| IRCHA Pilot Proficiency
Program
 I think most
of you would agree that it is
particularly satisfying to have a standard to be aiming for in flying
your radio-controlled model, whether it is to aim for the basic tests of
your national sport association or even some targets of proficiency you
may set yourself. In the field of model helicopters, that can be a
gradual progression from mastering the tail-in hover with variations,
flying lazy eights and simple circuits on through to more advanced manoeuvres, autorotations and aerobatics - the sky is, indeed, the
limit!
The International Radio Controlled
Helicopter Association is an organisation that sets out to
promote the idea of disciplined and progressive proficiency in flying
model helicopters, and to this end they publish a program consisting of
seven levels of proficiency from basic to really advanced flying.
Successful completion of each level, properly documented and witnessed,
qualifies the successful pilot for an IRCHA patch or pin to record and proudly
display his/her proficiency level, if they so wish.
Even if you do not formalise your
flying abilitiy in this way, the program can form the basis of a nicely
disciplined approach to your practice and progress, as well as providing
a real
sense of purpose to your flying, of course - and it's all good fun into
the bargain!.
To give you a flavour of the program,
therefore, here is Level I of the IRCHA Pilot Proficiency Program
exactly as published.
Level I is the most basic of
the program and is characterized by the pilot become SAFE and
proficient in the Hover and its related phases. Pilot position
for most of the maneuvers shall be from the position of Tail-in
towards the pilot.
Maneuver Description
A. Take-off
The take-off should be performed straight
up from the landing area, at a constant rate of climb, with
little lateral deviations. Come to a complete stop without
any vertical bounce or dip, and little to no wobble or
drifting. The landing area is defined as a 36" (1
meter) diameter circle.
B. Stationary Hover
1. After the take-off, coming to a
complete stop with little to no vertical bounce, dip,
lateral drifting, or wobble.
2. Hold in the Stationary Hover for one (1)
minute.
3. The Stationary Hover should give the
appearance of being under total control.
C. Hover Laterally
1. From take-off area hover forward ten (10)
feet, hold for ten (10) seconds.
2. From there hover backward twenty (20)
feet, hold for ten (10) seconds.
3. From there hover forward ten (10) feet
until you are over the landing area, then hover to the
left ten (10) feet, hold for ten (10) seconds.
4. From there hover to the right twenty (20)
feet, hold for ten seconds.
5. From there hover back to the left ten
(10) feet until you are over the landing area.
6. Land with the skids completely
within the landing area.
D. Multiple-level Hover
1. Take off, hover for five (5) seconds.
2. Climb straight up two (2) meters,
hold for five (5) seconds.
3. Descend vertically two (2) meters,
hold for five seconds.
4. Land with the skids completely
within the landing area.
E. 3/4 Rear View Hovering
1. Take-off to Hover, hold for five (5)
seconds.
2. Rotate nose of helicopter, either
left or right forty-five (45) degrees, hold for five (5)
seconds.
3. Rotate the nose of the helicopter
back to straight ahead, hold for five (5) seconds.
4. Continue rotating the nose of the
helicopter forty-five (45) degrees to the other side, hold
for five (5) seconds.
5. Rotate the nose back to straight
ahead, hold for five (5) seconds.
6. Land with the skids completely
within the landing area.
F. Full Lateral View Hovering
- Same as 3/4 View Hovering, but in steps 2
and 4 rotate ninety (90) degrees instead of forty-five
(45) degrees.
G. Diagonal Hovering
1. After take off from the landing area
within center of a 10 meter/yard box, from Stationary Hover,
maintaining a constant heading, move the helicopter
diagonally to a corner of the box, hold for five (5)
seconds, then return to the center of the box.
2. Repeat with the remaining 3 corners
of the box.
3. Land with the skids completely
within the landing area.
H. Circle Hovering
1. Tail-in Circle
a. Take-off, hold hover for five (5) seconds.
b. Move the helicopter to the right, keeping
the tail pointed at the pilot, in a circle around the pilot,
until the helicopter is hovering over the take-off point.
c. Move the helicopter to the left, repeating
step b above.
d. Land with the skids completely within the
landing area.
2. Constant Heading Circle
a. Take-off, hold hover for five (5)
seconds.
b. Move the helicopter to the right, keeping
the tail pointed in the same direction, in a ten (10) meter
circle in front of the pilot, until the helicopter is
hovering over the take-off point.
c. Move the helicopter to the left, repeating
step b above.
d. Land with the skids completely within the
landing area.
|
Well, that really is something
constructive for a beginner pilot to get stuck into, don't you
think?
The beauty of this seven-level program
is that you have some quite specific goals to aim at. You can set your
own pace, practicing the various manoeuvres as much as you like before
deciding to have a go at gaining your next ranking. All
the documentation for the seven program levels, including the forms to
record your achievement, is down-loadable from IRCHA's website, where
you can also find out all about the organisation and how to join it. Go
to http://www.ircha.org/ IRCHA
is the Special Interest Group for r/c helicopters to the AMA (Academy of
Model Aeronautics). |
