Flying the R44 in Moderate Turbulence - Robinson R44 Helicopter

[@stevenpam]

The stabilisation on the current crop of GoPros is great for giving a feel for the bumps! You can actually see the aircraft appearing to move around the camera POV.

[@jimbopaw]

I can watch it without feeling nausea, and it feels like a point-of-view experience. I mean it feels close to "natural stabilization" of the body, as if I was sitting there.

[@Michael-lg4wz]

"lets not become a statistic" I like his attitude!

[@luketuxworth6943]

12:45 just heard a call from WTT, got my commercial license in that aircraft in December!

[@jimbopaw]

Like a boss, that was scary though. I'm not sure how safe either.

[@ADVBrett]

Very safe otherwise I wouldn’t do it!

[@Ziggy_Moonglow]

America’s deadliest helicopter. Glad you got out alive.

[@astrobusa]

Enjoy your more recent vid's on the GS.... (I'm also a GS rider) ... but more of these vid's too please !

[@ADVBrett]

I’ll see if there’s some old footage laying around!!

[@MarkMash17]

good onboard! I've got a good R44 onboard on my channel too. Around the 12 apostles

[@VolareHelicopters]

Nice video and technique!

[@ADVBrett]

Thanks guys!

[@garymuirhead3808]

Hi Brett which is best to fly r44 or 206 jetranger and is the r44 safe

[@ADVBrett]

Hey Gary, yes without a doubt the R44 is very safe. I've had no problems what so ever in them (flown plenty of them in the past). As for what is better between the 206 & 44, they both have pro's and cons. I've never come across a B205 with air conditioning which can be a game changer in the Aussie summer. I think the 206 has a higher maintenance and running cost than the R44 but the advantage of the 206 is that 3rd seat in the back and luggage space as well. The R44 was always fun to fly, great views all round but lacks take off weight and fuel capacity. I really enjoyed both of them but it just comes down to personal practicality and preference.

[@garymuirhead3808]

@@ADVBrett Thanks for the reply Brett

[@conantdog]

You're very lucky lock your controls and pray the design failure of this machine doesn't kill you good luck my friend.

[@ADVBrett]

Great, another armchair pilot who bases his opinion on his KZbin search "R44 crash". Seriously, if you had any time or experience in the R44, you'd know they're a safe and capable machine if you fly it within it's parameters and in accordance with the POH. Go and research how many R44 units are in operation AROUND THE GLOBE vs how many crash, and why they crash! Most are due to pilot error flying outside of the parameters laid out by the POH.

[@Ziggy_Moonglow]

@@ADVBrett I did. They are 50% more likely to crash than other choppers. Yep, pilot error of flying a death trap. Maybe you should get back into one since you said, 2 years ago, "Not anymore mate, I'm out of flying and aviation all together now".

[@naughtyUphillboy]

@@Ziggy_Moonglow Actually R44 is ok, if you slow down in turbulence.

[@pilotavery]

@@ADVBrett I would argue that they are less forgiving to pilot errors than others, but you are right, they do crash because of pilot errors, and less so because of structural failure

[@KaisTheFireWarrior]

Idiots who don't know what they're talking about

[@mrfantastic407]

Great video. I'm trying to decide whether I want to go for my commercial helicopter license and I was curious to know what turbulence is like in a chopper.

[@ADVBrett]

Turbulence is really easy to deal with, fly the chopper within its limitations and you’re all good! Great thing with a helicopter is that if it starts getting too uncomfortable then you just land somewhere!

[@bobmostue5873]

Don’t forget turbulence causes the rotor blades to flex. More turb more flex. Doesn’t take a genuious to understand that. Flying a helicopters is very serious business. They are not toys. It doesn’t matter what kind of aircraft your in its always better to avoid any ifey conditions. You make a 180 degree turn at the first sign of trouble like weather etc. You think your smarter than that well just think of Kobe Bryant.

[@farfetch7]

Turbulence wasn’t the cause of Kobe death. But spatial disorientation. Flight into IMC with our proper training or recurrent training will do that.

[@markfox1545]

​@@bobmostue5873- you're too stupid to contract you are to you're.

[@clintonhanner5650]

I wouldn’t call that severe, normal summer day in an airplane.

[@russella7263]

In a plane any air disturbance or turbulence that alters the lift and moves the wing is directly felt as the wing and fuselage are rigidly attached to each other. In a helicopter the fuselage is suspended beneath the rotors (wing) which are free to flap and move about without directly moving the fuselage so the effect of turbulence is heavily damped in comparison. The danger in the Robinson and other two bladed helicopters is that the flapping limits of the rotor may be exceeded in turbulence resulting in mast bumping and the separation of the rotors from the helicopter.

[@ADVBrett]

Well said!!

[@PfizerRN_NavyReserveCaptain]

Were you chatting with Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service 217 while you were up?

