Insights from a Professional Helicopter Pilot
Dive into expert tips and aviation knowledge shared by a seasoned helicopter test pilot dedicated to elevating your flight knowledge and skills.
-
Making the grade – understanding climb gradients in the go around
On some instrument approach charts there is a choice of approach minimum altitudes dependent on the climb gradient in the go around phase. In this article we look at why different gradients make a difference and how pilots can use the performance manual to select the right minimums for their approach. We focus on helicopters…
-
Unfair Skies: Restrictive helicopter instructor rules and how to fix them
Tucked away in the instructor regulations are a handful of rules that are, frankly, inexplicably inconsistent — leaving helicopter instructors dealing with restrictions their aeroplane counterparts never have to think about. In this article, we highlight some of the most unnecessarily restrictive rotary wing requirements and outline practical, common‑sense fixes that would bring them back…
-
How to create an instrument rating instructor (IRI) – A helicopter anomaly
In both the fixed wing and rotary wing worlds, a particular qualification is required to deliver training towards issue of an initial Instrument Rating (IR) – The Instrument Rating Instructor (IRI). However, due to a quirk with the aircraft used in training for an instrument rating, creating and sustaining IRI is much more difficult in…