, probably due to the helicopter’s unique capabilities to fly and land in more diverse situations than fixed-wing aircraft and pilot attempts to fly the helicopter beyond the limits of his or her abilities or beyond the capabilities of the
Pilots rely more on vision than on any other sense to orient themselves in flight. The following visual factors contribute to flying performance: good depth perception for safe landings, good visual acuity to identify terrain features and obstacles in the flightpath, and good color vision. Although vision is the most accurate and reliable sense, visual
Today, helicopters are quite reliable. However, emergencies do occur, whether a result of mechanical failure or pilot error, and should be anticipated. Regardless of the cause, the recovery needs to be quick and precise. By having a thorough knowledge of the helicopter and its systems, a pilot is able to handle the situation more readily.
The maneuvers presented in this section require more skill and understanding of the helicopter and the surrounding environment. When performing these maneuvers, a pilot is probably taking the helicopter to the edge of the safe operating envelope. Therefore, if you are ever in doubt about the outcome of the maneuver, abort the mission entirely or
From the previous Ground Procedures and Flight Preparations section, it should be apparent that no two helicopters perform the same way. Even when flying the same model of helicopter, wind, temperature, humidity, weight, and equipment make it difficult to predict just how the helicopter will perform. Therefore, this section presents the basic flight maneuvers in
A pilot’s ability to predict the performance of a helicopter is extremely important. It helps to determine how much weight the helicopter can carry before takeoff, if the helicopter can safely hover at a specific altitude and temperature, the distance required to climb above obstacles, and what the maximum climb rate will be. [humix auto=”1″
This section discusses the components, sections, and systems found on most modern helicopters. Helicopters come in a variety of sizes and shapes, but most share the same major components. The section introduces the major components/ sections of the helicopter and the systems that correlate with each. Knowing how the components and systems work on the
