Discovery Flights - Your First Flight

Once inside the helicopter, you will follow the instructor going over the start check list and all pre-takeoff checks.

Once everything is ready and the proper clearances are received from the Control Tower, we will bring the helicopter into the hover.

During all this, you will be following the instructor on the controls and realize how little movement is required to control the helicopter. Light pressure forward on the cyclic, a little pressure up on the collective, the helicopter is now moving, using the pedals to keep the nose straight, we taxi to the take off spot.

As we take off, you will see that the helicopter is a little nose down, this is normal. As we accelerate forward, the helicopter will shake a little due to an aerodynamic principle called translational lift. Occurring as the aircraft accelerates through 15 KTS, translational lift is an increase in lift without additional power. You'll learn more about this if you take ground school with the program.

We will climb at 60 kts airspeed until we reach our cruising altitude of 5'000 feet.

At this point, the instructor will demonstrate a couple basic manoeuvres then ask if you are ready. Now comes the "you have control" "I have control" "you have control" part and next thing you know you will be flying a helicopter by yourself!! But don't worry your instructor will be close by to assist when needed.

Just remember to relax and use only light pressures on the controls; move slowly and gently.

You start with flying straight and level and then move to some gentle turns. Remember to look at your outside reference and also to watch for any small movements of your datum (top of the instrument panel). Try to keep the same distance between the horizon and the top of the panel.

At some point during the flight, the instructor will land in a field and demonstrate the hover. Being one of the more challenging manoeuvres, don't get discouraged when you try. Students who take the program usually fly for a number of hours before they are introduced to this exercise. It's just to give you an example of one of the manoeuvres unique to helicopters.

To finish the flight you will take off again and fly back to the airport where you will follow on the controls for the landing. After the taxi back, you will pull out the check list again for the shut down procedure. When it's all wrapped up you will probably wonder how 30 minutes can seem like 5!

Enjoy that great feeling you'll have when you know you have done something unique, an experience of a lifetime!