Piloting a helicopter requires a different set of skills than those required to fly a fixed wing aircraft or vehicle. While the aircraft relies on forward thrust to move the air over the wings and create load-bearing force, the helicopter uses the rotating blades to create the necessary support. To fly a helicopter you will need to use both your hands and feet. This guide will help you on your way to becoming a pilot.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: The Helicopter Controls
Step 1. Familiarize yourself with the parts and controls of the helicopter
Read the manual. Here are some of the basic controls you will need to pilot it:
- The collective is the lever located on the cabin floor to the left of the pilot's seat.
- The throttle is the revolving handle at the end of the collective
- The cyclic is the bar positioned in front of the driver's seat.
- The tail rotor is controlled with two pedals placed on the floor.
Step 2. Understand the capabilities and limitations of a helicopter
Most accidents often occur when the blade system is overloaded, i.e. when pilots attempt maneuvers that require more thrust than the blades can produce or more power than the helicopter can deliver to maintain flight.
Step 3. Operate the collective with the left hand
- Raise the collective to raise the helicopter and lower it to lower it. The collective serves to change the angle of the main rotor blades which is placed on top of the helicopter.
- Adjust the throttle. When you raise the collective you have to increase the engine speed. Lower your speed when you lower the collective. The throttle is connected directly to the position of the collective lever so that the RPM is always in line with the levels of the latter. You will only need to make adjustments when necessary.
Step 4. Operate the cyclic with your right hand
It looks like a joystick, but it is very sensitive so you will have to make very light movements.
Push the cyclic forward to move forward, backward to move backward and sideways to move sideways. The cyclic does not change the direction towards which the nose of the helicopter points but makes the helicopter tilt forward, backward (pitch), right and left (roll)
Step 5. Check the tail rotor with your feet
The pedals are used to steer the helicopter.
- Slightly increase the pressure on the left pedal to lean left, or on the right pedal to go right.
- The pedals increase or decrease the force produced by the tail rotor, thus controlling the yaw. Without the tail rotor the helicopter would naturally rotate in the opposite direction of the main rotor. The pedals increase and decrease the power of the tail rotor thus generating control.
Part 2 of 2: Basic Maneuvers
Step 1. Take off
Follow the next steps to take off:
- First the throttle must be fully open. Wait until you reach the required number of RPMs.
- Gradually, pull the collective up. Simultaneously push the left pedal (right for non-American models). Keep pulling the collective and pressing on the pedal. Adjust the thrust on the pedal if the vehicle starts to turn left or right.
- The helicopter will lift off the ground and then you can use the cyclic. As you continue to raise the collective and press the pedal, adjust the cyclic to keep the vehicle straight during take-off. Push forward slightly to start moving.
- When the helicopter switches from upward motion to forward motion it will jerk. Push the cyclic a little further to continue the movement. The phenomenon that causes the jolt is called "effective translational lift (ETL)".
- In the ETL phase, lower the collective and reduce the pressure on the pedal. Push the cyclic forward to avoid swooping and loss of forward speed.
- Once you have taken off, decrease the thrust on the cyclic. In this way the helicopter will begin to climb in altitude and increase speed. From this point the pedals become the primary means of controlling the vehicle. Most maneuvers will only require a combination of cyclic and collective.
Step 2. Fly by finding a balance between collective, cyclic and pedals
This is learned with an instructor who will hold the other commands while you practice one at a time and then together. You must learn to anticipate the amount of time that exists between the action on the controls and the reaction of the helicopter
Step 3. Ascend and descend in altitude using the speed as described in the pilot's manual
This changes depending on the terrain. Maintain a speed of 15-20 knots during steep climbs. Carefully raise the collective and make sure you don't exceed the yellow torque gauge limit.
Step 4. Land while keeping an eye on the landing spot
You may need to adjust the buoyancy so that you are turned to the side as you approach.
- Try to be within 60-150 meters of the ground or any obstacle when you are about half a kilometer from the landing point.
- Check the speed. About 200 meters from the landing point, he slows down to 40 knots and begins to descend. Check the rate of descent and make sure it does not exceed 90 meters per minute.
- As you approach the landing point, slow down to 30 and then 20 knots. You may need to raise the nose of the helicopter to decrease the speed. Doing so may cause you to lose sight of the landing spot for a moment.
- When you arrive in the landing zone keep moving forward as it is much more difficult to control the roll and landing if you fly to a fixed point first. Once the landing spot appears and passes under the nose of the helicopter then you can lower the collective.
- Parking brake. Pull back the cyclic to reduce motion and then forward to level the altitude. Keep the descent rate as low as you can and adjust the collective accordingly.
- Once you touch the ground, check that the parking brake is engaged and reduce power.
Advice
- Operate the controls gently.
- Helicopter pilots fly at different altitudes than fixed-wing aircraft and this is to avoid air traffic problems.
- Focus your gaze at least one kilometer away if the practice area allows it.
- The helicopter pilots sit on the right side of the vehicle. As the rotor creates more thrust on the right side the rider's weight serves as a balance. Staying on the right side also allows the rider to control the collective with his left hand and use his right hand to control the cyclic which is much more sensitive.
