| If you're about to begin your training for a helicopter | | | | The Schweizer Aircraft Company builds the |
| pilot career than congratulations are in order. Learning | | | | Schweizer 300. The newest variant of the Schweizer |
| to fly a helicopter is like trying to balance a basketball | | | | 300 is the Schweizer 300 CBi. The CBi's most notable |
| on a broom handle until the one day when everything | | | | changes are the use of fuel injection, which prevents |
| clicks. | | | | carburetor icing, rotor overspeed protection and a low |
| When you begin your training you'll have to choose a | | | | rotor RPM warning system. |
| school based on cost, the instructors, and the | | | | The Schweizer has a wider cockpit than the Robinson. |
| helicopters used for training. Currently there are three | | | | It has great visibility especially towards the rear. It is |
| helicopters used by most flight schools. They are the | | | | more forgiving than the Robinson, which can be both a |
| Robinson R-22, the Schweizer 300, and the Bell 47. | | | | blessing and a curse. Because of it easy handling |
| Each aircraft is piston powered and each has its | | | | characteristics it's easier for students who are just |
| strengths and weaknesses. | | | | beginning to fly but those same characteristics that |
| The Robinson R-22, designed by Frank Robinson and | | | | make it easy to fly make it more difficult for students |
| built by the Robinson Helicopter Company, is by far the | | | | who transition into more powerful aircraft. |
| most widely used helicopter in the flight training industry. | | | | The Bell 47, built by Bell Helicopter, is the granddaddy |
| In fact because of its low acquisition and operating | | | | of this group. The Bell 47 was developed during the |
| costs the R-22 is the top selling civil helicopter in the | | | | Korean War. Though it's not used as a trainer as often |
| world. The newest version of the R-22, the R-22 Beta | | | | as it once was, there are schools that instruct in the |
| II, improves on previous versions by adding items such | | | | venerable Bell. The 47 has a large cockpit with a wide |
| as a rotor brake, an auxiliary fuel tank, an engine | | | | bubble canopy, which affords it excellent visibility. The |
| speed governor and an increase in engine | | | | Bell 47 is a good training helicopter but the limited |
| horsepower. | | | | availability of parts makes it an increasingly rare sight |
| For purposes of instruction the Robinson is a superb | | | | at flight schools and airfields around the country. |
| machine. It's very responsive. Some has criticized this | | | | All of these helicopters are suitable for training. What |
| characteristic because it leaves students with less of a | | | | you need to do is ask yourself what you plan to do |
| margin for error. Others say the responsiveness of the | | | | when you finish training. Most students become flight |
| helicopter is a good thing because students don't | | | | instructors when they finish training and since Robinson |
| develop bad habits that have to be broken when they | | | | dominates the light helicopter and training markets it |
| transition into more powerful machines. As a whole, | | | | might make more sense to have your initial instruction |
| students who did their initial training in a Robinson are | | | | done in a Robinson. |
| better able to handle the transition to larger and more | | | | Regardless of the path you choose, learning to fly a |
| powerful aircraft. | | | | helicopter is an experience you won't soon forget. |