Instructional Maneuver Videos in the Robinson R-22

R22   Beta II

These particular videos are some of the basic maneuvers you will be learning in the Robinson R-22. They are in the "Practical Test Standards" (PTS) and are maneuvers you must become proficient in to pass the practical portion of your check ride with an FAA designated examiner. I studied these videos closely  in order to be prepared for my lessons. It might even save you some bucks, and we could all save a little money,  mainly because you’re mentally prepared before the lesson and you'll learn the maneuvers quicker. You know, doing your homework so to speak.

KUDOS to Michael for taking the time to record and publish these R-22 helicopter training videos! I for one appreciate having these videos at my disposal.

Lesson on How to Pick up a Helicopter

Lesson on How to Hover a Helicopter

Lesson on How to do a Pedal Turn in a Helicopter

Lesson on How to Side step a Helicopter

Lesson on How to Air Taxi a Helicopter

Lesson on How to Perform a Quickstop in a Helicopter

How to Do Full Down Autorotations with a Power Recovery  A couple of exceptions I have with this video; 1) Never push in (off) carb heat during an auto or a descent with power settings below 18 on the MP, see Robinson Safety Notice 25, full carb heat is required and recommended. 2) Make sure you practice positive exchange of controls, I don't see that here. A three step procedure should be used and goes like this..."I've got the controls", "You've got the controls", "I've got the controls". That way we know for sure who's on the controls. It only takes a nano second to lose control. Other then that I really enjoy watching this video.

Lesson on Hover Autorotations in a Helicopter

Lesson on Slope Landings with a Helicopter

Lesson on Autorotations - Part 1
Lesson on Autorotations - Part 2
Recent video of Michael teaching autorotations with a student

Lesson on Settling with Power + ATC Radio Communication

How to Perform Normal Takeoffs and Approaches in a Helicopter

Having fun Getting a Commercial Add-on in 10 Days;
Practicing Autorotations
This one is entertaining to watch, hell they're all fun to watch.

Again thanks Michael...

How to Preflight a Robinson R22 Helicopter

Robinson R-22 Beta

Once again Michael outstanding job on your videos! I can personally vouch for the usefulness of these videos. During my training I would watch them over and over so that I would be somewhat prepared for my lessons in the R-22. They made an enormous difference in my training! We were taught to use a checklist as we did the preflight but I see nothing wrong with Michael's method of do and verify. Many seasoned pilots do a preflight without a checklist; however they never go back and verify the checklist to make sure they didn't miss anything. It's really easy to become complacent about the preflight, but remember, it's your life on the line.

This is a video series on how to preflight a Robinson R22 helicopter. I used the do and verify method of using a checklist, where I pre-flight inspected the aircraft and then went over my checklist found in the R22 POH to verify I have inspected everything. Michael Miller

How to Preflight a Robinson R22 Helicopter
Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5

Or this website where someone has done an excellent job showing the Procedure for preflight inspection of an R22 Helicopter.

MD500C (OH-6) Helicopter; Preflight, Start-up, and Shutdown Videos

I would like to introduce Michael Miller and his "how to" videos. Thanks Michael for taking the time to make all these "How to" videos involving the MD500. What a great machine! Michael also has many videos on the R-22 which I'll introduce in my next posting. The MD500 C model, which you can tell by the V tail, is a 1970's model. They played a big role in Vietnam; military model OH-6 (observation helicopter). Hugh L. Mills' book  Low Level Hell gives an exceptional account about the men and what these machines the OH-6 did during the Vietnam War. They were known as "Scout Pilots".

Artist's rendition of then Captain Hugh Mills' OH-6A "Miss Clawd IV". After her tour in Vietnam Miss Clawd (17340) served a with the army's precision helicopter team, the Silver Eagles. Sometime afterwards she was donated to the army aviation Museum at Fort Rucker. It was there, by total coincidence, Mills discovered his old bird. Soon 17340 was restored to her Vietnam configuration and reinstated in the Museums exhibit.

Without further ado, here's Michael's "how to" videos on the MD500C.

First part of a preflight video series involving the MD500 C model helicopter. This video series is designed in helping people who are wanting to get into the MD500 or turbine world of aviation without having to spend a lot of time or money with an instructor. Although it isn't like having an instructor next to you while learning how to work a turbine, it is designed to help give you an understanding of what the procedures are and what the gauges look like when an actual turbine is started and shut down. Michael Miller

 How to Preflight an MD500C (OH-6) Helicopter
 Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6


MD500 Helicopter - Pre-Start Checks

MD500 Helicopter - How to start + Limitations


Startup of a Turbine MD500 Helicopter - Outside view


Startup & Takeoff of an Turbine MD500 Helicopter


MD500 - How to Shutdown a Turbine

OH-6A LOH

Mike, thanks again, excellent job!  I love the MD500. It's my dream to fly one some day.

