Helicopter hypothetical.

[CT8]

Originally Posted By: maximus
Originally Posted By: NHGUY
Imagine if everybody started doing that.Now there would be collisions in the sky rather than on roadways


It will never happen. Ever. It takes a pretty high degree of competence to safely fly an aircraft especially a helo. I would conservatively estimate that 40% of drivers on the road can barely operate a vehicle, let alone any aircraft.

PLUS English proficiency is required for any airman certificate. That alone would preclude half of the population in my neck of the woods.
You won't see me trying to fly I know my limits[somewhat!!!]

 

[maximus]

Go to the local airport and do a discovery flight. You'll be with an FAA Flight Instructor. The instructor will let you do as much or little flying as you want except for the landing. Even if you don't go for a license, it would still be an awesome experience.

 

[SatinSilver]

Originally Posted By: maximus
Go to the local airport and do a discovery flight. You'll be with an FAA Flight Instructor. The instructor will let you do as much or little flying as you want except for the landing. Even if you don't go for a license, it would still be an awesome experience.


Yep, that's what I did. I think it was around $50 but that was a few years ago. Had a super hot instructor as well. Good thing since it's close quarters in there. Plus they use newer Cessnas:

http://cessna.txtav.com/en/single-engine/learn-to-fly

I think the intro flight lesson with the helo was 3x as much. This was on basic Schweizer 300.

 

[LoneRanger]

Originally Posted By: SatinSilver
If you get some life insurance they ask you if you have a private pilots license. There's also a Robinson R22 which is a two seater compared to the larger R44. I flew on an R22 which went down a few months after I was on it. No survivors, it hit a power line. It seemed to have recovered after the hit then after a few seconds, straight down. Left two children behind.

You can take an inexpensive intro flight lesson on both a helicopter and a fixed wing. I've done both and are very different from each other.

Talking to a pilot of a Bell 222(Lifeflight) said the smaller, cheap helicopters are like flying lawnmowers. I forget if he said that about the Robinsons or the experimental Rotorway. Which is why they're so cheap, since they're considered experimental aircraft. They sell them as a kit and are not assembled by the company. Kind of like a kit car but a flying version.


The Robinson's are not experimental, they are certified, the 4 place R44 uses a Lycoming IO-540 fuel injected FAA certified piston engine. Far from a lawn mower. That life flight pilot sounds like a turbine snob, looking down his nose at the lowly Lycoming powered Robinson. There are quite a few Robinson R44's in FAA Part 135 commercial service. The R22 is certified as well, but uses the smaller 4 cyl Lycoming IO-360 certified engine.

 

[SatinSilver]

Originally Posted By: LoneRanger
Originally Posted By: SatinSilver
Talking to a pilot of a Bell 222(Lifeflight) said the smaller, cheap helicopters are like flying lawnmowers. I forget if he said that about the Robinsons or the experimental Rotorway. Which is why they're so cheap, since they're considered experimental aircraft. They sell them as a kit and are not assembled by the company. Kind of like a kit car but a flying version.


The Robinson's are not experimental, they are certified and use a Lycoming IO-540 fuel injected FAA certified piston engine. Far from a lawn mower. That life flight pilot sounds like a turbine snob, looking down his nose at the lowly Lycoming powered Robinson R44. There are quite a few Robinson R44's in FAA Part 135 commercial service. The R22 is certified as well, but uses the smaller 4 cyl Lycoming IO-360 certified engine.


Good point about the snob part. I was referring to the Rotorway as experimental. I wouldn't mind flying in a R44. They seem very nice compared to the R22.