Hovering a Helicopter is Hilariously Hard - Smarter Every Day 145

[@JakubJJ]

Not as hard as hovering an airplane

[@bradhaines3142]

straight up, dont stall the engine

[@alaskancabin7506]

just find strong enough headwinds at altitude

[@agussupriyanto7343]

Watch swiss001 Or lucaas

[@doctorTF_2]

just get an rc plane and get some crazy headwinds aka go to england.

[@bunnybear126]

You mere mortals

[@noel2am]

Just press R2 and the left stick forward

[@billybull7419]

Haha

[@kickertanker7804]

Or y2

[@billybull7419]

@@kickertanker7804 Just no

[@JBARTNICKI]

My man

[@zyuukii]

😂

[@sdslim9012]

Spent a career flying for a living, including around 5k hours in helicopters, military and civil. I don't know how many hours of dual instruction you received during the filming of this segment, but.... 'ya did good son!'!!

[@PvTNuclear]

Im a mechanic and all my shop works on is robinsons. He did very good, I have probably twice as much time behind the controls as him and im half as good.

[@DobermansRock]

I logged 1,500 CE hours in Blackhawks. That duel engine thing kept us away from the sticks but I did chance the simulator one day with my IP. I was just fine until he started turning off the boost and assist. That made for some tough control work. Miss flying beyond anything else.

[@droceretik]

Yes dad.

[@Vincent-ce9ks]

Legends

[@malicoy5018]

ok chad

[@nickmendez3707]

Notice how the instructors control arm is longer than the students so that they have more leverage if they start grabbing on too tight.

[@chrisbula]

Nick Mendez nice catch!

[@alexlawson4173]

It looks like to me that they're the same length. It's just at a pivot in the middle. Destin is just holding it lower down. I'm sure he could lift it up. I obviously don't know for sure though.

[@kiradotee]

@@alexlawson4173 3:25 you're welcome

[@MaYbYl8eR]

Seems like ergonomics. Its joystick in between passengers leg and even though the arm is linger for the teacher its over his leg still

[@AmericanIdiot7659]

Why would you want it longer because if you try to grab it you'll crash the helo

[@stabes70]

The hardest part of a flying helicopter.. Finding the money to start!

[@Ironhatchy]

Agreed.

[@viperz888]

Only 25 bucks an hour

[@stabes70]

viperz888 What an Rc Helicopter?

[@viperz888]

+stabes70 no a real one

[@viperz888]

+stabes70 osprey

[@Nighthawkinlight]

Your old series about how helicopters work I think is one of your best. Awesome to see you're putting that knowledge to use

[@ac11dc110]

+NightHawkInLight wow you are watching all my subs videos :P

[@FokkerBoombass]

"Today on Smarter Every Day we will see aircraft crash investigators at work."

[@m.farizakbarhutasuhut3074]

As you see here, the investigator is collecting my shattered femur, where they will take it to a lab and determine if I shattered it before or after the tail rotor smacked that tree over there.

[@AbhishekPatry]

"It has its ups and downs." Awful? That was bloody good one! 🤣

[@ryanm.191]

It’s the first joke every instructor says to a new student

[@AverageAlien]

awfully punny

[@rajivagnihotri5182]

stwy

[@wayneyadams]

It's called false modesty.

[@Kalashnigoon]

I hear that joke a lot as an Elevator Constructors Apprentice

[@chimkinNuggz]

veteran GTA player here. i can confirm this. its really hard to hover a helicopter, especially if youre trying to bust someone out of a prison

[@OsamaRana]

+RuggedALAN and if Micheal is the pilot

[@GwidazMan]

+RuggedALAN BUT...its easy to hover the hydra..boooyah!

[@dacasman]

+RuggedALAN Not even close to the same thing. the helicopters in pretty much all videos games basically fly themselves.

[@GwidazMan]

+dacasman dude..that was a sarcasm..god..

[@johnpetersen5341]

+dacasman It has proper gyroscopic controls and physics, you should try it. They gave cars phantom torque, and bikes/motorcycles phantom forces, because stunts can be boring without those. But they were very faithful to accurate air flight. Try passing a payload with the 'Cargobob' before you say it flies itself.

[@jakethoover]

I almost bought an rc helicopter as a kid. A guy at the shop told me flying a helicopter is like balancing a marble in the middle of a two foot by two foot pane of glass... running. I bought an rc car instead.

[@Cloutwick]

Weird mental picture....but accurate

[@simonm1528]

Bahaha

[@richmiller9844]

Balancing a pencil by the point. Sitting on top a beach ball. I learned with RC helis($$$) No seat of the pants feed back with RC also no fear of death.

[@BitwiseMobile]

I heard bowling ball on top of a bowling ball :)

[@arwo1143]

Mine told me the same, and it’s very true He also told me to buy the smaller one with full control (one of those that can flip upside down). It’s the hardest to control (really sensitive), but if you can fly that one, you can fly every one (and it’s cheaper to repair) And that was also true

[@henmich]

I learned this real hard when I just HAD to buy a remote controlled gas helicopter. I was talking to a helicpoter pilot about it and he said. "It's harder to fly those than real ones. When you mess up in the real vehicle, the whole world turns." When you get a RC helicopter facing you all the controls reverse and you have to do the mental gymnastics to remember to fly all the controls backwards. You should add a bit about that on your video.

[@Hellsong89]

True, but you can get somewhat over it by using cameras and heatset.