Left Seat - Practical CFI Check Ride Preperation

I’d like to add the last blog entry was only about the written portion of the test from the FAA for the CFI rating. I still have quite a bit of practical training in the left seat, where the instructor sits, learning to teach the maneuvers. The last portion of the CFI rating is the oral exam and the practical flight check ride with the FAA designated examiner. I have no allusions; this is going to be one tough check ride. Sitting on the left side of the helicopter feels strange at first especially since all my training has been on the right side. I’m getting the feel for it though as Corey (my instructor) puts me through all the paces and flight maneuvers. He’s also trying to prepare me for potential student mistakes that he comes across from the average student. But that’s going to be hard to prepare for mainly because each student is different. That’s where learning to be half psychologist comes into play and very important. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about flight instruction lately, and what it’s really going to be like. I think Jeremy Vandersluis sums it up best in his humorous book; They're All Trying to Kill Me!: (Or How I Manage to Survive as a Flight Instructor). From Jeremy’s point of view each student is a potential assassin so you better watch them close. Even though he instructs in an airplane the principle is still the same, but it’s going to be trickier in a helicopter, especially in the R-22 where reaction time is critical. 

Another excellent and valuable resource that I recommend for the flight instructor is a book by Gregory N. Brown, called: The Savvy Flight Instructor: Secrets of the Successful CFI.

Okay back to studying, I really need to get the written test out of the way.

Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) Test Prep 2010

Okay it's time to crack the whip and start studying for the FAA CFI Rotorcraft Exam. I've procrastinated long enough; it's time to get serious. This is going to take some effort and self discipline on my part so this will probably be my last entry for a little while. You’re probably asking yourself...why is there an airplane on the cover? What the study guide encompasses are:  the Ground, Flight and Sport Instructor: Airplane, Helicopter, Glider, Weight-Shift Control, Powered Parachute, Add-on Ratings, and Fundamentals of Instructing FAA Knowledge Exams. The way it works is the sections and questions labeled All and Rotorcraft are the ones I need to be concerned about for the CFI rotorcraft - exam which unfortunately includes gyroplane questions and some airplane questions. Kind of irritating.

The areas I'll be covering/reviewing for the test:

Aerodynamics and the Principles of Flight

Aircraft Systems

Aircraft Performance

Weather and Weather Services

Enroute Flight and Navigation

Procedures and Airport Operations

Regulations

Flight Instruction and Maneuvers

Flight Physiology

Instrument Flight

There is another separate test one must take to become a CFI and that’s the FAA's Fundamentals of Instruction also in the study guide and based on the FAA Aviation Instructor's Handbook. Thankfully I've already got this one under my belt and out of the way. I think to be a good instructor you need to be half psychologist, and basically that's what this test is all about.

I joined the US Air Force in 1978

High Voltage Powerline Distribution Maintenance Course, Aug 1979

I'm the skinny 19 year old kid on the left

I joined the Air Force in March 1978. I didn’t have a clue what my job was going to be until I got to the Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) Center in Los Angeles, California. The military bused me down from Oxnard the night before and put us up in a hotel near Hollywood. It seemed like an older part of town from what I can remember. The one thing that stands out is a song playing on the juke box back then. A song by the band Heart called "Crazy On You". It was a strange night, I had a lot of mixed feelings and to this day it doesn't matter what I'm doing if that song comes on the radio I think of that hotel. The next morning we were all bused to the processing center. What I did know was that I loved aviation and wanted to be around airplanes, the Air Force seemed like the logical choice. I asked them what jobs would keep me outside. I didn’t want anything to do with working in an office. After several options and lots of questions I settled on being a high voltage lineman without really knowing what the job entailed. I was a lineman for 15 years on several bases starting with the Air Force Academy, Colorado, then Columbus AFB, Mississippi; Hill AFB, Utah (where I got my Private Pilot's license) and then on to Alaska, Elmendorf AFB. I then did a short stint in South Dakota, Ellsworth AFB working in the missile field as a facility manager for ICBM launch facilities. We then moved on to Patrick AFB in Florida and then back to Elmendorf AFB, Alaska. After gaining some rank I ended up flying a desk and retired after 23 years in the Air Force. I should also mention I did several temporary duties (TDY's) in Southwest Asia; one tour during the Desert Storm era in Saudi Arabia, one tour in Kuwait, and again in Saudi Arabia just before I retired. The first tour in Saudi we were attacked by a car bomb which destroyed one of our military buildings, OPM-SANG. We had to respond and shut the electrical power down to the building. I then spent the next two weeks helping the FBI at the bomb site gathering bomb fragments (evidence) using our bucket truck. We had to go on top of all the roof tops within a 1/2 mile radius finding evidence. We were actually finding pieces of the truck bomb all the way out on the outer perimeter.

Lessons from a Vietnam Helicopter Pilot

Helicopter pilot lessons learned during Vietnam but still true today. These lessons have been floating around in one version or another since the Vietnam War. Admittedly some of these are tongue and cheek, but should be taken serious as lessons learned from those with a ton of experience flying helicopters, not to mention during a war.

