In the spring of 2008 Lee gave me a block of helicopter lessons. She has been the encouragement for many an endeavor that has resulted in large expense, and rewarding interest, over the years. The lessons started with C&R Helicopters in Nashua, NH. I began training in the venerable Robinson R22 and have maybe a dozen hours at this point.
I think of myself as a competent fixed wing pilot. It took some concentration and effort to elevate my flying to the point of being comfortable with the Glasair. Forget all that. Flying helicopters is the single most difficult coordination skill I have ever attempted. Every major appendage is actively engaged in keeping the beast in the air. To an observer it may look like the machine is in a boring, stable hover. To the pilot it is a non-stop effort that requires supreme concentration and effort. Not a single millisecond of lapse in attention is allowed or the ultimate consequence will be paid.
And the COST!!! I am convinced that these things are held in the air by pouring $100 bills into the tank and bits. Mechanically they are far more stressed than fixed-wing craft. Thousands of parts have to be perfect, balanced, and functioning perfectly to keep these unnatural things aloft. Whereas an airplane has the close analogue to a bird, there is no such model for a helicopter. It is a conception of man, and as such lacks the grace or elegance of nature.
Still, I am fascinated. It is a new skill to master. A new realm to explore.
Compared to fixed wing flight, the first liftoff into a 10 foot hover is far closer to that childhood fantasy of flight where you lift off and swoop around. The visibility is stunning and the sensations could easily become addictive.
These are a few photos from a training flight to my front yard. From the ground it looks plenty big for helicopter operations, but the acceleration run to ETL out the front kind of showed that it's a little cramped. The fence line and power lines are not really as close as they look in the photos, but the wind would have to be just right since the approach and exit would have to be made in the same direction. I am sure the neighbors would have more to say if I made a regular habit of this.