[@musoseven8218]

Yep back in the day, I did RC boats, off road race cars, gliders and powered aeroplanes. The latter two? It's not if you crash, it's when you crash - tedious keep rebuilding the model. Interestingly, when racing off road RC cars that are oversteering coming towards you as you say reversed, you have to put your mind in the model. We didn't have cameras or VR back in the day ;-)

[@isaaclyonsf1]

@@musoseven8218 I currently do all of those things and I agree, you don't even have to think about reverse steering on an rc buggy.

[@scheusselmensch5713]

In my experience a very skilled RC helicopter pilot can fly the real ships quite acceptably within an hour, usually less. They might not be on the numbers but they can fly it.

[@kevinmeyer2655]

scheusselmensch , that’s what I’m hoping for. Been flying RC for 20 years back when the gyros where mechanical and only slightly assisted. That was when you really had to know how to fly because you had to compensate for the torque. Anyone flying for less years most likely had a heading hold piezo gyro and never learned that skill. I want to get my license this summer.

[@ScoutSniper3124]

Two things you NEVER want to hear from an Instructor Pilot... Nervous Laughter and the Lord's Prayer.

[@TheHoaxHotel]

Next step an autorotation landing from 10,000 feet after cutting the engine!

[@jackielinde7568]

+The Hoax Hotel Predicted results: A long whistling sound, followed by a "Splat!"

[@smartereveryday]

If you only knew what was coming up.....

[@P07H34D]

+SmarterEveryDay ermergerd! Sperlers!

[@wdfwgagyfgagyga]

+1fortheroad1 We are too!!

[@JosiasRivera]

From 10k feet? That's easy. All the time in the world. Throw in a 180 power off auto from 500 feet and now we're talking.

[@theQiwiMan]

In my heart I'd like to think I could somehow eventually come to understand and respect the 10 people who have thumbed this video down. But deep down I suspect we could never actually become friends. Too fundamentally different.

[@pullarz414]

+theQiwiMan 10 now ..:/

[@ldekker97]

27... why...

[@aliviabrooks8305]

+theQiwiMan wow that was deep.... Lol

[@smhdpt12]

+theQiwiMan There is a unique gene in some humans who just like to be jerks. There is no cure.

[@AffordBindEquipment]

+theQiwiMan there's slag in every pot...

[@EoThorne]

"the R22 was down for maintenance." Did you have anything to do with that, Destin? ;)

[@conmagnew5542]

I was gonna say Michelle was a really good teacher. That's how you do it, enough encouragement, and drop you right into the situation.

[@detaildr]

"You have the craziest job ever!" "It has its ups and downs..." ... Threw my phone across the room at this joke...

[@graxx1451]

If you did that,you are an unbalanced psycho nutcase.

[@luislopez5523]

Wait, so your phone went up then down?

[@bnr3314]

Do you have a Nokia lmao

[@wayward4657]

r/ComedyHomicide

[@jagfan101]

RIP phone

[@radioshowsradiohour2280]

"It has it's up's and it's down's" lmfao

[@devanvlogs6485]

RadioShow's RadioHour I kinda laughed at that too

[@alexsurh1472]

Hovering a helecoptor in BF4 is already hard enough lol

[@AK-pg1fc]

Lol good one

[@aa1bb2cc3dd4]

it's literally the same mechanic. Instead of using your whole body it's just your fingers. I have flown both, and having flown in bf4 first, I caught on to irl flying in less than an hour. It's super similar and just as easy to crash lol

[@_DarkKnight2301_]

Can I also just as easy do a barrel roll?

[@Hellsong89]

Nah try arma. It essentially takes same amount of time to learn, but with real chopper you need to add in the torque when adding power. Still i flied military training simulator at convention and instructors were impressed so i guess few hundred flight hours in arma paid off in that regard.. too bad i have glasses and few health problems that prevent me flying real helicopter. I even dreamed of going career military pilot, but could not.

[@_DarkKnight2301_]

Bf4 helis are fun. The little bird is a favorite because it can fit into places a helicopter shouldn't go lol

[@joshcanttakeajoke2853]

Destin: you have the craziest job Instructor: it has its ups and downs I laughed way to hard at this

[@iiPrr]

Instructor: Ready for your crash course I loved that one too

[@WhatsInside]

You rock as always.

[@theromanfish]

+What's Inside? omg hi :DDDDDDDDDDDD

[@asj3419]

well, he is good at rocking the helicopter

[@maxmyzer9172]

+What's Inside? OMG its whats inside, another one of my favs. (r u realated)

[@wyattsmith8853]

you da best say hi to Lincoln for me

[@eat_ze_bugs]

They should have auxiliary controls with q,w,e,a,s,d.

[@xyzabc9628]

ps4 controller's better

[@thrundawolf187]

+Xyz Abc Console idiot

[@thrundawolf187]

+Xyz Abc Console idiot

[@XOLiD55]

Lol scrubs, flight stick is better.

[@brunoalves-pg9eo]

+Xyz Abc peasant

[@baintprush2931]

"It has its ups and downs" took my a while to get it 😂😂

[@Gear1rus]

ye cracking puns seems to be the key to the job lol

[@edwardabel3716]

Thank you very much for showing us “how to fly a helicopter” You are dead on when you say there is a “difference between knowing and understanding” Especially with Helicopters!!

[@paulfitch2198]

As I was going through Primary Helicopter flight training in Mineral Wells, TX, I sent my parents a post card that read something like "I know why this school is in Texas - so you only need permission from one governor to learn to hover"

[@butchhaight]

Been there, done that. 1972, Brown Hat. I hovered on my very first check flight, that’s up until Capt. Shultzen ask me what 2 divided by 3 was...oops...lol... What’s a WOC? Something you throw at a wabbit!!!

