Planks or fans?

[planedriver]

"Geez"! No posts in this section so far.

 

Let's break the ice.;)

 

I suppose the majority must prefer flying "builders planks" as opposed to to flying "ceiling fans" as I call them, but that must be cool for some .

 

C'mon guys, we're all avi8tors,desk,or otherwise with a common interest, so don't be shy.:rotary::rotary:

 

 

[alf jessup]

I travel to work in 10 million dollar ceiling fans and just don't feel all that comfortable with all those moving parts above me, been for a blat in a gyro once, blue sky above me and earth below me when I looked up and down, been there done that.

 

I'll stick to the planks and fruit bats.

 

Each to there own, just not my cuppa tea even though they have many good points to them.

 

Cheers

 

Alf

 

 

[facthunter]

Choice.

 

I've NEVER been a fan of rotary winged aircraft, though I have plenty of friends who are. I am mechanically inclined and experienced enough not to trust driveshafts, clutches and gearboxes, driving complex tailrotors and a mainrotor system that has cyclic pitch and collective pitch as well as awfully varing airspeeds for the rotors, the faster they go forward. When they crash they bash themselves to death as well. I'm just not brave enough. One year in australia in the 70's, 27% of the ones on the register were written off. Nev.

 

 

[alf jessup]

I'm with you Nev

 

-

 

Not a fan of anything where the wing rotates faster than the fueslage, I think lift should be attained by not beating the air into submission.

 

But mind you they do have some good points going for them but unfortunatley not enough points to get me into it

 

 

[facthunter]

Uses.

 

They certainly have their uses for sure. The maintenance is a key factor in Safety. Look at the ones used in Iran by the Americans during the Embassy Hostage attempt. Not one got through. This was not due to groundfire, they failed mechanically. Nev.

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

5 million parts all rotating and trying to escape !! fact of the matter is they are statistically three times as unsafe as a fixed wing aircraft, and you'r chance of survival if you do crash is much less. A very high maintenance-related piece of equipment ,that has very low tolerance for lack of, or poor standard of maintenance.

 

 

[skydog]

Agreed.

 

As I humbly learn more about aircraft, their engines and the humans that drive them my brain tells me that choppers are definitely to the extreme edge of my flying comfort.

 

I opt for the simplest, safest engines and flight systems, i.e. manual flaps, non-retractable wheels, , steam gauges, Fuel injected certified engines and where the whole system can break down is the knob behind the knob behind the stick.

 

But the choppers are exciting aren`t they? I always look up when I hear one and love the sound of those old iraquois.

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Skydog, I can see where you'r coming from, as I like simplicity and relaxing comfort also. And you are so correct, the knob behind the knob controls the ultimate outcome.

 

I have done some time in choppers, Iroquos in the Air Force (willing passenger), and a few other types since then. I have also worked on Bell Jetrangers and Robbos. The Iroquos is a classic, with a classic sound, and we are lucky to still have a couple operating up here privatly and commercially. Grant Kenny has an Iroquos that he flys.

 

I will take a ride in the following anytime (depending on craft condition and knob behind the knob):..Iroquos, Squirrel, jetranger or other Bell, do not like Robbos at all. I have had a ride in a big 222 Bell and it was smooth as, and quite impressive.

 

Just got done pulling a Jetranger apart after a tailstrike. There is not a lot on a chopper that isn't critical to operation, and it's all got to hang together. Have no urge to fly rotary at all, but I have been known to drink beer with some of the drivers..........................................................................................

 

 

[alf jessup]

Maj,

 

Need to go for a spin in as Sikorsky S76, they are very smooth, I have been in the following types.

 

S76

 

Bell 212 & 412

 

Dauphin (in India), didn't like it at all for the lack of maintenence on it, cable ties holding the instrument panel up and the smell of Jet A inside it and the general overall condition of it + the captain went to sleep in it 5 minutes after we took off and let what looked like a 14 year old co pilot monitor the auto pilot until we got abot 10 miles from a platform, the worst part of the whole journey was when we were landing he approached the helipad with about 5 foot to spare, I thought we were going to hit the accomodation block.

 

Next was some monsterous looking Russian thing with 6 rotor blades in India that to me the rotors werent spinning fast enough, also the fact that 3 months prior 29 died in one in india when it went down

 

Must say I took a crew boat the rest of the time I was working there as I preffered the 7 hrs sailing time and looking at about 60 seasick indians on it rather than go in their choppers.

 

1 auto gyro also.

 

I guess if I didn't do the work I do I wouldn't go out of my way to get in another one

 

Cheers

 

Alf

 

 

[planedriver]

Thankfully, you're still with us.

 

Ceiling fans are best for keeping us cool.

 

Rgds

 

Planey

 

 

[Guest Howard Hughes]

I am a plank driver from way back, but I long to fly the flinging wing!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPjAp-Y08Eo"

 

That is really cool...:thumb_up:

 

PS: It's certified and VH registerable too, CTA here I come.

 

 

[Tomo]

Hey that vid looks like to much fun...

 

 

[dazza 38]

I am a plank driver from way back, but I long to fly the flinging wing!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPjAp-Y08Eo"

 

That is really cool...:thumb_up:

 

PS: It's certified and VH registerable too, CTA here I come.

How slow airspeed wise, can you fly, it looks slow.