[@schnuurtchke]

Zazzle saw the helicopter

[@MarkMash17]

Request: This in 4k 60fps

[@DragonPhlyy]

Haha where do you find blades for that Astro?

[@ADVBrett]

Non existent from what I hear these days

[@hetta900]

Hi I recomend that you fly the R44 with cyclic friction cause you use alot of power just on unnescesary cyclic innputs.

[@ADVBrett]

Ahhh no, that's probably the worst advice I've heard. Show me where in the R44 manual where it states you can fly with frictions on. A good pilot will maintain gentle inputs especially in high turbulence.

[@hetta900]

@@ADVBrett no problem to fly with friction. Much more smooth flying. I've done it in every type I have Flow.

[@ADVBrett]

@@hetta900 Interesting, in the 10 years of flying I did, I never flew with the frictions on. Especially in the R44. What does it say in the POH?

[@hetta900]

@@ADVBrett cant remember it says anything in the limitation chapter in the r44 POH about that. But its been years since i flew the R44.

[@ADVBrett]

@@hetta900 Just had a quick look. Section 7 PG7-6 "Control Friction must be used with caution. Excessive Frication may make the helicopter difficult to control."

[@TeemarkConvair]

nice vid. at the fuel bowser were you holding a moment to see if there would be ground resonance? seemed to be a few seconds of hesitation.

[@ADVBrett]

Nope, that was just in the hover sorting out the wind!

[@thatguy7085]

The handbook specifically says to avoid this… or risk death

[@ADVBrett]

Avoid what in particular?

[@thatguy7085]

@@ADVBrett turbulent air, or risk rotor separation or tail boom strike.

[@ADVBrett]

How many hours do you have in R44's?

[@thatguy7085]

@@ADVBrett only about 200, and I’ve only been to the Robinson safety course once.

[@thatguy7085]

@@ADVBrett I’ve been flying them since 1993… when I met Frank in Miami at the HAI symposium. Yes, there was only one certified when I flew it.

[@tomibach9712]

after a few rotor divergence accidents in those, how wise is flying in severe turbulence

[@ADVBrett]

If you fly the aircraft within its limitations then you’ll have no problems. On days like this, drop your speed to 70kts to 80kts and just take your time.

[@mmarfe]

I'm flying in Nepal and here we get some 55kt wind.. I have not encountered it but I have faced 33kt in a valley. The best you can do is reduce the speed to 60kt and keep it that way. You feel helpless up there being smashed arround. The problem here is that the wind is not predictable. That type of turbulence in the video is our random turbulence here.

[@ADVBrett]

Great advice indeed! These machines can be flown in strong winds, know the limitations of your aircraft and check yourself!

[@mmarfe]

@@ADVBrett Just today Bell is here testing the 505 in strong turbulence. They just took off to Muktinat where the winds hit 55kt. Let's see what they have to say when they come back.

[@mmarfe]

@@ADVBrett I am guessing it's gonna fare better the a the R66. It's a heavier machine. On Robinsons when you are heavy with full tank and pax it shakes in a much more subtle way.

[@buckbuchanan5849]

Air conditioning in that R44?

[@ADVBrett]

HA!! I wish! Air conditioning costs money! Not a chance with this one!

[@ricbarker4829]

"Don't want to become a statistic" I'm gonna put on my pedantic hat here, you are already part of the statistic. A statistic is usually the study of a "group" or "population" with an event, description or characterization etc, that differentiates the individuals in the group.. For example, if I said 2 out 10 helicopter pilots will crash, you are part of that statistic...I'm assuming so far you are part of the latter. Now I am not an expert on statistics so I may have completely humped the pooch with regards to the definition, but I'm sure you get my drift.....

[@ADVBrett]

Not anymore mate, I'm out of flying and aviation all together now.

[@jims6226]

If i was the passengers I'd say land and we'll walk after all the chat about wind, plenty and places to land if something happened Etc. per pilot conversation. Not dogging it just saying. Great vid and land scape though.

[@utuber52]

11:08 - is that the clutch light going on and the back off again? why? thanks

[@ADVBrett]

The light comes on when the clutch actuator is active, the belts may tension during flight. From the R44 manual: Indicates clutch actuator circuit is on, either engaging or disengaging clutch. When switch is in the ENGAGE position, light stays on until belts are properly tensioned. Never take off before light goes out. NOTE Clutch light may come on momentarily during run-up or during flight to re- tension belts as they warm-up and stretch slightly. This is normal. If, however, the light flickers or comes on in flight and does not go out within 10 seconds, pull CLUTCH circuit breaker and land as soon as practical. Reduce power and land immediately if there are other indications of drive system failure (be prepared to enter autorotation). Have drive system inspected for a possible malfunction.

[@ZdrytchX]

"just a bit"

[@ADVBrett]

yup... just a bit