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.

[Destiny Flyer]

Good Ice Breaker Planedriver.

Hey wonder how many of us rec. pilots actually wanted to fly "ceiling fans" as you call them. I did! Went and actually got the paper work from a helo school, looked at various build kits favouring either Rotorway & Ultrasport 496 which is the one I was favouring. Even went to Nowra to talk to the importers. But then I thought long and hard about the kit price $100K, training $25K, then the drought hit and shelved the training idea. But I still won't say never.
Then I found about RAAus....... What more can I say
Cheers
Dexter

[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]

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]

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.

[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.

[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