[@glenwilliams9752]

Look at us guys!! Wolters, Rucker or Hunter AAF, Nam retirement and we watch a video of kids like we were hovering. Wow.

[@briansmobile1]

I'm so jealous! Way to go Destin! You work so hard and deserve all the good things that come your way.

[@simon-pierrelarochelle4403]

+briansmobile1 Funny to see one channel that i'm subscribed at comment on another one !

[@briansmobile1]

@@simon-pierrelarochelle4403 Like minded people are practically magnetic to each other. Some people say it's the way we "vibrate" the same. Other people say the whole vibration thing is "woo." I don't claim to know why it happens, but I enjoy watching it happen just the same!

[@davidbuschhorn6539]

Michelle is a dream girl. She's smart and pretty and funny, lighthearted and forgiving. Guys? Don't negate how important forgiving is :-)

[@gregrtodd]

I'm a fixed-wing pilot but my only rotary-wing training was in an R-22. Such a tricky little bugger to hover! Everything you said was spot on! I have friends who have flown larger helis though (specifically the UH-1H Iroquois) -they say that the bigger the chopper, the easier it is to hover. The R22 sits on a tiny ball of air, and wants to constantly roll off it. An Iroquois sits on a much fatter and flatter air cushion, and isn't so prone to fall off.

[@johnfriend862]

Destin, this is my "go to" video for showing people how hard what we do actually is. A helicopter is the true embodiment of Newton's third law, but there's usually more than one equal & opposite reaction. Now when someone wants me to explain how hard flying a helicopter is I just show them your video. You've packed a ton of information into just a few minutes. Great job! And I assure those commenters out there who are experienced helicopter pilots because they fly a simulator or RC, you haven't got a clue. I've flown million dollar simulators for instrument work, and even those are nowhere near the real thing. I flew nitro RC helicopters before flying real ones, and it's not even close. If it's so easy, spend a few hundred dollars and go do a discovery flight at your local helicopter school, show the instructors there how much your simulator time taught you.

[@jamesordwayultralightpilot]

Obviously it's a lot harder than RC but like all things RC gives you the foundation to build on. A sim can only teach you so much. At least RC helps you apply the physics in a real world scenario. I understand your feelings towards guys who say it's the same thing or RC is harder. I'm not saying that at all because the real deal you pay for your mistakes with your life, so the stakes are higher. But knowing the basic behaviours and controls from RC especially in my case FPV, I feel it helps to have that foundation and build confidence in learning to fly a real Heli. I'm only commenting because I've always thought about it since I was a kid and I've flown FPV, planes, helis, and now quadcopters. It seems like the next step would be to take lessons and I hope to experience the click much quicker having the background to apply to a real copter. Let me know if I'm making sense and if I'm on the right track. Please no insults. This is still a serious matter and I'm not trying to start an emotional online debate. Thank you :-)

[@GRDwashere]

"but there's usually more than one equal & opposite reaction" actually no, there's only one reaction, trouble is the non-linear rate of change of both the direction and magnitude of that one reaction.

[@kevintedder4202]

@@jamesordwayultralightpilot I disagree. Fly a RC heli away from you and left is left, right is right. Now turn and fly it towards you, left is right, right is left. But only for your right hand controlling the cyclic. Your left hand, on the collective, is not reversed, up and down are the same. Try thinking backwards with one hand and forwards with the other. Also, when stood on the ground looking at a model in the air, you lack that 'seat of you pants' feeling about what the heli is doing. Close your eyes in a real heli and you still feel if it is turning. Try closing your eyes with a RC heli. Both RC and real heli's are difficult to fly, its just that the pilot is detached from a RC heli to add another level of difficulty.

[@RaivoltG]

I've got rc helis and they are very difficult to learn to fly, many crashes but also many aerobatic maneuvers that would be impossible in a "real" heli. I've never ever crashed a "real" helicopter, could it be that they are easier to fly? I'm guessing it's because I've never flown a real one! 😂

[@AozoraUltra2006]

I couldn't hear the difference between the host's voice and the instructor...

[@AozoraUltra2006]

the first instructor

[@hrwakelsa]

+Aozotra The host?

[@krisztianszirtes5414]

+Lasse Hansen Host as in maker of the video. It's not like a webserver here :D

[@TorIvanBoine]

+Lasse Hansen host = not the instructor :)

[@AozoraUltra2006]

yeah sorry couldn't recall the name of the guy

[@0SKBooth0]

"It has its ups and downs" that has me laughing so hard...my favorite kind of instructor, laid back.

[@mesillahills]

A friend of mine in Florida named Tom Howell destroyed an Army helicopter while learning to hover it. Tom later went on to become the main helicopter pilot for POTUS LBJ. Part of that was the fact that he was born and raised in Texas. Top flew into LBJ's ranch in Texas with the man aboard many times. He retired as the owner/operator of a State Farm Insurance agency in Texas. Also, my classmate in grade school's mother was the first licensed female helicopter pilot in the state of Illinois. Alice Dewitt was later killed in a small airplane crash along with her husband. She has a low "Whirligirl" number.

[@redkb]

Love the Rubik's Cube analogy!

[@InsertPi]

+RedKB Nice to see you here RedKB. Still waiting for you to switch from Corners First to the ZZ master race. jk

[@TheSphericalCuber1]

+RedKB HOW DO I FIND YOU ALL THE TIME???

