Rob Allright

A member of the Philip Greenspun's Homepage community since November 4, 1999

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November 25, 2003, on Learning to Fly Helicopters:
Paid for 3 hours of tuition in a Schweizer / Hughes in the UK (Biggin Hill, near London). Great fun, but not cheap at 500 quid (800 dollars?), and this was a special offer. Absolutely loved the experience. Within a minute of starting up, I had control of one control, gradually moving up to all controls within about another minute or so! Absolutely superb. Instructor was rather dismissive of the R-22 and research at time seemed to show that the Hughes was safer. But far too expensive to do in the UK, and the UK is far too busy. Highlight was an hours flight around the South-East coast, Dover, Kent, seeing Southend and then back. I did all the flying and observation while the (slightly inexperienced or very trusting) instructor worked out the heights required and what we had to avoid (prisons etc - they get nervous about low flying 'copters). Great moment as a Gipsy Moth did aerobatics just to my left, and below me. Great experience, only hope I get rich one ...