HELP PLEASE! HELICOPTER FIXATION!!

[Arif110]

Hi all,

After just having had some sort of a jet-engined helicopter hovering very nearby our house in Northampton, it reminded me of a massive fixation I have with helicopters as machines. I have a similar fixation with jet engines - did a project on it and Frank Whittle when I was 12 or so. Thank God though that Wren Turbines and Jetcat model engines have come to my rescue for that - I can own and interact very closely with a real jet engine for around £1000.

However - how does one and how have any of you addressed a similar fascination with helicopters?

I can think of a few solutions, in order of preference. I'd like your experiences, hopefully of the fixation solved.

1) Get utterly loaded, buy one, learn to fly it or hire a pilot, and have a massive house with acres of land to land it on and play with it.

2) Hire one and get flown around, ad hoc.

3) Learn to fly one and get a PPL.

4) Buy a model jet helicopter - and hire a pilot!

5) As above - but learn to fly it myself.

6) As 1) & 4) - but bolt it down to the ground and just run it and watch it until it runs out of fuel.

7) Get a life?!?!


All input and solutions appreciated!


Arif

[Gargamel]

I'd go with option 9 - stream old copies of Airwolf from the internet, and live out your fantasies as ' hawk'


or get a top spec computer sim - way cheaper and you can shoot things without the locals getting annoyed.

[RDE]

Option 10) Study 'Powered Lift' at university and be baffled by some of the most complicated mathematics you've ever faced.

If you'd like a taste of that, read Foundations of Helicopter Flight by Dr Simon Newman (my lecturer for that course).

[Arif110]

Actually - studying it at that level would indeed go some way towards salving my need to be steeped 'in that world'. On James May's inventions programme, there was this prototype helicopter device just big enough for one person to be strapped into - it didn't need to be able to rotate its blades (in their own axis, that is), because the whole blade assembly swivelled in every direction. The blades themselves stayed fixed in a 'lift' position. Very clever indeed. They also solved the gyroscopic effect without a tail of any sort by having two sets of contrarotating blades - very clever again.

I've seen a road-legal Beetle with a helicopter engine mounted in it. I guess it would be illegal to start up while driving?

I'd like to do that with a Landrover Defender. In all seriousness, does anyone know anyone who would be able to get involved in such a project? Hot exhaust gases would I imagine be the issue if trying to run it on the open road - but would it be possible to do therefore with a truck, and operate it legally? Anyone know?

Thanks for replies so far...


Arif

[BadBob]

Or buy yourself This and start saving up

[Benni]

For jet powered cars, go to Santa Pod Raceway and look for
"Rocket Ronnie" Picardo -he´s the one who built and drives the beetle-
or Martin Hill, who built and drives the "Fireforce" jet funny car,
both are experts in the field of propulsion-powered extravaganza.
HTH,
Benni

[defblade]

Have a helicopter lesson (available from your prefered "experience" company). Other half bought me one a few years back for my birthday and it was great

[Stickers]

Arif110 said:

Hi all,

After just having had some sort of a jet-engined helicopter hovering very nearby our house in Northampton, it reminded me of a massive fixation I have with helicopters as machines.

So, what was the helicopter? - if you don't know, can you describe it, ie; physical size/shape/number of rotors/number of rotor blades/noise it was making etc?

[shirt]

RDE said:

Option 10) Study 'Powered Lift' at university and be baffled by some of the most complicated mathematics you've ever faced.

If you'd like a taste of that, read Foundations of Helicopter Flight by Dr Simon Newman (my lecturer for that course).

genuine question - what was special about the module? helicopters was one of the more straight forward/interesting modules i took and i'd have thought powered lift would be a simple balance of forces?

[Rico]

defblade said:

Have a helicopter lesson (available from your prefered "experience" company). Other half bought me one a few years back for my birthday and it was great

Likewise. Had a flight with these guys - http://www.patriot.uk.com/index.html

Based at Cranfield (otherside of M1 to Milton Keynes) so just down the road from the original poster

[andy97]

Join the Armed Forces and get them to teach you to fly it/ fight it whilst paying you! Leave after several years and then earn more money (but have less rewarding flying) as a civvy pilot.

