The discovery flight is your opportunity to see if helicopter training is right for you. You will meet at our facilities and sit face to face with an instructor. There, we will try to answer any questions you might have about your helicopter training.
After we've answered your questions, your instructor will take you out to the aircraft for a pre-flight briefing. We will discuss:
- Basic aircraft components
- Pre-flight inspection of the aircraft
- Flight controls
- Maneuvers to be covered in the flight
- Safety
The Flight
When you feel comfortable, the real fun begins. We will start the aircraft, perform basic systems checks, and get clearance for takeoff.
As soon as the aircraft if airborne, your instructor will begin turning the controls over to you, teaching you how they work in harmony to control the aircraft. Typically you will cover maneuvers to include straight and level flight, climbs, turns, and descents. At your request, the flight instructor can demonstrate more advanced maneuvers, to include the autorotation.
With the aircraft under your control, you will fly back the airport and secure an area to experience hover flight. With your instructor, you will see how differently the helicopter responds in a hover, and how agile it really is. The hover is said to be the most difficult skill to learn, and has been likened to standing on a basketball.
Finally, the helicopter is taxied back to the ramp for shut-down and securing. Twenty minutes will have seemed like two, and might need to remind yourself what just happened...
...you just flew a helicopter.
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