Flew a helicopter for the first time today..

An Enstrom.. just a 40 minute first look and try.. but was very cool.. I loved it!

Weather was perfect for doing nothing more complicated than doing some basic turns and first feel of the controls.

Will do more.
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Very modest "training".. demo on the ground showed the blade angle changes in response to controls.. a very short rod not seen in pics took care of that.

Once we got up there and into training area over bush away from metro was handed controls.. firstly to maintain level flight.. then phasing in turns, then other controls ensure nose attitude.. then finally tracking along a windy river maintaining set altitude before pilot took over for final approach and landing.

Weather was perfect, no traffic and so easy just to concentrate on 1 or 2 basics at a time.. plenty enough for a very first look and to whet the appetite to learn it all..

The absolute best thing was the pilot taking off and just meandering amongst the parked planes and "taxiing" just 20' off the ground on the way to take off area.. surreal to be following a bit of tarmac above it but not needing to touch it lol.

A commercial Airbus pilot friend of mine who is ex-chopper Air Force gave me good background to heli ops and a few youtube videos gave me some examples and that's pretty much it for preparation!

In the Silver section on "bucket list" thread http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/silver-subscribed-private-forum/404430-bucket-lists-looking-back-older-members-here.html I said I was simplifying things and keep just a single simple hobby now which is to systematically gather skills so after this simple flight showed me I'd really enjoy doing it I'm sure will do more to learn it properly from the very beginning and want to end up where the pilot was which is to take off and have fine control and understanding of handling it close quarters.

 

Cool.. what sort of things do you do with it?