[Guest Howard Hughes]

Minimum speed listed as 20 knots.

 

A friend who has actually flown one said that by pulling back on the stick you almost come to a complete stop, but then start descending like an elevator! Glide ratio is listed as 3 to 1, speed for 'autorotation' is listed as 55 knots, that is coming down bloody fast and steep!

 

Of course I haven't even seen one in the flesh yet, so this is all from the web!:ah_oh:

 

 

[Deskpilot]

It depends on the wind speed. As long as it's high enough to keep the rotors rotating to give sufficient lift, you can stand still in the air, without any loss in height. I initially intended to go the gyro way but back then, they were not really suitable for touring. Great for mustering etc, sure, fun to fly. and very smooth flight at that, but a lot of moneyfor what you got. Still applies. Never been in a helo, and some how, don't want to.

 

 

[facthunter]

Gyro Performance.

 

Great in bumpy conditions when other craft would have trouble handling the turbulence. With rotor spin- up take-off is much shortened. Long trips are slow and use a lot of fuel. Landing into a moderate wind you can land slightly in reverse. (Charactistics that I have observed.) I have no desire to fly one, When I was a very young chap people used to build things like the Barnes-Wallace jigger that appeared in at least one James Bond film. Many of them ran the alloy Triumph vertical twin motor, or the Enfield-McCullock two stroke. There were quite a few fatalities due to faults with the rotors (fatigue). I think that there have been major improvements in that area since then.. Nev

 

 

[JG3]

Quote:

 

"...Gyros, the flying machines of the future, and probably always will be....."

 

 

[GraemeK]

"...Gyros, the flying machines of the future, and probably always will be....."

Never a truer word JG3 - and it's as true today as it was 20 years ago!

 

 

[Spin]

I'm amazed, there seem to be rather a lot of underdeveloped senses of adventure out there.:confused: My own flying has always been fixed wing, well paragliding aside, but I've been a passenger in quite a few choppers, Bell 206, Allouette, R44 and Enstrom and have thoroughly enjoyed the experience, especially an R44 sortie to recover a stolen truck. We found it after about 40 mins of swooping low over every likely clump of bush and backyard workshop, landing in a vacant lot in the middle of a small town to regain possession. Try that in your Jab.

 

I'm not ashamed to say that I love flying, in almost all it's forms and provided that something isn't obviously high risk, I'll give it a bash at least once. I say "almost" because I have some philosophical objections to baling out of perfectly good aircraft. If finance allowed I would definitely fly choppers in addition to fixed wing.

 

 

[Tomo]

If finance allowed I would definitely fly choppers in addition to fixed wing.

Yup me too!:thumb_up: I haven't been in any rotary craft yet, but I've been offered a ride in a friends R22... can't wait! I'm not a huge fan of gyro's, but they are certainly getting safer and do perform quite well in maneuvering around the place. I won't say no to a ride anyway.

 

 

[Guest Neil Farr]

I'm an RAA pilot and love my fixed wing. Just started getting lessons in a gyro and loving it.Opens up a whole new flying experience. Cant believe what these things can do. Its great fun, thats what its all about.

 

 

[bones]

yeah it is definately a choice, and for me there is nothing as safe at low and slow as a gyro fan,sure they are not a great A to B machine but then I have flown to Sa nd back nd planing on Perth Easter next year.

 

I will offer to take anyone for a quick lap:rotary:

 

 

[planedriver]

yeah it is definately a choice, /QUOTE]I have a basic theory about most mechanical things in life, which is "simplicity, is generally the essence of reliability".

 

Like many others, i've also been in a gyro-glider on the end of a rope (at Erskine Park NSW) towed by an ancient Ford Falcon down the strip, but also had a couple of flights in hellies.

 

Thinking about all the moving parts needed to function correctly to keep us up there, each time I was reminded of the story of the fully automatic rocket plane flight from London to New York where the inflight announcement went something like this.

 

"Ladies and Gentleman, welcome aboard this inaugural rocket propelled flight from London to New York. This is the start of a new era in travel, there is no pilot on this flight which should be of approximately 1 1/4hrs duration. Everything is fully automatic, and to put you at ease, we wish to advise you that all systems have been so exhaustively tested, and re-tested, that there is absolutely no chance that anything will go wrong, go wrong, go wrong, go wrong. i_dunno

[Rotaryman]

Helicopters Rule

 

Greetings fellow Aviators,

 

I am a recent new member to your hallowed Recreational Flying webb site and thought I would thow my 2 cents into the debate.

 

As a commercial Helicopter Pilot and Instructor of some 16 years experience I would like to say Helicopters Rule.

 

I remember an old bold pilot once telling me that we can teach a Monkey to fly a plane, but they do have issues with making the radio calls when required..

 

Unlike Helicopters that do require considerable imputs to maintain flight, a fixed wing wants to fly and many have taken to the skies with out the monkey being strapped in.

 

In anycase I welcome any questions relating to Helicopters and happy to represent our Rotary breathren.

 

Cheers:clap:

 

 

 

[facthunter]

love 'em or...

 

I'm with planey on this. there are enough parts to fail on a fixed wing., let alone the clutches, collective and cyclic pitch and tail rotordrive and pitch control, and one wing going faster than the other etc Helicopters do a unique job in some situations, but for general recreational work, simple is best.

 

, and uses a lot less fuel to get the payload there.