Training in the UH1

ScoopD · December 22, 2020, 11:01am

A quick thanks to @Cib for his time and tuition last night. Thanks to multi crew he could fly in the same cockpit and take control to demo techniques. I learnt lots about how to fly a helo and what I should be doing to improve. It is definitely an area where experience of fixed wings is of minimum value. I spent this morning hovering over a join in the parking area and managed to keep it within about 20 feet. A first. I look forward to more training

Most important lesson learnt from @Cib last night. Trim the aircraft to hover before leaving the ground. Not leave it in neutral and try to trim once multi tasking.

…and @Cib did not get me VR airsick as happened previously with @schurem and @Victork2.

Hangar200 · December 22, 2020, 11:06am

I have never heard that and it sounds very useful!

I’ve always gone with the “pull back on the cyclic and put some opposite rudder in to offset the torque” and my ugly takeoff hovers are the result.

I assume this is a good rule of thumb for all helos.

How does one trim for hover before hand?

ScoopD · December 22, 2020, 11:50am

@Hangar200

Ctrl + Enter to display the positions of the flight controls.

Move the cyclic to put the diamond below and to the left of centre.
Hold that position and select trim.
Release the cyclic and the diamond should stay in and be trimmed for that position.
The diamond should be fully visible without overlapping the centre, but only just.

@Cib had me sitting at about five feet off the ground for a long time. Its priceless. He could stay fixed in a spot. I can’t yet, but improved noticably. Today I was better still, better meaning not that good. After each session I was perspiring with the workload.

ScoopD · December 22, 2020, 11:49am

I have only flown the UH1 so am the wrong person to ask. i would guess so

Hangar200 · December 22, 2020, 1:19pm

Copy. Will try that. Thanks

ScoopD · December 22, 2020, 1:25pm

Begin without any weapons. They fly better light

Cib · December 22, 2020, 3:12pm

I am really glad you found it useful.
The next task after mastering the stationary hover is move horizontally left and right in a hover keeping your nose pointed in the same direction.

Hangar200 · December 23, 2020, 11:33am

Actually, the funny thing is that I don’t have a problem hovering once I’ve taken off and flown around for a while. I wouldn’t say I’m an expert by any stretch. However, I seem to be able to “fly into” a hover–descend, slow down and point into the wind. Strange.

ScoopD · December 23, 2020, 12:12pm

Whereas I do not add enough power transiting to the hover and end up flying in the same way a brick doesn’t.

Victork2 · December 23, 2020, 12:50pm

I always forget about the wind!

ScoopD · December 30, 2020, 5:12pm

I am still pre PPL skill test but have come on leaps and bounds.

1. Altered the collective. I had mirrored the throttle curve on my F18 thinking ‘its a jet engine’ Of course it is not, it is a collective. So much better control in linear rather than logarithmic.
1. My X56 throttle wasnt accurate enough doing the job of the collective. It was hard to make fine adjustments. I have found it much easier using a rotary switch. My transitions to the hover improved instantly.