kwlf wrote:
I’m intrigued as to the difference between helicopter pilots and fixed-wing.
I think it’s a different mindset. I must have hundreds of helo hours as working ‘pax’ and very few (if any) of the pilots I’ve worked with hold a fixed wing license or are even remotely interested in flying a machine where the wings don’t flap. If you look at it, essentially a helicopter is a working machine with a (in most civilian cases anyway) pretty limited radius of action. Fixed wing airplanes are meant to go places, even if many – especially on the spam-can end of things – don’t really do. Horses for courses.
Where I learned to fly, there were a couple of R44’s based and their pilots, especially the instructors, were hopeless. Looking at the rest of the (pilot) population from at least 20 feet aloft, even when not hovering, and blatantly disregarding the most basic rules of the air. At one time, one lined up for take-off while I was at short final – even when I announced short final he just kept hovering over the numbers, forcing me to go around. I swore I’d report the next occurrence!
I think it has to do with helo’s being expensive to operate – I was told three times as much as a C172, or five times as much as a three-axis microlight. There’s always people who need to show off with what they can afford – in the air like on the motorway.
OTOH some of the most polite, correct, and friendly pilots I ever came across were the crew of our state police MD900 who yearly use my current field as a temporary base for the weekend of a nearby music festival (“Pukkelpop” for those interested).
a helicopter is a working machine
or a rich men’s toy …
I agree there is a whole separate universe of purely working helis.
However – and this relates to Jan’s posts above which I very much identify with from my experience – I also see a lot more “bird pulling” utility in the rotary world. With a heli you can take seemingly any number of girls half your age to exclusive country restaurants etc and wine them and dine them. Most of these places are inaccessible to FW.
To do anything remotely like that in FW GA you would need a jet 
An SR22 trip to Le Touquet only barely begins to cut the mustard but will set you back (on the rental scene) 500 quid.
Whether there are more posers in helis than in FW is debatable. I think the scene attracts them more and also they are more visible.
Try and get this picture from an SEP :)
Wouldn’t it be cheaper to get it from a twin?
In the past, David, some got it from a SEP, before the caa clarified the pilot forum rumour rule about it being illegal.
ATC at LCY used to routinely clear SEPs there.
I got one in 2003.
Also one can do it on a non standard flight permission.
Ok, how about 30 seconds later? :)
PS. Once going forwards, a helicopter is mostly a daft idea compared with fixed wing.
With a heli you can take seemingly any number of girls half your age to exclusive country restaurants etc and wine them and dine them. Most of these places are inaccessible to FW.
I can imagine that being possible in a Cabri or any Turbine helicopter, but I find the idea of trying to pose in an R22 or even an R44 baffling – and I speak as someone well known for being fashion-unconscious.
Battersea Heliport’s landing and parking fee’s are enough to send people screaming away from helicopter ownership. It’s almost comical. Be cheaper to charter a jet from Harrods.
