Premier Helicopter Training

[Cole]

Kinda like watchin a tape of a game after youre done playing... you can see what mistakes you made and try to correct them.

 

 

I think it would be mostly useful in the solo section of the training... I cant count how many times Ive been in a debrief where it seems like the instructor doesnt quite belive how well I did on the flight. If I had video proof that every check was completed and every landing was smooth... I could see where it would definately work the other way too though, one of the guys I was in ground school with was bragging one day about how he did some 'low level VFR' on the way back up a valley but his written logs he gave to the instructor said his gs cech was done at 7000Asl... makes you wonder

[xrkyle]

Kinda like watchin a tape of a game after youre done playing... you can see what mistakes you made and try to correct them.

 

What kind of mistakes? I'm a bit skeptical as to how valuable it really is. Since I don't know how to fly and what's involved in the learning process it may not be well founded but from everything I've read and heard, learning to fly a helicopter requires a lot of 'feeling out'. Many people compare it to learning to drive or ride a bike except a lot harder and lot more involved. Shawn Coyle has a really good description of the learning process and it's challenges in Chapter 14 of his book, The Art and Science of Flying Helicopters. When I learnt to drive a car, ride a bicycle and a motorcycle, I'm pretty sure video taping myself slipping the clutch or stalling would have had very little benefit. Also, why don't other schools use it? The technology is cheap and has been around for a while.

 

On the flip side, I've used video footage to aid in becoming a better motorcycle rider, fly caster, skier and soccer player. All those except the latter (which involved field position) involved evaluating form - my position on the bike and on the track, the shape of my arm and my rod position in a backcast, my torso and knee flex in the moguls - that sort of thing. And none of it would have been of any real value without an expert there to review it with me. Do the instructors at Premier sit down with the student for an hour after each flight and do a postmortem with them?

 

I'm not trying to poo-poo on what Premier does with their video training, I'm just having a hard time seeing it's value. Maybe some of the seasoned pilots and students like Kevin can chime in with their thoughts.

 

All that aside, I'd personally love to have footage of myself when I go to school, for nostalgia more than anything. I wish I had it when my Dad taught me how to drive a car. I'd really like to see his face as I burnt up his clutch, lol!

[Cole]

If you read over Kevins post the DVD comes with instructor comentary on what youre doing. I personally believe the video could reveal some minor things that the instructor might not pick up (Say he's teaching you circuit proceedures but youre not holding the cyclic right) during a dual flight. The most benifit this would whow would probably be during solo time. The camera provides that nagging voice that always seems to be missing when youre flying solo. I can attest to personally having cobwebs over some of the memorized checklists so if I forget to turn lights off or on something I dont notice the video would show this.

 

From the videos Ive seen from american schools with a similar setup you can see and correct all the little things to make yourself a more efficient pilot.

 

Point and case. Pilot-X (Name has been changed for anonimity) was holding the cyclic wrong during solo flight causing some quirky flying due to the change in C of G with half the internal payload (instructor) missing. It wasnt untill Pilot-X brought up this phenomenon that the problem was fixed. Bad habbitls like that could be picked up on camera and the instrctor would leave the antidote in his dictation dubbing over the video. I guess the question should be, if you have the technology, why not use it? Also, like you said video of your training would be cool to have... wish I could've seen the instructors face during my first spin, for that matter I wouldnt mind seeing MY face during my spin or first solo. (hehe, just remembered that moment... couldnt believe how fast that thing climbed, also seem to remember the mission impossible theme song playing through my head, **** good thing we dont have voice recorders in the 172 haha)

 

Kevin, does this setup also record radio conversation? I could see the advantages of that too.

 

Cole

[kevin]

"I think it would be mostly useful in the solo section of the training"

 

Cole,

 

I believe with th instructors audio input on the disc's the dual time is just as valuable as solo. When you fly solo at Premier you put your own voice on the disc. It is a life learning experience to hear yourself on disc. Dual, at first I preffered the camera being set up so all the radio work was recorded so I could get use to the radio. Once the radio is a non issue, I preffer just having the instructors voice on the video so the radio isn't distracting while I watch the video.

