sneezing while flying helicopter

Hi, I am interested in helicopter flying and may book a lesson, etc.
I have a serious question that perhaps is slightly comical.
I have read lots of info, and it seems to me that a sneeze could be
fatal.
I mean, it's dodgy in a car - more dangerous than adjusting the stereo
perhaps.
To the experienced pilots: if you are flying a helicopter on your own,
how do you handle a sneeze without jolting the sensitive cyclic
control of which you must never let go (or so says some info I read on
the R-22).

Thanks,
Simon.

"Simon" wrote in message
om...
Hi, I am interested in helicopter flying and may book a lesson, etc.
I have a serious question that perhaps is slightly comical.
I have read lots of info, and it seems to me that a sneeze could be
fatal.
I mean, it's dodgy in a car - more dangerous than adjusting the stereo
perhaps.
To the experienced pilots: if you are flying a helicopter on your own,
how do you handle a sneeze without jolting the sensitive cyclic
control of which you must never let go (or so says some info I read on
the R-22).

Thanks,
Simon.

It's a little like juggling a cat and a running chainsaw at the same time
..... it's something you must do very carefully.
HTH

"Glenn" wrote in message
...
"Simon" wrote in message
om...
Hi, I am interested in helicopter flying and may book a lesson, etc.
I have a serious question that perhaps is slightly comical.
I have read lots of info, and it seems to me that a sneeze could be
fatal.
I mean, it's dodgy in a car - more dangerous than adjusting the stereo
perhaps.
To the experienced pilots: if you are flying a helicopter on your own,
how do you handle a sneeze without jolting the sensitive cyclic
control of which you must never let go (or so says some info I read on
the R-22).

Thanks,
Simon.

It's a little like juggling a cat and a running chainsaw at the same time
.... it's something you must do very carefully.
HTH

I always fly with my right forearm resting on my right thigh. About 20 years
ago flying a 47G I realised I suffered from Hay fever (having landed in a
'cut' corn field)!

I quickly learnt NOT to rest my arm on my leg when sneezing!!! The joints in
the arm/should take out any movement from the torso whilst sneezing.

Very funny at the time though :-)

Clive

"Clive" wrote in message
...

I always fly with my right forearm resting on my right thigh. About 20
years
ago flying a 47G I realised I suffered from Hay fever (having landed in a
'cut' corn field)!

I quickly learnt NOT to rest my arm on my leg when sneezing!!! The joints
in
the arm/should take out any movement from the torso whilst sneezing.

Last month I was flying an R44 from Wales to London. I'd just got airborne
and radio'd through for zone transit of some Matz and was given a new QNH. I
leaned forward to change it and caught a wasp between my leg and belly. I
think I climbed a hundred feet or so when the git stung me, but nothing
life-threatening. I spent the next hour of the flight adding "wasp" to my
scan. At least you get a warning with a sneeze.

Regards
Andrew

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welcome

(Simon) wrote in
om:

Hi, I am interested in helicopter flying and may book a lesson, etc.
I have a serious question that perhaps is slightly comical.
I have read lots of info, and it seems to me that a sneeze could be
fatal.
I mean, it's dodgy in a car - more dangerous than adjusting the stereo
perhaps.
To the experienced pilots: if you are flying a helicopter on your own,
how do you handle a sneeze without jolting the sensitive cyclic
control of which you must never let go (or so says some info I read on
the R-22).

It's not as dangerous as you think. Sneezing is no more dangerous in a
helicopter than in a car, & actually less so. In a car, you're always
inches away from a collision. In an aircraft, you have room on all 6
sides. I learned to fly in a TH55 (Hughes 269) that is as twitchy as any
helicopter you'll ever see, & I very quickly learned to light a cigarette
using book matches while flying. (Uncle Sam had thoughtfully provided free
cigarettes in C rations, & got me hooked on them.) You can't let go for a
long time, but a couple of seconds isn't a problem. A sneeze might cause a
slight bump because you move parts of your body, but it isn't a real
problem.

--
Regards,

Stan

From: Stan Gosnell
Date: 8/15/2003 9:11 AM Pacific Daylight Time
Message-id:

.... I very quickly learned to light a cigarette
using book matches while flying. (Uncle Sam had thoughtfully provided free
cigarettes in C rations, & got me hooked on them...
--
Regards,

Stan

Stan flying helicopters CAN be dangerous. Smoking cigarettes IS fatal.

Just because I care, : )

craig

Stan flying helicopters CAN be dangerous. Smoking cigarettes IS fatal.

Just because I care, : )

craig


Errr smoking doesnt kill everyone sooooo it can be fatal should be the correct
comment. Life is fatal. 100 out of 100 people always die lol

(Shaber CJ) wrote in
:

Stan flying helicopters CAN be dangerous. Smoking cigarettes IS
fatal.

Everything is fatal eventually. Some people smoke until they die of old
age after 100. I quit ~20 years ago, but I still resent the collaboration
between the Armed Forces and the tobacco companies that got me (and
tens if not hundreds of thousands of others) started in the first place.

--
Regards,

Stan

My instructors Hughes 269 has an electric cigarette lighter as a standard
fitting in the panel. When I remarked on this he pushed his finger into a
slot and an ashtray popped out. I asked him do you smoke while flying, he
said no, but you can and there is a training available to do so.
"Shaber CJ" wrote in message
...
From: Stan Gosnell
Date: 8/15/2003 9:11 AM Pacific Daylight Time
Message-id:

... I very quickly learned to light a cigarette
using book matches while flying. (Uncle Sam had thoughtfully provided
free
cigarettes in C rations, & got me hooked on them...
--
Regards,

Stan

Stan flying helicopters CAN be dangerous. Smoking cigarettes IS fatal.

Just because I care, : )

craig

One thing I learn from my days flying Hueys- if you're on a check-ride and
the IP asks if it's alright with you if he "lights one up", the answer was
always - sure, go right ahead! It helped immensely on the outcome of that
ride.


"Shaber CJ" wrote in message
...
From: Stan Gosnell
Date: 8/15/2003 9:11 AM Pacific Daylight Time
Message-id:

... I very quickly learned to light a cigarette
using book matches while flying. (Uncle Sam had thoughtfully provided
free
cigarettes in C rations, & got me hooked on them...
--
Regards,

Stan

Stan flying helicopters CAN be dangerous. Smoking cigarettes IS fatal.

Just because I care, : )

craig