Introductory flying lesson.
An introductory flying lesson is the chance to get airborne in a small helicopter and try your hand at flying it yourself under the supervision of a flying instructor. If you have almost made up your mind that you would like to learn to fly, this is the ideal opportunity to get the feel of flying a helicopter as well as gaining a little understanding of the skill and theory involved. On the other hand, many people simply take an introductory lesson just for the experience of a lifetime, and why not! If you are seriously thinking of learning to fly, it is worth knowing that the flying time on this flight does count towards the total required for completing the PPL(H) course.
What to expect on introductory flying lesson or gift voucher
On arriving at the flying school you will meet the instructor and he will give you a pre flight briefing. If you live locally it may be possible to route the flight accordingly. Before leaving the flying school offices the instructor will complete the necessary paperwork formalities and may need to telephone the air traffic control (ATC) unit on the airfield to give them details of the flight. Then it’s time to walk-out to the helicopter. Out at the helicopter the instructor will probably show you the various sections of the aircraft and give you a detailed safety brief. Once in the cockpit, the instructor will help you get settled into your seat, fit your seatbelt and give you a guided tour of the controls and instruments in the aircraft. The instructor will start the helicopter and after obtaining clearance from ATC, take off and climb away from the airfield.
Take the opportunity to look around, orientate yourself and enjoy the view. With the helicopter levelled-out at a suitable altitude and settled in the cruise, the time has come for you to try some flying for yourself. The instructor will demonstrate to you the effects of the controls and then pass control of each one of them to you so that you can experience them for yourself. Of course the helicopter has dual controls so if you do make the odd mistake the instructor will be able to take over immediately. While cruising along you may wonder what would happen if the engine were to fail. Contrary to what you might think the rotor blades would not just stop. The rotor blades can in fact rotate independently from the engine, rather like a car ‘freewheeling’ with the gearbox in neutral and the engine turned off. In the unlikely event of an engine failure, the airflow from below and the forward speed of the helicopter keep the blades rotating and permit a controlled descent to a safe landing (this is known as an Autorotation). This is just the sort of procedure you will practice regularly if you train for a helicopter pilot’s licence. On the way back the instructor will approach an area of the airfield reserved for hovering practice. There your instructor can demonstrate the true art of helicopter flying such as hovering, landing and taking off, turning over a spot and flying backwards and sideways.
Conditions permitting, you may now get a chance to try controlling the helicopter in the hover. This is significantly more intense than controlling the helicopter in forward flight. This is where your co-ordination really comes into its own. Whilst hovering is, undoubtedly, the most difficult and skilful aspect of flying a helicopter, it is also the most rewarding. You are probably now approaching the end of the lesson and your instructor will air taxi back to the parking spot. After shutting down the engine and stopping the rotor blades your instructor will give you a short debrief and discuss any points that you may wish to raise.