 

 

"Do the instructors at Premier sit down with the student for an hour after each flight and do a postmortem with them?"

 

xrkyle,

 

The instructors at Premier, will give you as much of a briefing/debriefing as you like. There is no time limits, it does not cost extra nor do the disc's, it is all included in the hourly rate. Yesterday, I went flying with Rob and we spent a couple hours going over operational stuff that we were going to do. We went over the gear we were going to take with us and how the sling/longline gear was to be stored and cared for.

 

 

Learning to fly a helicopter is fairly difficult and expensive. When your instructor says something when your extremely focused on flying, generally a person will not acknowledge all the valuable input the instructor has given. Take learining a proper approach into a confined area; the smallest attitude changes affect power, loading the disc, airspeed, rate of descent and a number of other things. Have your instructor demonstraight a proper approach and than try it yourself. You can watch the instructors correct approach into the given confined area as much as required. When the stress is gone and you can consentrate on breaking down the flight and you can compare the approach you did with the one your instructor did. It helps you correct problems, learn procedures and minimizes the time it takes to learn exercises in the air when it's 50 bucks every 6 minutes.

The onboard video is great for helping with the basics at the airport. Take learning a curcuit, transitions, climbing, leveling off, descending, Radio Work, sounds easy enough and it must be done properly with control before a student can go solo and go on to other things. There is only 100 HRs. in the commercial training and there is alot to cover to enter a working environment. Learning auto's is so much easier as well, getting a chance to review them before heading out, helps alot with the progress.

Having a great instructor and the right machine are the most important aspects of your training, but next to that, I believe it's the on board video.

 

A last note, last week, I went flying with Rob in the Mountains, we shot some pinnacle approaches to 6000 ft. snow covered peaks, and watching the video on a nice TV is quite nice, its just an added bonus.

 

Kevin

[Nolan.]

This actually just brought up a quick question about how to record in the cockpit. Is there any kind of aviation audio recorder that one can hook up to the intercom to capture conversation b/w you and your instructor?

A standard one would catch too much of the engine noise and therefore be useless.

[Cole]

...I just read about one that just patches in on a sonud output jack inbetween your headset and the aircraft's radio stack. As your voice runs through the output aswell you get clear sound of everything you would hear if you were wearing the headset.

 

all you would have to do then would be to merge the video and the sound.

 

Kevin, would this be something that would be worth looking into buying for ones self if they were going to a different flight school?

 

Cole

[kevin]

Nolan,

 

Premier uses a Cell Phone/MP3 type adapter that is integrated into the camera system used. When you watch the video there is a slight helicopter background sound and the instructors voice is entirely clear. There are a number of ways to set up the camera audio recording system, I prefer to hear only the instructors voice on most flights. When I was practicing for my flight test I set it up to only record me. In the early stages of training I had it set up so it recording all the intercom and radio. The audio recording set up is easily changed to do whatever the student desires. If you seen an example, I am sure you would like it.

 

Cole,

 

The audio recorded alone might not be that adventagous. I believe its the video with the addition of the audio that makes it a great teaching tool and since you are a fixed wing pilot as well, I am sure the radio work is a non issue for ya.

 

Kevin

[volition]

Well, if your going to spend tons of money on training, might as well have a dvd of all your flights!! That sounds so cool!! :up:

[rotorheadrob]

Kevin, I'm sure you are busy with the new job but when you get a chance let me know how its going.

 

Rob

[kevin]

Rob,

 

The new Job is Awesome! Just going through the company training and exams, also doing some maintenance and operational work, it is great. I truely appreciate all the time you spent with us, preparing us for the operational helicopter enviroment. Thanks,

 

Sincerely,

 

Kevin