First Flying lesson

July 01, 2011  •  Leave a Comment

Yesterday I got to try to fly a helicopter. And I do mean “try” as I knew it wasn’t going to be easy.

Shooting from a helicopter is a lot of fun, but I’m usually stuck in the back snapping away. I never get to watch how a pilot flies, they just effortlessly get me to the right position I need for the shot. I’ve wanted to fly for a while, partly for the challenge, and partly to give my pilots clearer instructions when I’m on a shoot. The pilots I use for aerial photography usually have at least 3000 hours of flying time, and many are also ex-military. They all make flying look easy, and I have great respect for their skills.

Having a go at hovering was hard. It’s amazing how little the controls need to be moved, and how tricky it was not to over compensate with each move. My hover looked more like a bucking bronco but once my instructor took control again we were instantly stable.

I have a lot to learn.


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