Anyone who has read this blog will know that I did some flying lessons in 2005; now I do not have any experience flying helicopters but I have been a front seat passenger enough to know they are a bit more difficult than fixed wing aircraft; In my youth I also did an Army Air Corp pilot aptitude test at Biggin Hill which I failed so I wasn’t expecting it to be easy going.

The rule is to take it easy – no over reacting and be patient. So on Boxing Day I took the Falcon outside making sure I had lots of space. I had downloaded a guide to doing your first hover from the forum and decided to follow it to the letter; so my first half an hour was spent trimming the aircraft but of course, whilst I was following the guide I missed the bit about using the training assembly; oh no that was not for me, that’s for kids; yes that attitude lasted right up until I knocked the right control and started to tip over. Believe me when I say it is worth putting the training gear on for the first several days. Once I got the gear on I went through the guide again taking much more heed of the instructions until I was just about lifting the aircraft of the skids – I must have got up to at least ¾” but it was reasonably stable.