A comprehensive guide to helicopter flying and flight training for aspiring private or professional helicopter pilots--updated for the first time in 20 years!

Extensively revised to cover the latest industry advances, Learning to Fly Helicopters, Second Edition, provides details on the technical and practical aspects of rotarywing flight, guiding you from preflight preparation through postflight procedures and everything in between. Written in a conversational style, the book demystifies the art and science of helicopter flying. Real-world advice from the author and other pilots is included throughout.

This copiously illustrated, up-to-date edition features new information on glass cockpits, turbine engines, IFR flying, the latest FAA test standards for a private helicopter pilot certificate, emergency and safety procedures, how to choose a flight school, career opportunities, and more. Become a private or professional helicopter pilot with help from this trusted resource!

Learning to Fly Helicopters, Second Edition, covers:

- Five myths about helicopters

- Basic aerodynamics

- Flight controls

- Your first flight

- Basic flight maneuvers

- Learning to hover

- Autorotations

- Advanced maneuvers--with new material on hoisting, sling loads, and offshore operations

- Emergencies

- Hazards of low-level flying

- Flight training tips--civil and military

- Aircraft systems--with new information on glass cockpits and turbine engines

- Private pilot practical test standards for helicopter pilots

- The Ten Commandments for helicopter pilots

- Weight and balance, passenger briefings, and hand signals

- Employment opportunities

- Human factors and safety

- A flight to remember--lessons learned from the author's most stressful flight

- Born-again copilots--when experienced captains fly the left seat

- Resources for helicopter pilots

- Data on and photos of common civil helicopters

- There but for the grace of God--real hangar stories as told by real pilots

- Postflight

Table of contents:

Brief TOC Part 1:Essentials for Students and Private Helicopter Pilots Ch 1. Helicopter Myths Ch 2. Basic Aerodynamics Ch 3. Flight Controls Ch 4. Your First Flight Ch 5. Basic Flight Maneuvers Ch 6. Learning to Hover Ch 7. More Basic Maneuvers Ch 8. Autorotation Ch 9. Advanced Maneuvers Ch 10. Emergencies Ch 11. Aircraft Systems Ch 12. Low-Level Flying Ch 13. Helicopter Flight Test Standards Ch 14. Flight Training Tips Ch 15. Ten Commandments Ch 16. Commonly Used Hand Signals Part 2: Flying Helicopters Professionally Ch 17. Employment Opportunities Ch 18.Human Factors and Safety Ch 19. Cross-County Flying Ch 20. Born-Again Copilots Ch 21.Helicopter Associations Worth Joining Ch 22. Common Civilian Helicopters Postflight Glossary.

Author comments:

R. Randall Padfield is Editor-in-Chief and VPO of AIN Publications. He is a rated airline transport pilot in helicopters and airplanes, flew missions as a U.S. Air Force HH-3E rescue pilot, and flew offshore helicopters to North Sea oil platforms and ships. Mr. Padfield has over 9,000 hours of flight time and is the author of four aviation books. In 1998 he was awarded the NBAA's Gold Wing Award for reporting excellence.