Chapter 3
Fifteen minutes had passed.
IP Perry completed the pre-flight inspection of the TH-55 chopper. Michael learned the process.
Michael got in the right seat while IP Perry got in the left seat. With their flight helmets on their heads, harnessed buckled, they were ready.
"Now remember, this will be your introduction flight. This will give you a feel for the controls," IP Perry told Michael.
"Yes sir," Michael replied while he stared at the control console and all the instruments.
"Okay, let's first start by giving you a quick rundown of the controls. First, we have the cyclic. It's between your legs," IP Perry said while he placed his hand on the cyclic control between Michael's legs. "This control tilts the main rotor for turning and attitude control," he said. He placed his hand on the throttle grip of the collective to the left of his seat. "This is the collective with throttle control. This controls the pitch angle of the rotor blades for ascending and descending," he said. He pointed at the two pedals by his boots. "Those are the anti-torque pedals for controlling yaw," IP Perry added. He looked at Michael. "Any questions?" he said.
"No, sir," replied Michael. He knew the basics of helicopter controls from reading all those books, as a youngster.
IP Perry removed the cockpit card from a sleeve on the left side of the console and handed it to Michael. "Okay, follow along while I start up this beautiful piece of machinery," IP Perry said.
"Yes sir," Michael replied while he glanced down at the card.
A few minutes passed, and the engine started, and the blades were rotating. Michael placed the card back in its sleeve on the side of the console.
The blades were rotating at the proper speed. All the instruments readings were acceptable. IP Perry grabbed the controls and lifted the skids of the TH-55 off the flightline.
The TH-55 hovered for a few seconds then IP Perry moved it sideways out of its parking spot.
IP Perry turned the TH-55 taxied four feet off the ground down the flightline.
IP Perry hovered the TH-55 in line with eight other helicopters. They were waiting for clearance from the tower to ascend out of the area.
Clearance from the tower finally arrived. Michael's heart raced while IP Perry ascended the TH-55 up into the air.
IP Perry gave Michael a play by play of the procedures during the ascent of the TH-55. They headed into the eastern traffic pattern away from the heliport.
Michael was in heaven while IP Perry flew the TH-55 eighteen hundred feet above the Fort Wolters area. They now headed southeast. He loved the view from the chopper while they rose higher into the air. He was also in awe of the vast open countryside Texas had to offer.
A little while later, IP Perry flew the TH-55 chopper to stage field number three called Ramrod.
"Up ahead is stagefield Ramrod. We'll head down there and start your training," IP Perry told Michael while he pointed at the stage field.
Michael looked and saw a field with six lanes, a control tower and a hut for the students to hang out.
"Okay, lanes one, two, four, and five are for take-offs and landings. Lanes three and six are for autorotation practice," IP Perry told Michael.
IP Perry then gave Michael a play by play of the procedure for descending toward Ramrod field. He headed to the line of trees along the one side.
Michael noticed two Hughes TH-55 and two Hiller TH-23 helicopters. They were hovering while facing some trees. All four helicopters were all over the place while they attempted to hover above the ground. Michael got a Won't Happen to Me smirk.
IP Perry descended the TH-55 down to the field and gave Michael the play by play of the procedures for landing.
The skids of the TH-55 touched down in the grass. The engine got quieter, and the blades slowed down a bit.
"See that tree with the red ribbon around it straight ahead?" IP Perry asked Michael.
"Yes sir," Michael replied while he looked straight ahead.
"I'm going to hover about five feet off the ground. When I tell you, I want you to use the anti-torque pedals at your feet. Keep the chopper pointed straight at that red ribbon. You do remember which pedal does what. Right?"
"A piece of cake," Michael replied in a cocky tone.
"We'll see," IP Perry replied, picking up on Michael's cockiness.
The engine of the TH-55 got louder, and the blades spun around faster.
IP Perry lifted the TH-55 off the ground and was hovering a little over four feet off the ground. It pointed straight at the red ribbon tied to the tree.
"You got the pedals now," IP Perry told Michael.
Michael placed his boots on the anti-torque pedals.
The TH-55 drifted to the right from the red ribbon tree.
Michael pushed on the left pedal.
The tail of the TH-55 swung over to the left. The tree with the red ribbon moved to Michael's left.
"Crap!" Michael said and sounded frustrated and pushed in on the right pedal.
The tail of the TH-55 swung over to the right. The tree with red ribbon now moved over to Michael's right.