[@vamshidarisi8400]

Kenneth how do I find you commenting on most of the channels I watch ? yow.

[@ChristianMeyer]

Can you also do a modern helicopter and show the differences?

[@HamishMilne83]

+Christian Meyer Yeah, this would be really easy to automate. Millitary jets can pretty much fly themselves, I'd imagine a modern helicopter would be similar.

[@matthewmiller7293]

+Christian Meyer The only difference is that computer systems "Correct" the pilot's inputs, making it hard to make mistakes. There's a running joke about Airbus planes among airline pilots, which use the same type of system: "You don't fly it, you just tell it where to go."

[@bbgun061]

+Christian Meyer They are the same. The controls might be hydraulically assisted (like power steering in a car) but they all work the same way.

[@StalePhish]

+Christian Meyer These aren't really too old. The white R22 you can see at 33 seconds that he was flying at the beginning of the video was built in 1998 (17 years old... not much in aviation terms considering the military is flying jets that are 60 years old). Unfortunately i can't tell the year on the R44 4-seater

[@RFC3514]

+Matthew Miller - In the near future, planes will be fully controlled by a man and a dog. The man's role is to feed the dog. The dog's role is to bite the man if he tries to touch any of the controls.

[@UnboxingJon]

Get to the chopper.

[@EnhancedMarket]

GET TO THE CHOPPAAAA!!**

[@applejuice8442]

GET TU ZE CHOPPPERRR*

[@ExtremeGSE]

your name has nothing to do with your channel, i wanted to subscribe but now i am disappointed

[@UnboxingJon]

ExtremeGSE Sorry to dissapoint. The channel is UnBoxing Jon in which we only unbox one thing: Jon.

[@ExtremeGSE]

+UnBoxing Jon - Vlogs To My Future Self subbed

[@tcswag801]

I love st.pete-clearwater-Tampa area . purchased a little 2 bedroom bungalow in Madeira Beach between Clearwater and st. Pete . such a cool chill beach town + urban city combined .

[@kirillvishnevsky6327]

I am from Saint-Petersburg, Russia. Cool to have a sister city in Florida. Nice video, watch them all!

[@maverickdallas1004]

... Helicopters don't fly...they beat the air into submission!!!

[@jazzsimmons8370]

That's how Chuck Norris does it!

[@ColinMill1]

There is an alternative theory - they are so ugly the Earth repels them.

[@waynebrown1394]

When I was a cop I was talking to one of our flight division guys. He said controlled crashing.

[@michaeltalbot8242]

No they fly as a function of Newton s third law they look so rediculus the earth repels them!

[@PyroThunder]

maverickdallas100 sky blender!

[@neversurrender5798]

I like that each teacher themselves that you were taught by was actually a progression in attitude. IE Michelle being quite hands off and a bit sassy was exactly what you seemed to need.

[@jakeman025]

The first sentence of your comment confused me but also teacher me that taught teaching English is treacherous and that taught the teaching teachers preachers teach.

[@TruthWillFreeYou]

@@jakeman025 I have no idea what you just said, but I think I agree.

[@yinyang1217]

@@TruthWillFreeYou yeah me too

[@johnhutchison9782]

A fortunate man is one who isn't hands off with Michelle 😂.

[@davehempstead9817]

I found it amazing. As a private pilot SEL/SES I was on vacation in FL and wanted a little time in a helicopter. I looked backed in my logbook and I had two lessons in N512GS 3/2014. Same helicopter. Really enjoy your site. I have similar interests. I was a Systems Engineer with IBM in the New England states for over 30 years

[@JulesQuimbo2142]

Anyone know how much per hour (if its by hour) the lessons are?

[@xcvsdxvsx]

+Jules Quimbo www.groupon.com/deals/airwest-aviation-academy

[@JulesQuimbo2142]

+xcvsdxvsx thanks

[@xCouragexAbility]

How much?

[@seigeengine]

+Jules Quimbo Picked from a few schools online, $25k-$60k~ for a private license, including 50ish hours of flight time and a similar amount of ground school.

[@xcvsdxvsx]

***** They probably aren't making huge profits or anything like that. I'm sure its just expensive as f*** to buy and maintain helicopters, rent runway space, pay teachers, and comply with government imposed burdens.

[@NeedToBike]

As a professional helicopter pilot in battlefield hardline I can certainly say it's difficult to fly a helicopter.

[@AitchT.]

Prove it

[@bectaddeo717]

SmarterEveryDay: lets try to hover a helicopter Me: trying to fly a drone

[@calartian85]

Calm down, Officer Overlode. Battlefield is a video game. And flying the helos is frickin’ impossible.

[@sravan9931]

🧢

[@guycha0s380]

Your account name says all, cap

[@nvrumi]

I met an instructor/pilot a few years ago and flew with him in his R22. He needed a photographer for aerial work and I had camera, ability, and inclination. It was such a hoot to fly with him and I had a blast, plus made a few bucks to pay for my equipment. Thanks for reminding me of that, Destin.

