Circuits - tying it all together

Over the past few days we've been practicing emergencies in the hover, i.e. what to do if and when the engine quits during hovering or taxing. We then "transitioned" to transitions, i.e. initiating an acceleration along the ground to get more air moving over the blades. As you build up speed, the increase in flow over the blades generates what is termed "translational lift", similar to an aeroplane getting to a similar speed along the runway prior to lift off. For us in the 22 it's about 40 knots that we require before beginning the climb out at maximum power.

Since I've now learnt how to hover, transition, climb, turn, level off, do pre-landing checks, descend and transition back into a hover, everything is now place to do a circuit which essential ties it all in together in about 2 minutes. It's a very busy 2 minutes at this stage whilst I have to consciously think about everything I'm doing but as they say, practice makes perfect. We've been doing a tonne of circuits lately which has been good; I can see areas that I need to concentrate on more and it keeps everything from previous lessons nice and fresh.

I've also been learning steep take-offs and approaches, ideal for getting into tighter spots, and tomorrow we'll be doing vertical take-offs and landings. This is the sort of flying that reminds me I'm in a chopper and not a plane, this and hovering :) When the atmospheric conditions are right; not too hot or the atmospheric pressure is not too low, or we're not trying to fly at too high an elevation (essentially anything that will thin the air out) the helicopter performance can allow for some pretty cool stuff. To haul the weight of the chopper ~400kg, fuel and two normal sized adults vertically up into a fluid so thin you can wave your hand through it without noticeable resistance is damn mind boggling if you put your mind to it. But it does, and it is awesome!

The "text-book" circuit

The main rotor assembly. You don't want that top bolt to fail!