[RDE]

shirt said:

RDE said:

Option 10) Study 'Powered Lift' at university and be baffled by some of the most complicated mathematics you've ever faced.

If you'd like a taste of that, read Foundations of Helicopter Flight by Dr Simon Newman (my lecturer for that course).

genuine question - what was special about the module? helicopters was one of the more straight forward/interesting modules i took and i'd have thought powered lift would be a simple balance of forces?

It probably would be simple to someone who was half-decent at that level of maths, which I wasn't. I remember the formulas not fitting on a page-width just because of all the variables that went into them. Very interesting though, as you say.

[Arif110]

Stickers said:

Arif110 said:

Hi all,

After just having had some sort of a jet-engined helicopter hovering very nearby our house in Northampton, it reminded me of a massive fixation I have with helicopters as machines.

So, what was the helicopter? - if you don't know, can you describe it, ie; physical size/shape/number of rotors/number of rotor blades/noise it was making etc?

Hmmm - looked like what I call a 'proper' helicopter - sleek and not bubble-like. Tail-rotor (had one, not exhaust-gases nozzle) was 'contained' within a housing of sorts - making for quite a hefty end-of-tail section. Main rotors-wise - no idea of number. It came across as a traffic/news reporting-type helicopter, although that's of course a bit of a silly thing to say.

Other responses - thanks for all of this so far - reading with interest!


Arif

[RDE]

An enclosed tail is called a 'fenestron', and the exhaust type is called NOTAR.

Was it an EC135?




Or a Dauphin maybe?

[Arif110]

Hmmm...I'm trying to recall whether it had fixed or retractable landing-gear - and I reckon fixed like your photo on the top, because if it was retracted I would've made a note of how 'Airwolfy' it was in profile.

So - given that, what is its likely purpose to have been, or not been - e.g. I wouldn't imagine people learn to fly in them.

Nice one for the info, too.

[Stickers]

Arif110 said:

Hmmm...I'm trying to recall whether it had fixed or retractable landing-gear - and I reckon fixed like your photo on the top, because if it was retracted I would've made a note of how 'Airwolfy' it was in profile.

So - given that, what is its likely purpose to have been, or not been - e.g. I wouldn't imagine people learn to fly in them.

Nice one for the info, too.

It may indeed have been the EC-135 (Eurocopter) - -it's a firm favourite with police authorities & is well recognised for it's Air Ambulance capabilities.

I remember the first time I ever saw one, momentarily mistaking it for a BO-105.

[garycat]

Get yourself down to Weston Super Mare

[Geneve]

Could have been an EC120 http://helicorp.net.nz/images/Fleet-EC120-large.jp... - very pretty, but not the best performer.

I think a helicopter fixation is very healthy. They are one of man's greatest achievements with fantastic capabilities, and highly addictive.

Best first step would be a few preliminary lessons with an accomplished instructor (not an hour builder) in a proper helicopter (not keen on the R22 - R44 Raven II is bettter, but the Sikorsky/Schweizer 300C is the best, IMO). Check out Dennis Kenyon http://www.easyk.co.uk/kenyon/

Pistons won't sound as nice as the turbines - particularly on start up. I really like the Enstrom 480B as a light, private turbine - Click the Start Up option here http://www.enstromhelicopter.com/enstrom_new/enstr... - with the volume up

[prand]

I hope you've read Chickehawk then - great book about a helicopter pilot in the Vietnam War. He goes into some detail about the mechanics of flying a Huey, and how far physically they were pushing them in combat situations.

[Arif110]

Wow! All these responses are exactly the sort of left-of-field bits of advice and help I was looking for!

How much could one of those turbined Engstroms cost, new?

Thanks too - the Engstrom sound clip has been saved for mesmerising over many times more.

Looks as though there's much reading and research I can do to help sate the fixation, for a while.