[@jamesharrell4360]

David Thompson: my father was/is a pilot and a photographer.. as a child I was always to short to see out of the plane. So he taught me how to fly by instrument while he took pictures for hours. Definitely miss those days

[@timearly5226]

@@jamesharrell4360 I've told some young men who've never driven a stick shift how my father taught me when I could barely see over the dash. You just blew that out of the water! 👍🙄

[@jamesharrell4360]

@@timearly5226 a stick is more of an intensive learning curve. How far to let out, When to shift, At the stop sign Dad put it in third and I killed the engine, Oh my God, my first hill solo from a dead stop on campus with people behind me...a few years in with an old Ford Ranger and your doing the foot work of NASCAR drivers... Those years were much more intense than being an auto pilot that's "activated"(woken up), to hold the yoke.(me). Quote: "being a piolet is 99% boredom, with a few seconds of extreme terror at the end." Needless to say, finding my old childhood drawings of optimally placed dials/controls/displays/etc that I use to draw. Imaginary vehicles/real ones/etc of course.., and realizing my constant life long interest; I love interiors of vehicles and anything with guages and switches. A well designed user interface based on importance, safety, and easy of access (non-touch screen) compounded with dual-redundancy every step along the way... Aircraft have two of everything for this reason...(except in the most recent Boeing incidents..) Plus I've always wanted to "retrofit" my shed to have those 1960's style space ship/launch facility blinking lights of no real correspondence... I'm that type of weirdo who reads a multiple PDF's of manuals, datasheets, and documents on ferro resonance while my wife watches TV and reads romance...

[@miked7728]

I come back to this video every year or so to remind me how much I want to get my helicopter license. I recently started flying the R44 on MSFS, and boy howdy did I get a different perspective on the whole hovering thing. It may not be as realistic as the real thing, but after actually trying it I understand how you have to manipulate every input at the same time. It felt almost impossible at first. I just hope I get instructors as cool as these folks when I go to school. Thanks Destin, love your stuff.

[@ohhatu8081]

There's a place in the US called st.Petersburg? Do you have any original names for places there? Like at all?

[@neonjoe529]

+xzastd I went to college with a guy from Embarrass, MN....

[@neonalbino5832]

Yes

[@xboy4331]

+neonjoe529 Fun fact, Embarrass is one of the coldest places on the planet.

[@neonjoe529]

Trygve Germo Interesting... that you think that..... I would think that many places in Greenland, Canada, Russia, Antarctica, etc. are colder. Even places in the U.S., like the mountains in Montana, are likely to be colder than Embarrass. Then again, I haven't actually looked at any data - this is just my speculation.

[@Mechanabox]

Well, the U.S. was nearly entirely explored by people from existing countries at the time, namely Europe, and people back then have proved to be incredibly unoriginal. (Newfoundland,

[@ferrari884]

If I can do the exploding oil rig challenge in Microsoft Flight Simulator, I can do this.

[@zachclemens1971]

Lol fsx helicopters have such bad flight models.

[@ferrari884]

+Zach Clemens exactly

[@zachclemens1971]

Jeff Ward Have you heard of the Huey in DCS world sim. It is suppose to be super realistic and feels that way from what I can tell, but I can't say for sure, I'm just a fixed wing pilot. Ain't got the money for helicopter lessons lol.

[@EL_Jeffy_101]

Nah never have, but simple microsoft sims dont give the physical raction of whats truly needed for hover work...

[@axebeard7677]

Took me a few hours to get that one.

[@burritotorpedo7772]

When he started explaining the helicopter controls. I just thought “WHY ARE THERE SIX PEDALS?!” From Red vs Blue

[@AttilaAsztalos]

Duh - clutch, breaks, gas, each doubled for redundancy... ;)

[@namedropper9237]

You shot Church!

[@scotthrivnak1986]

@@namedropper9237 "You team killing fucktard"

[@TheLovemilife]

honestly a nice change of place from a sponsor. Good job St. Pete Clearwater.

[@darkless60]

Instructor Brandon: It has its ups and downs Hahahahaa

[@BelowMinimums]

As an airplane pilot I found this video really interesting. I've never flown a helicopter but I'd like to get my helicopter pilots license some day. Good video and it was very informative, some of the stuff here is actually pretty similar to airplanes; such as multiple controls inputs are needed to do a maneuver such as turning.

[@AIRSOFTMMASKATEBEAST]

You should give it a try! I'm currently a helicopter student and it's pretty fun. Got about 70 hours so far.

[@BelowMinimums]

I definitely plan to do it some day, but not for awhile. Too expensive. The only heli school near me is 300/ hour for dual and 250 for solo. A little too much for me at the moment haha.

[@EL_Jeffy_101]

only thing is, you cant take your hand off the cyclic, thats asking for trouble... hopefully you learn to use your left hand very well lol

[@davidroberts1852]

Much easier being a glider pilot. I need to know is stick and rudder.

[@buzzjump9422]

I am going to ground school on march and going to fly a glider. Any tips for first nervous flight?

[@jonathannerz1696]

I am a speed cuber, and the way he was describing solving a Rubik's Cube is exactly right.

[@mewintle]

I had no idea that there were all of those cool things in St Pete and Clearwater. I was never interested in that area before, but now I really want to go see those museums! Thanks!

[@nokiot9]

“It’s like trying to stand up on a bicycle while standing completely still”

[@cubeologist42]

Ayyyy Rubik's cubes making an appearance!

[@Z3Cubing]

+Cubeologist yay!

[@smartereveryday]

I need to watch your channel more.

[@Mechanabox]

Yesssss

[@na677]

ayyyy cubeologist youre here

[@27cuber73]

+SmarterEveryDay it's a good idea. Some of the best videos

[@pierc7490]

It seems that you put lots of effort in your videos and I really like them, you also really seem like you enjoy making them, thanks for always teaching me something new -a recent subscriber

[@wilsonblack2201]

Been there and done that. Learned a whole new perspective and appreciation for the skills required to fly helicopters.

