AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2011 - 80

and the fact that, although we are flying on a gusty day, the R22 seems extremely stable. When Greenwalt gives me the controls and instructs me to make a 360-degree turn, I expect some bobbing and weaving—but it doesn’t happen. When we return to the airport, Greenwalt demonstrates an autorotation. He reduces the engine power to idle and lowers the collective, and shows me how the needles on the tachometer separate. The blade angle is now flat and no longer creating lift. The R22 settles sharply—not as benign a dip as an elevator descending, but hardly the Tower of Terror ride at Disney World, either. We’re now converting altitude to airspeed. At a rate of 1,800 feet per minLightspeed Aviation Foundation partners with you, the aviation community, to ute, the R22 whooshes smoothly down encourage pilot growth, community awareness and using our gifts as aviators to promote to the taxiway, and Greenwalt flares. compassion in our world. We do this by selecting 20 finalists from among hundreds of Helicopter pilots generally make outstanding aviation non-profit organizations and then let you decide who and how three types of landings: normal, steep these organizations will be supported. (similar to a short-field landing), and This year, at Sun n’ Fun, AOPA Live will launch the 2011 Lightspeed Aviation Foundation shallow. The last is a running landing season via LIVE webcast. Now you can make the difference! that keeps the sink rate minimal. The landing gear scrapes the ground, and fixed-wing pilots are said to find that particularly uncomfortable. Vote for your favorite charity at In a debrief session back at the hanLightspeedAviationFoundation.org gar, Greenwalt sketches a panel and windshield on a whiteboard, then draws a target landing spot between the compass and the trim strings. “Follow it with Foundation Ad Final.indd 1 2/25/11 8:42:52 AM the collective,” he explains. Pitch your inside reference point to your target and follow it—don’t let it move up or down within your frame of reference. CFII Gary Smith has been observing our debrief and adds some perspective: With one-third less glide distance to land with than in a fixed-wing aircraft, a helicopter pilot won’t be looking out the window for a landing spot—he’ll be looking at his feet. Like an appetizer at a five-star restaurant, this challenge left me wanting more. What was the fascination? Maybe the notion that (with lots of additional training) I could put this wildly maneuverable aircraft anyplace I want—including on top of a building. Maybe it was the ability to hold still at Experience Trade-A-Plane in a greater way at our all-new website. 1,300 feet with no impending stall. Or maybe the attraction was the fact Advanced searches, more detailed that my stock shot up about 1,000 points results, expanded content. Clean, when I got home and said I’d flown a fresh design and easier navigation. helicopter. “Simulator, or the real thing?” my daughter wanted to know. “Please get Selling? A ordable, online-only listings are now available in many of your helicopter license. That’s just aweour categories. Visit us today! some.” Totally.

Now You Can Make a Difference

We’re all new!

AOP

E-mail the author at jill.tallman@aopa. org. 800-337-52 6 3
AOPA PILOT •

80 • APRIL 2011

http://www.LightspeedAviationFoundation.org http://www.LightspeedAviationFoundation.org http://www.iflygps.com http://www.iflygps.com http://www.trade-a-plane.com

AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2011

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