Lessons from a Vietnam Helicopter Pilot:
1. Once you are in the fight, it is way too late to wonder if it was a good idea.
2. There is no such thing as "fun" hot LZ.
3. It is a fact that helicopter tail rotors are instinctively drawn toward trees, stumps, rocks, etc. While it may be possible to ward off this natural event some of the time, it cannot, despite the best efforts of the crew, always be prevented. It's just what they do.
4. NEVER get into a fight without more ammunition than the other guy.
5. The engine RPM, and the rotor RPM, must BOTH be kept in the GREEN. Failure to heed this commandment can affect the morale of the crew.
6. There are only two kinds of helicopter pilots: those that have crashed, and those who are going to.
7. Cover your Buddy, so he can be around to cover you.
8. Letters from home are not always great.
9. The madness of war can extract a heavy toll. Please have exact change.
10. Always remember that helicopters are different from airplanes. Helicopters are thousands of pounds of parts all flying in opposition to each other, and unlike airplanes, they fly by beating the air into submission.
11. Decisions made by someone over your head will seldom be in your best interest.
12. The terms "Protective Armor" and "Helicopter" are mutually exclusive.
13. The further away you are from your friends; the less likely it is that they can help you when you really need them the most.
14. Being good and lucky is not enough, there is always payback.
15. "Chicken Plates" are not something you order in a restaurant.
16. If everything is as clear as a bell, and everything is going exactly as planned, you're about to be surprised.
17. The B.S.R. (Bang, Stare, Read) Theory states that the louder the sudden bang in the helicopter, the quicker your eyes will be drawn to the gauges.
18. The longer you stare at the gauges, the less time it takes them to move from green to red.
19. The sole purpose of our helicopters is to support our grunts. Anyone who forgets that has forgotten the mission.
20. No matter what you do, the bullet with your name on it will get you. So too can the ones addressed "To Whom It May Concern".
21. Gravity may not be fair, but it is the law.
22. If the rear echelon troops are really happy, the front line troops probably do not have what they need.
23. If you are wearing body armor, the incoming will probably miss that part.
24. It hurts less to die with a uniform on than to die in a hospital bed.
25. Happiness is a belt-fed weapon.
26. If something hasn't broken on your helicopter, it's about to.
27. Eat when you can. Sleep when you can. Visit the head when you can. The next opportunity may not come around for a long time, if ever.
28. Combat pay is a flawed concept.
29. Having all your body parts intact and functioning at the end of the day beats the alternative.
30. Air superiority is NOT a luxury.
31. If you are allergic to lead it is best to avoid a war zone.
31. It is always a bad thing to run out of airspeed, altitude, and ideas all at the same time.
32. Nothing is as useless as altitude above you, the runway behind you, and fuel on the ground.
33. While the rest of the crew may be in the same predicament, it's almost always the pilot's job to arrive at the crash site first.
34. When you shoot your weapon, clean it the first chance you get.
35. Loud sudden noises in a helicopter WILL get your undivided attention.
36. Hot garrison chow is better than hot C-rations, which, in turn is better than cold C-rations, which is better than no food at all. All of these, however, are preferable to cold rice balls even if they do have the little pieces of fish in them.
37. WHAT is often more important than WHY.
38. If you find yourself in a fair fight, your tactics suck.
39. Girlfriends are fair game. Wives are not.
40. Everybody's a hero on the ground in the officers club and after the fourth drink.
41. There is no such thing as a small firefight.
42. A free-fire zone has nothing to do with economics.
43. The farther you fly into the mountains (or over water), the louder the strange engine noises become.
44. Medals are OK, but having your body and all your friends in one piece at the end of the day is a whole lot better.
45. The only medal you really want to be awarded is the Longevity Medal. Being shot hurts.
46. Thousands of Vietnam Veterans earned medals for bravery every day. A few were even awarded.
47. In helicopters, there is no such thing as "a good vibration."
48. Running out of pedal, fore or aft cyclic, or collective are all bad ideas. Any combination of these can be deadly.
49. Nomex is NOT fire proof.
50. There is only one rule in war: When you win, you get to make up the Rules.
51. Living and dying can both hurt a lot.
52. While a Super Bomb could be considered one of the four essential building blocks of life, powdered eggs cannot.
53. C-4 can make a dull day fun.
54. Cocoa Powder is neither.
55. There is no such thing as a fair fight, only ones where you win or lose.
56. If you win the battle you are entitled to the spoils. If you lose you don't care.
57. Nobody cares what you did yesterday or what you are going to do tomorrow. What is important is what you are doing NOW to solve our problem.
58. If you have extra, share it quickly.
59. Always make sure someone has a P-38.
60. A sucking chest wound may be God's way of telling you it's time to go home.
61. Prayer may not help . . . but it can't hurt.
62. Flying is better than walking. Walking is better than running. Running is better than crawling. All of these however, are better than extraction by a Med-Evac, even if this is technically a form of flying.
63. If everyone does not come home, none of the rest of us can ever fully come home.
64. Do not fear the enemy, for your enemy can only take your life. It is far better that you fear the media, for they will steal your HONOR.
65. A grunt is the true reason for the existence of the helicopter. Every helicopter flown in Vietnam had one real purpose: To help the grunt. It is unfortunate that many helicopters never had the opportunity to fulfill their one true mission in life simply because someone forgot this fact.