[@eggbeater4371]

Wilson Black amen!

[@mntbighker]

I solo flew the R22 after 17 hours. I can't recall how long it took to hover. But when it happened, it was a switch going off and I could "just do it". I guess I took to like a duck to water. My instructor pulled some INSANE stunts on me, like throttle chops on takeoff, over water at really low altitudes. The parallels between heli hover and mountain biking are interesting. If you watch the terrain too close to you, it's a disaster. When you figure out how not to, it comes into focus. Instructors told me back then a LOT of asian students were coming to AZ (I'm in CA), and most didn't solo until about 60 hours (got my license at 70). The vast majority of them would fly the ship right into the ground unless the instructor took over, despite screaming and yelling at them to "flare". Apparently they had a really hard time transferring what they read in class to real world. They would fixate and freeze up. I theorize that what makes that culture so great at math and science is the same thing that makes things like driving and flying so hard. They can focus on one thing really well, but with a car or aircraft you have to do 5 things at once.

[@howardflies]

+mntbighker one of our instructors was a former SAR pilot and he managed to make a R22 hover from 70 knots in 3 seconds, pitch up so much I can only see the sky! Apparently he did it all the time back in the day when he flew Dauphins in search and rescue missions.

[@mntbighker]

+Howard “Howardflyer” Lau The factory pilots at the Robinson factory fly those little things around like lunatics. The Coast Guard guys here at work fly the Dauphine around all the time. But they are nowhere near as nutz as the Blackhawk pilots.

[@Bkaithaone]

Just started lessons in a Robinson R22! Thanks Deston! Seen this video a few months back and it blew my mind. Update: hovering; although difficult, wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Unless its windy, then it really is.

[@aaronbradshaw4762]

+ I loved this video although he was advertising ClearWater at the end LOL

[@losoggyspaghetti]

Its easy, I can do it because I train everyday in CoD.. You should train on CoD everyday to be a master of hovering

[@TheOnlyToblin]

+Ricardo Quaresma Can't tell if serious...

[@vlurr2610]

What is CoD

[@TheDeathdragon401]

call of duty. It's a video game simulating war.

[@vlurr2610]

+Tevin Mulumba I'm not In the Internet

[@Tevin-MK]

+Thatonelostteddybear stop using it then

[@rrcaniglia]

When I went through Army rotary wing flight school, it took ten to twelve hours of flight time to learn to hover. If SED was hovering in less time, he is what you’d have to call a ‘natural stick’.

[@philipmartin708]

I'm glad I found your comment. What were they telling you about the use of the cyclic and hovering?

[@thebigdog360]

**Watches video of him taking off, flying, and landing.** “Oh, I can do that, easily!!” **Tries to fly Sikorsky S-76 on X-Plane 10** “Ok ummmm”

[@rdablock]

bruh

[@robertkelly3041]

knowledge is power

[@lukasdon0007]

+Rawr “Tato” McRawr France is bacon

[@robertkelly3041]

***** Too soon, bro. Too soon.

[@Kioget]

+Rawr „Tato“ McRawr And i know a lot...

[@lukasdon0007]

Rawr McRawr Oh man that made me laugh. I'm a horrible person :/ Also: had France been bacon, the attacks would probably not have happened.

[@ScarletAssasin]

+Rawr “Tato” McRawr simsimhae, baegopa, hastalavistababy.

[@sandgar1001]

What graphics settings are these

[@ParasiteQueen1]

Realistic

[@kvngbreezy2382]

Will N ultra hd 4K HDR directx

[@caaash1]

playstation 5

[@Androidy]

GTA 50

[@samwise9122]

Idk why but an instructor with a southern accent always puts me at ease.

[@somestuffithoughtyoumightl6985]

Hovered around the box on my first lesson. Hardest thing I’ve done in over nine thousand fixed wing hours

[@alfs3]

I had my first helicopter lesson a few years ago and hovering is definitely the hardest thing you can ever do, but I actually picked it up quite quickly as the instructor noted. This video was equally as fun as that first lesson was and thanks for making me LOL!

[@theoiv]

i love this show. i feel better after watching it every time.

[@smartereveryday]

Thank you very much for such a kind comment Theo.

[@theoiv]

+SmarterEveryDay you're very welcome. it's easy to like something that's pure. keep up the good work.

[@musoseven8218]

Amazing progress, great instructors! I've had a go in a tough old military helicopter and it's like patting your stomach, rubbing your head, whistling a tune all whilst on a unicycle!

[@dylanmcewan7504]

So when is the backwards brain helicopter video?

[@illidur]

+Dylan McEwan When he tries flying towards himself in 3rd person lol

[@mayurchavhan8590]

1:54 You've the craziest job ever dude. Instructor: It has some ups and down. 🤣🤣🤣

[@jamesgrimwood1285]

Do a video on the physics of roller skating (think about it, you're a top heavy tall mass, with tiny wheels, wobbly joints and the tiniest imbalance makes you fall over - with no gyroscopic stability like when cycling)... and then find your local roller derby team and watch what they do on skates.

[@simonislegend]

My father is profesional pilot, same as my two brothers, its theyr job. I tryed to fly helicoper with my dad, when i controled i was able to fly straight or somewhere without problems, but hovering and landing is insanely hard.

