Learn how to be a chopper pilot

Published Apr 20, 2015

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Cape Town - This story has taken a long time to get off the ground (insert groan here). Since December, in fact. But it’s been, as it so often is with things in Cape Town, a weather issue: too hot, too windy, too cloudy.

During the last four months I have learned that the cute little Robinson R22 BETA II in which you train to become a helicopter pilot at Base 4 Aviation cannot fly in all conditions.

In the week of the Great Fire when temperatures soared into the 40s, Base 4 chief pilot and chief instructor - yes, I hang with the big boys - Jeff Goudie explained that when it’s that hot and the air thins, the helicopter’s rotors have nothing upon which to push, and that’s not good. When you see the size of the Robinson R22 BETA II, not being able to fly in a howling south easter is obvious. In fact, it even has weight restrictions for its pilots.

Then finally, last Wednesday dawned bright, beautiful, with a light breeze, and it was all systems go for my intro helicopter flight. As excited as I was, I had to keep reminding myself I was not going on an amusement park thrill ride, or even a flip; this can be the first step of very serious training and involves actually flying a helicopter yourself, an endeavour not to be taken lightly.

Base 4 offers the best possible pilot training in South Africa, and its standards are set even higher than those laid out by the Civil Aviation Authority. There are manuals the size of telephone directories, and eight theoretical subjects with exams for each one - principles of flight, air law and operational procedures, aircraft technical and general, radiotelephony (when you’re talking to air traffic control, it’s a language all of its own), meteorology, human performance, navigation, and flight performance and planning.

Which is why, besides the regulatory pre- and post-flight checks, inside and outside the craft, and in the hover phase, as well as when you return to earth, the technical information is not overloaded for the first flight. I was introduced to my instructor, the tall, blond and handsome Matt Lennox. The dress code included soft shoes (because high heels and hiking boots are not practical for working the pedals), a cap and sunglasses. I was so glad I’d opted for the classic aviator frames because Lennox wore those too, and one must look the part after all.

Lennox explained all the moving parts to me, the instruments inside the cockpit, and their purpose. Alongside all the high technology, there is a piece of red wool attached to the “windscreen”. It’s so simple - if it’s straight, then so are you. There are three ways to control the helicopter: the “cyclic” for speed and direction, the “collective” for height, and the pedals control yaw (twisting or oscillation of a moving aircraft about a vertical axis). So both hands and both feet are all doing different things at more or less the same time, plus you have to watch the reactions on the instrument panel. Good co-ordination is going to be helpful if you’re going to try this. It made me remember why I never learned to play the drums. Lennox laughed and said, as it happens, helicopter pilots and drummers require similar skills.

During training, the instructor has full control over the craft (thank goodness), but once you are in the air, you get to take over. It’s a surprisingly delicate operation, but I was off the hook with the pedals because my feet didn’t reach (we thought I wouldn’t need the booster cushion) so I only had to concentrate on the collective and the cyclic (again, thank goodness).

Lennox pointed to the compass and told me to keep it level with the horizon. Suddenly the beautiful view - and it truly is wonderful to see the world from a new perspective - faded out and my entire concentration was focused inside that tiny cockpit and keeping the helicopter where it was supposed to be.

“Am I really flying?” I asked Lennox. He removed his hands - not too far - from the controls and proved that I was. Well, how about that? I may or may not have let out a little shriek of joy. What an exhilarating experience, and let’s face it, helicopters are just so darn sexy. Plus, being able to fly one opens up so many career opportunities, from tourism, game capture, or law enforcement, to fighting fires and aerial photography.

There are two types of introductory flights. The 30-minute intro flight is recommended for those merely interested in experiencing helicopter flight, and costs R1 750. The “Become a Pilot” option is a 45-minute flight recommended for those wanting to pursue a career in aviation. It’s more detailed and costs R2 350.

* For more information, call 021 934 4405, e-mail [email protected], or go to www.base4.co.za Base 4 is in the General Aviation Area (yes, that’s what it’s called) at Cape Town International Airport.

Weekend Argus

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