[Airnut]

Our club has a large contingency of "Heli" flyers and is becoming a club within a club. They had their own invitational fun fly last year and are planning another this year. I don't know what it's like at your field, but when a helicopter is in the air nobody else can fly. It's too distracting and dangerous.I would like to hear your opinions on this subject.

[JimMcIntyre]

Originally Posted by Airnut

Our club has a large contingency of "Heli" flyers and is becoming a club within a club. They had their own invitational fun fly last year and are planning another this year. I don't know what it's like at your field, but when a helicopter is in the air nobody else can fly. It's too distracting and dangerous.I would like to hear your opinions on this subject.

No offence but, I strongly disagreee. My club (Ajax) has integrated helicopters on the main flight line for going on 5 years now without a single incident.
As long as all aircraft (regardless of type) obey the same rules why should there be a problem? It's not a problem for full scale aviation.

I maintain that the flight envelope of 3d and Funfly type aircraft are closer to that of helicopters than typical sport aircraft.

[Fodder]

We at Ajax only have a few heli pilots and most, that I have seen, only do basic flying and hover. I don't mind being in the air with them and I'll stay well away. We have one pilot that is amazing and I would not want to be in the air with him. I have no fear that he would lose control or is dangerous, but I would not want to be the one to have a mid air crash with a $5000 plus helicopter (that is if he flys the cheap one).

We had a few heli students, but they never showed for lessons so we don't have an official heli program right now.

I don't think they are any more dangerous, but it may be harder to watch their flying pattern since they don't need one. I have witnessed more midairs between planes than with helicopter mishaps.

[Nuker]

And to be honest, when Robert flies his helis, we'd rather all just sit and watch anyways. It's quite a site.

A few fixed wing members don't feel comfortable on the flight line when the heli's are up in the air but it's really about courtesy. Each will take his/her turn in that case. Most even ask "do you mind if I go up?" before taking off either the heli or the planes if someone is already there. There are some fixed wing fliers that I prefer to stay on the ground when they are flying more that when a heli is up.

But the simple use of courtesy is what really makes it work at our field.

Bob

[Derrick]

Originally Posted by Airnut

I don't know what it's like at your field, but when a helicopter is in the air nobody else can fly. It's too distracting and dangerous.I would like to hear your opinions on this subject.

Hmmm.....I don't think a heli in the air is any more distracting or dangerous than a 1/3 scale model doing circuits and shooting low passes....

I fly both, helis and planes. As said by 3 of my previous club members, most guys are courteous and will respect the other flyers concerns if there are any. I know of a few guys in the club who don't like helis so when they are flying and I want to fly the heli I will wait until they land....it's only courtesy and has squat to do with a heli being more dangerous. A heli can be distracting if the heli pilot is hovering in front of you but at our field we have a designated, separate heli area away from the runway. Heli pilots that use the main runway have to be able to do forward flight and fly the pattern or they are confined to the hover area only.....

[AJCoholic]

At our club, there are only three of us that own helis and I am currently the onlyone that flies around. My policy, is if there are others flying, start your heli, get up and GO! No lollygagging around on the runway while others are trying to take off and land planes. Get into the pattern and follow the rules, and there should be no issues.

If you are just hovering or learning, get to the hovering station. If you want to do 3D over the runway, kindly ask the other flyers if you can have a few minutes air time, solo.

I have no problem flying with helis when I fly planes, or with planes when I fly helis but MANY do, especially the guys that are scared of them.

Treat a heli like any other aircraft and why should you have any problems?

Andrew

[Guest]

We have cut a hover station half way down one taxi way and if you are a beginner this is where you practice hovering. You are well off the runways and well away from everyone else. If you are a full time heli pilot you take off from this pad then you can walk over to the regular pads or stand near the hover pad. You have to follow the club rules and flying pattern of the day if you wish to fly in the circuit. You can always ask for a clear sky if its not to busy and everyone will be happy to accomodate you. You must do like everyone esle and limit your flight time to no more than 12 min. Especialy if you have asked for a clear sky.

I think the problem is that with the heli's everything is takeing place much closer than with fixed wing. When a fixed wing pilot is looking up all he can hear is the heli running close by but out of his line of sight. That is why we have placed the practice pad at the far side of the field. The other problem is with fixed wing most mistakes happen far enough out and up that one has time to react or an instructor has time to correct it. Even beginners taking off tend to stand behind the plane so if it goes in on take off it is going away. Because of the close proximity to the ground most heli pilots are self taught and there is little or no time for an instructor to take over in a case of loss of control. You are a very lucky club indeed if you even have an instructor.

Dennis

[rcpilotsteve]

Perhaps if there is that many of us at your field to cause the situations that are or could become quite annoying it would be time to start another local field for Heli pilots. Perhaps you could help them find an area or at least back them up in there efforts.
You must admit it's rather exciting watching them

[AJCoholic]

Steve,
I fly helis and like them but watching a guy hover tank after tank is NOT my idea of exciting!

It is definitely fun to watch the tricks, though even funner to fly!

Andrew

[Myzee]

I fly helis as well as planks. When I had my Shuttle, it didn't seem to bother anyone when I flew with them at my club. Then again, even if they did, our site is so big i could have moved anywhere. Most of the fliers thought it was pretty cool and it made them laugh when we would chase each other around the sky because i could out manuever them!!
I am the only heli flier there.
Myz