[@ScientistCat]

Cyclic isn't technically moving the blades "independently", it just changes the angle (and therefore the force) *depending on the blade's position* - increasing it on one side and decreasing on the opposite. That means, if you have two blades; when one is at maximum angle then the other is at minimum, when one is decreasing then the other is increasing; and vice versa.

[@jamesordwayultralightpilot]

I applied it to my life in the idea that with FPV quadcopters there's no pitch adjustment only changing the rpms of the blades to increase or decrease thrust. So it's apparent you cannot exactly change the speed of full size blades so the best way to affect thrust is by manipulating the amount of lift the blades create. So I've really learned that helicopters have one blade speed and you just change the pitch to make it go up or down.

[@zameliz]

I can fly prettymuch any helo in Arma 3 pretty well and even autorotate the thing to the ground in one piece with a busted tailrotor. Give me a real helo and I'd probably crash that sucker before it can even take off.

[@joostdriesens3984]

I also fly helos a lot in Arma 3 with HOTAS, its awesome. I suspect the experience will give a very small advantage in that you are aware of how a helicopter works and that you need to balance the controls. For the rest you still need to 'calibrate' to the real thing which will take hours at least, just like a regular student. For me the throttle is the collective, which I push forward / down to increase power. This probably won't go over well to a real helicopter... ;-)

[@dogboy0912]

Pretty much every video game helicopter lacks the torqueing moment caused by the rotor as well as any wind effect and the other little aerodynamic effects surrounding helicopters. You really have to avoid over controlling, "trying to squeeze the black out of the stick." Pedal awareness is a big part too. We're not used to using our feet for steering vehicles unless you're a crane operator. Video game helicopters will stabilize and have very fast reacting inputs. Real helicopters feel a bit mushier usually due to the delay in cyclic input to what happens in the real world. The standard 3 part correction needs to kind of be thought of ahead of time (If I push the stick, this will happen, AND I am going to have to bring the stick back again to avoid too much acceleration in that direction) before you've even seen the outcome. Pilot induced oscillation is really easy to get into in a hover if you're not used to it because you see yourself going one way, over-correct to the other direction (but don't see the output occur until it's too late) so then you start swinging the opposite way, and you're just going back and forth doing that. Learning just to hover and controllably hover taxi is pretty humbling, but it is true that after a few hours, you get used to it. Especially when there are ground personnel walking around assuming you know what you're doing and can follow the taxi lines instead of careening 30ft to the side and crashing.

[@hunormagyar1843]

Arma is uhh... not bad, but it's not perfectly realistic, after all, flying vehicles are just one thing among many, it's not even a dedicated chopper sim. But it's all fun. If only I had a better thing to run it on...

[@Elcicikos]

@@joostdriesens3984 Buy DCS

[@joostdriesens3984]

@@Elcicikos I have been tempted many times :-) In the end I prefer the combined operations that arma offers.

[@yannickallard4]

Great video! My father allways told me that it was more complicated to fly the helicopter than a plane. My father was areodynamics enginneer for Bombardier areonautic in Montreal.i was allways hung to his lips to listen to his knowledge and stories. Thanks again!!

[@SpookyDoopyDoo]

SmarterEveryDay: lets try to hover a helicopter Me: trying to fly a drone

[@veetour]

So everything related to helicopters is flooding my recommends because I keep watching videos of Kobe's crash!

[@LuisMoreno-py7jn]

vee tour same here lmaooo not gunna lie though I’ve now gotten an interest in helicopters and want to fly in one

[@WamoAR]

Luis Moreno same

[@Danny-fs1hk]

Yep

[@TotallyNotHimBTW]

billy bob woah! This is the internet dude not your grandma’s living room

[@sssharefff]

@@billybob7947 well, people have opinions?

[@patrickwhitehead7584]

For me and my taste, this is the best video you've made. Well done!

[@Another64driver]

As of this comment date, 8 years as a helicopter pilot, 16 as a pilot in general, that wasn't too bad, you did a good job there. Kudos. Reminds of of being back at Ft. Rucker

[@TheBehm08]

“The stick test” is an official test you must pass before you can get a helicopter license

[@wspraggs]

Jordan Behm it’s not though, at least in Canada

[@azyfloof]

A Dali museum AND an Escher museum?! I think I about soiled myself!

[@missylongbottom2064]

For some reason hovering just clicked in about 3 - 4 hours. Left pattern and right pattern still confuse me (doesn't help that I'm right/left dyslexic)

[@j-c4997]

Oh my. You went to clearwater too! I flew a 172 there, almost the same path along the beach you took! AWESOME!

[@flymachine]

My instructor was also very much hands-off - in the beginning, I thought negligently so but I am so grateful for this because it forced me to learn a lot quicker and take complete responsibility for my actions and decisions on the ground and in the air, don't worry your PIO's weren't so bad, I've seen students get into far worse chain reactions but the Robby comes out every time.

[@fortyfourfitness5330]

I got behind the controls of a R22 for the first time today and let just say that if I were to be in the “downed pilot” situation where I had to take over that I would have died before I left the airport. But for real when I was focused on trying to hover I went all over the place. Then my instructor had me tell a story and no kidding I was able to keep it pretty stable and calm when I was thinking less about it!

[@7th_CAV_Trooper]

It's like carrying a cup and saucer. Don't look at the cup or you'll spill.

[@simonm1528]

Wow Thanks. I'm going for my pilots license soon. All this free info is fantastic. Great work

[@H2R5GSXR]

Singing/humming really helped me click with the R 22 in hover. I did not fly for two years and flew a lot of fixed-wing, now having to relearn how to hover as I lost my skill. I asked my old instructor and she reminded me that I was singing on the day I clicked. Next week I will see if it works twice. I can lift off and fly and put the R 22 back where I started from, just no stable hover.