"What the hell are you doing? I said keep it pointed straight at that tree with the red ribbon. Do you remember what the function of those pedals? Don't you?" IP Perry said in a raised voice because Michael sounded cocky at first.
"Yes sir," Michael replied while he pushed in the left pedal.
The tail of the TH-55 swung to the left. The tree with the red ribbon again moved to Michael's left.
Crap! Michael screamed inside his head.
There were ten minutes of over correcting the drifts. Michael got the tail of the TH-55 to make smaller swings and the tree with the red ribbon making smaller moves.
"I got the pedals," IP Perry told Michael.
Michael removed his boots from the pedals, and IP Perry took control of them. The TH-55 stayed straight at the red ribbon tree.
"I'm going to let you have control of the cyclic. I want you to keep us pointed at the red ribbon tree," IP Perry told Michael.
"Yes sir," Michael replied and did not sound so cocky this time.
"Okay, it's your cyclic," IP Perry said the second he saw Mike had his right hand on the cyclic control. IP Perry released his grip of the control but kept his hand close by in case Michael screwed up.
The TH-55 immediately moved forward.
Michael moved the cyclic back.
The TH-55 moved backward and to the right.
Michael moved the cyclic forward and to the left while beads of sweat started forming on his face.
The TH-55 moved forward and to the left too much. Michael's hands were sweaty trying to correct his error. He overcorrected again and felt like screaming.
This pattern continued. Michael had very little control of the chopper.
"What the hell are you doing?"
Beads of sweat poured down Michael's cheeks. "I'm trying to fly this thing. It t's broken," Michael replied while the TH-55 was all over the place.
"I got control of the cyclic," IP Perry told Michael and placed his hand back on the cyclic control.
Michael removed his hand while more beads of sweat ran down his face.
The TH-55 was immediately in a perfect hover and pointed straight at the red ribbon tree.
"I'm going to let you have control of the collective. I'll work the throttle. Grip the collective. I want you to keep us about four feet above the ground. Do you understand?" IP Perry asked Michael.
Michael hesitated for a few seconds while he was nervous. "Yes sir," he replied in a quieter tone and gripped the collective below the throttle.
"You got the collective," IP Perry said.
The TH-55 hovered about four feet off the ground.
Then the TH-55 rose up a couple of feet.
Michael pushed down on the collective control.
The TH-55 dropped down to the ground.
"Don't hit the ground," IP Perry yelled out.
Michael pulled up on the collective control.
The TH-55 rose up to six feet above the ground.
"I said four feet off the ground," IP Perry yelled.
More beads of sweat dripped down Michael's face while he pulled up on the collective. The Bell rose up to about eight feet.
"Do you know up from down?" IP, Perry yelled.
Michael lowered the collective, and the TH-55 sunk to the ground.
"Don't hit the dirt," IP Perry yelled out.
Crap! Michael yelled inside his head while he pulled up on the collective. The Bell rose up to about eight feet off the ground.
There were ten minutes of the TH-55 going up and down. Then Michael was finally able to keep the chopper between four and six feet off the ground.
"I got the collective," IP Perry said and hovered the TH-55 four feet above the ground.
"Now for the grand finale. Are you ready to take all the controls?" IP Perry asked Michael.
Michael was nervous. "I believe I am."
"When flying a helicopter, you better be sure you're ready. Are you ready?" IP Perry replied and sounded more like a drill instructor.
"Yes, sir."
"Place your hands and boots on all the controls," IP Perry said.
Michael placed his hands and boots on all the controls and took a deep breath.
"Okay, you have control of the chopper," IP Perry said. He removed his hands and boots from his controls, but kept them close by in case Michael screwed up.
The TH-55 rose up. Michael lowered the collective.
The TH-55 dropped to the ground. Michael raised the collective
The TH-55 rose up and moved to the right. Michael moved the cyclic to the left. Michael lowered the collective.
The TH-55 dropped and moved to the left. Michael raised the collective and moved the cyclic to the right.
The TH-55 rose up and to the right. Michael moved the cyclic to the left and raised the collective.
The TH-55 moved forward to the left and rose in the air. Michael moved the cyclic backward and to the right and pressed on the right pedal.
The TH-55 started moving backward and began to spin to the right.
"I got control of the chopper," IP Perry said then took over. The TH-55 stayed in a perfect hover four feet off the ground the second IP Perry took over the controls.
Sweat poured out of Michael's pores, and he looked like he wanted to cry.
"That's enough for today," IP Perry said. He turned the TH-55 around and taxied over toward the control tower and hut.