Helicopter Dreams

I just love the web! Today I found a perfect summary of the ATPL theory course, thank you Rob Groothuis for that piece of paper! Well structured, divided in each subject. For those of you that are interested to take part of it, just click the link above (links to the pdf document) and you’ll save some time when preparing the exams.

Thanks Rob!

Had a nice day in the air today. Started up with some instrument training from Bromma towards Västerås. I put the glasses where I only can see the instruments and not outside the helicopter, Jon told me to close my eyes while he was fooling around with the helicopte, then it was up to me to clear up the mess using the instruments. Really good practice but a bit booring to do the 5 hours of instrument training that’s needed.

After that we flew to a nice golf course “Frösåker” close to Västerås for some lunch. After a quick trip to Västerås airport I had a break for some planning of the trip back to Bromma. The afternoon session started with a short navigation that probably will be my short nav during my examination, good to learn the area since I haven’t been flying in that area that much.

Back at school I decided to do the EK (solo) and radio test that’s needed before flying solo in the control area. Shit, when will these tests end, can’t remember all the test done so far? Next week I have an english test at Flygteoriskolan, a new requirement since march 2008.

My flight lessons on Thursday and Friday are cancelled because of helicopter manitenance

Accumulated flight time: 27.0 hours

080813 Flight time: 2.7 hours

No flying today because of bad weather conditions. Instead we decided to do the technical course that you have to do before examination. We went through the R22 Operating Manual, discussed the various parts of the R22, followed by a test that I passed, nice!

Had lunch at Bromma airport, followed by a visit in the Bromma Control Tower. Nice to meet the guys that you talk to on the radio and see what they do.

Still haven’t decided how to do with the CPL theory that starts in november…hmmm.

I pray for better weather next week!

Ahhh, great to be back up there! Nice weather and a nice feeling starting up the R22 after 1 month without flying.

Instrument training 

Started the day with som instrument training. First step was to try to maintain altitude, direction and speed with my eyes closed, shit that was hard. My mind played me some tricks, I had almost made a 360 turn and lost altitude. After that I had to fly with some prepared glasses that made ony the instruments visible to me.  Really good practice since you hade to trust the instruments. You realize that you really need to rely on the horisontal gyro.

Since we were out in the Stockholm archipelago we decided to have a lunch break on Grinda, a really nice place to land for lunch.

Navigation and solo flight

After a nice Fish burger, coffee and a snus we headed back doing some spot landings, navigation until we got to Ekerö where Jon wanted me to fly some solo. Felt very secure today and the about 30 min of flying solo was my best so far. This was the last part of the solo flight with a very satisfied and happy pilot inside…

Accumulated flight time: 23.1 hours

080806 Flight time: 2.4 hours

Today I’ll explain how the “Airspeed indicator” works.

The airspeed indicator displays the speed of the helicopter through the air by comparing ram air pressure from the pitot tube with static air pressure from the static port—the greater the differential, the greater the speed. The instrument displays the result of this pressure differential as indicated airspeed (IAS). Manufacturers use this speed as the basis for determining helicopter performance, and it may be displayed in knots, miles per hour, or both. When an indicated airspeed is given for a particular situation, you normally use that speed without making a correction for altitude or temperature.

The reason no correction is needed is that an airspeed indicator and aircraft performance are affected equally by changes in air density. An indicated airspeed always yields the same performance because the indicator has, in fact, compensated for the change in the environment.

(Source: Rotocraft Flying handbook)

So today I’ll try to explain how the “Altimeter” works.

The altimeter displays altitude in feet by sensing pressure changes in the atmosphere. There is an adjustable barometric scale to compensate for changes in atmospheric pressure.

The basis for altimeter calibration is the International Standard Atmosphere (ISA), where pressure, temperature, and lapse rates have standard values. However, actual atmospheric conditions seldom match the standard values. In addition, local pressure readings within a given area normally change over a period of time, and pressure frequently changes as you fly from one area to another. As a result, altimeter indications are subject to errors, the extent of which depends on how much the pressure, temperature, and lapse rates deviate from standard, as well as how recently you have set the altimeter. The best way to minimize altimeter errors is to update the altimeter setting frequently. In most cases, use the current altimeter setting of the nearest reporting station along your route of flight per regulatory requirements.

(Source: Rotocraft Flying Handbook)