[@MyAmazonWorld]

Oh man! Those guys make it look so easy! Thanks for showing us some behind the scenes!

[@LinYouToo]

My dad flew radio controlled airplanes for about 45 years including one helicopter for around 20+ years. He competed in events regularly. At the three radio control clubs he belong to he was also one of the test pilot instructors. I never will forget the first day he flew the helicopter. I think the entire club showed up because nobody at that time had one. Everybody clapped and cheered after the helicopter lifted off the ground. My dad had a real knack for hand eye coordination and responding in a nanosecond. A couple of flights later on the same day he flew the helicopter away from the viewing area for safety sake. Then he put the helicopter to the test. He got the helicopter spinning around on its vertical axis and then pulled up and flew upside down inverted while he flew it around the field. As he came around the turn at the end of the field he right sided the helicopter for a high speed pass down the center of the field. Needless to say when he landed he got a standing ovation. It was quite a sight to see. He tried many times to explain the physics of a helicopter to me and the principles of a gyroscope. And how different flying his model helicopter was compared to his airplanes. He had a knack for it that’s for sure. He is gone now - we have so many fond memories of his flying.

[@stevesilsby5288]

I've often wondered whether drummers have an easier time learning to fly a helicopter. Their brains are already adept at making each of the four limbs perform complex independent operations that still must mesh perfectly in time to achieve the mission.

[@craigmonteforte1478]

Cool video, my Uncle taught at Pennsocola Florida years ago and i always remember him telling me one of the things he had to do was to cut the power to the engines To simulate engine failure and let the student bring the helicopter to a safe landing i remember asking him if he had the ability to Get the engine back to speed and take over if the student couldn't react correctly ? He is a retired search and rescue US Coast Guard pilot with many hours of flying out of one of the Nations busiest Air Stations and with a very calm response he looked at me and said Nope its just over ! I spent a lot of time doing recreational things with him over the years and i was always amazed on how he always kept his cool no matter what the circumstances At his retirement ceremony in the Coast Guard Headquaters in Washington DC i was impressed when they read all of his accomplishments in the military and how many rescues he flew during his 27 year career

[@idontgetthejoke9465]

K

[@fdutrey]

To fly is heavenly, to hover is divine.

[@rcs3030]

Very very lucky kids to have a father like you. They will never have a boring day. Sit, stay, GOOD DAD !

[@SuperAdnan117]

I like how Destin just HAD to ask the darn question towards the end there. Heli pilots and Fixed-wing pilots notoriously have beef with each other on matters like this LMAOO

[@elfhighmage8240]

I have heard many people say this: "Real pilots fly helicopters, everyone else just talks about flying." I believe it.

[@Rhapbus1]

sounds like one of those stupid things that people say to eachother to make their penises feel bigger, implying plane pilots are fake pilots or something lmao

[@elfhighmage8240]

@@Rhapbus1 The author of one book, Chickenhawk, was written by Robert Mason who flew both planes before flying helicopters in Vietnam. He did say that helos are much more difficult to master than fixed wing. Since I am no pilot, I'd believe his words. However, you are correct that pilots of different aircraft often talk trash about others.

[@dm5802]

I’m a fixed wing pilot, and yeah, flying a helicopter is way harder but you can’t really compare them. There’s just things for each one and both are great to fly anyways.

[@stinkerooo]

Okay but like, have you heard of fighter jets lol

[@ianpalmer3357]

@@stinkerooo that's still a fixed wing aircraft

[@MrIzzy5466]

Man I can't even fly helicopters well in Battlefield, I'd destroy a real helicopter. Props to you for putting yourself out they man!

[@Mariusz803]

Especially since Bad Company 2 xD

[@petergambier]

Another great educational film thanks Destin. Also loved the guitar music. 'A shell In The Pit' makes an interesting and lovely sound.

[@MichaelHendricks]

I loved the video. I have to know, was the reverse bicycle harder or learning to hover?

[@tcg1_qc]

This makes me want to learn how to fly an helicopter. Gonna start saving up

[@sarahutch6413]

Hovering a helecoptor in BF4 is already hard enough lol

[@tcg1_qc]

@@sarahutch6413 tbh it could probably be easier IRL (flying not hovering) since you have more control

[@matt309]

Howd it go

[@tcg1_qc]

@@matt309 I still haven't done it, I'm just 17 and still don't have a job and when I do I have other things to save up for, but one day I will

[@matt309]

@@tcg1_qc good luck

[@lukeweyant6771]

My brain literally hurt when Destin talked about how many controls it takes to hover. Crazy.

[@spitfirekid1]

I had my first R22 lesson on New Years Day. I am a fixed wing license pilot. I had an amazing instructor. I had one perfect hover after 30 minutes and couldn’t do it again. I flew a couple patterns all the way to landing. I have a long way to go if I continue but hard a great start!

[@1castellp]

Me: hovering a chopper is easy Also Me: dead

[@bo64hellfire]

XD, got a god chuckle out of me

[@shekharmaela2308]

Kobe be like:

[@gideonkloosterman]

@@shekharmaela2308 kobe wasnt the pilot

[@shekharmaela2308]

@@gideonkloosterman When did i say he was? I was just going along with the joke.

[@gideonkloosterman]

@@shekharmaela2308 The joke didn't make sense