Why train in a Schweizer V R22

Helicopter training - Why we train in the Schweizer 300 helicopter at Blue Hill Helicopters 

Here at Blue Hill Helicopters, we train exclusively in the Schweizer 300. We are located just southwest of Boston, Massachusetts – the largest city in New England. We train in the city, and we also train in the mountains of New Hampshire and Vermont. We utilize both the Schweizer 300CBi and the Schweizer 300C helicopters.

Which brings me to the point of this article.

Why use the Schweizer 300 as a helicopter trainer for our helicopter flight school on the outskirts of Boston, Massachusetts?

It’s a good question to ask, as you begin your search for a helicopter flight school. Ask anyone in the helicopter training industry and you will more than likely get as many different opinions as the number of people you ask. For anyone that is willing to give you an answer to the question above, here are a few items which that “expert” authority should be able to answer a resounding “yes”:


1. Have you ever sat in a Schweizer?
2. Have you ever trained in a Schweizer? 
3. Have you ever instructed in a Schweizer? 
4. All the above apply to the Robinson as well…

The point Im getting at here is that the debate over which helicopter is better for training, the Robinson or the Schweizer, is endless. If you ascertain the background of the person giving the opinion, that should make it much easier to take what they’re saying as fantasy or reality.

Personally, our instructors prefer the Schweizer, which is why we use them at Blue Hill Helicopters. All of us here that spend time in helicopters agree wholeheartedly. But we have our reasons for training in the 300, which are outlined below.

So, with all that out of the way, here’s how we feel about the issue.

We’ve trained in both, and we’ve instructed in both. We know the pros and cons of each. They are both very capable machines, and they are both REAL helicopters, but when examining which is a better training machine, I can say unequivocally, the Schweizer is ahead of the Robinson in almost every category that defines a good trainer. Yes, it’s slower than a Robinson, but we’re talking about training, where 10-15 kts in level flight shouldn’t matter. You’re training – you’re not in a hurry to get anywhere! You’re not going far, maybe around the pattern or 50 miles (in 99% of the cases). There are those that say that you get to the training area quicker in a Robinson, but if that’s the strongest argument for the R-22, well….

When looking at a primary trainer, the biggest factor should be this – was the helicopter designed as a trainer, first and foremost? The Robinson WAS NOT designed as a trainer. They will tell you this at the factory. They will also tell you at the factory that Robinson does not want to be in the 2 seat training business. Last class I attended in late ’06, the official word was that the R-22 is coming to the end of it’s production life. Look at the stats – production numbers show that there is one R-22 produced for every 10 R-44 helicopters. Robinson designed the R-22 to be a commuting machine for wealthy executive types that wanted to overfly the traffic jams that plague metropolitan America! He did not design them for training. It just happens that at the time, Robinson filled a niche which was more generated by flight schools than desired by Robinson. The training industry needed a modern, inexpensive helicopter, and the R22 fit the bill perfectly. Again – look at the statistics. Early on Robinson had a totally dismal safety record. Why? IT WASN’T DESIGNED TO BE A TRAINER! It still isnt! Robinson was in business to make money, so instead of insisting that their one product not be used in an area which was generating almost all of their revenue, what could they possibly do…hmm…SFAR! Is there any other “trainer” on the market, fixed or rotary, which has such a detailed restrictions and requirements which is MANDATORY? Nope. Is there any other helicopter under 12,500 pounds which has special FAA requirements for operations? Not. Just the 22 and the 44. In the fixed wing world, the Cirrus, which is an amazingly complex machine, is quickly becoming a primary trainer, and there are no SFAR’s involved. What I’m saying is the SFAR’s are there for a reason. It just emphasizes the poor training record of the 22.

Price was once a major benefit for flight schools, but now a new R-22 is 225K, slowly closing the gap on the R-44 and the 300 series Schweizer. Again, the word at Robinson is that there are hopes that a stripped down R-44 can be used as a 2+2 trainer, reinforcing the rumors of the R22’s demise. Who knows when/if this will ever happen, but it’s an omen that Robinson doesn’t want the R-22’s around anymore. They have certainly moved on to bigger and better things.

Again, this is not to say that the R-22 isnt a good machine. It’s a great helicopter, but not for training. At the hands of an experienced pilot, the R-22 is an excellent performer. But most of it’s pilots in the real world are low time instructors and even lower time students. This is a dangerous mix for an unforgiving machine. All the instructors at Blue Hill Helicopters agree strongly that the 300 is far superior as a trainer. Among other things, take a look at the safety statistics for the R-22, they are far from satisfactory. The 300 series, however, has had no fatalities in over 200,000 flight hours, and it’s predecessor, the 269, was the primary trainer used by the US Army for many years 1950’s to 1970’s.

Here are some downfalls of the R-22:

Weight/CG considerations for larger pilots:
Now we all know that America is getting bigger, in girth and height. The R-22 is limited in space as well as seat weight. Step into the R-22 with two guys about 180-200 pounds, and the lack of space is evident. The maximum seat weight is very important, as the seat is part of the safety system in the event of a forced landing. And forget about baggage space – those little compartments under the seats? Not really much more than a place to put your fuel tester. At the factory course, they emphasize this by reviewing an accident in Australia where two instructors were fatally injured following an engine loss and a successful autorotation. The space under their seats was filled with gear and there was no compression space. The gear collapsed and all the energy was sent through the seat. And forget useful load in the R22. Two pilots and some fuel (key word some). Not much compared to the 300C which has almost 1000 pounds, which equates to 60 gallons and two 250+ pounders in the seats.

The ridiculous T-Bar cyclic:
Aesthetic considerations aside, have you ever tried to teach with this system? As an instructor, you have to rest your elbow on your knee and be ready to grab that cyclic from mid air, in space somewhere between your right rib and the front canopy. I know a very high time pilot that lost control in a hover lesson – the student let go and the cyclic went forward and left – typical for a 22, and the ship rolled over. This cyclic system was designed to allow easy entry/exit and to save weight and complexity. But it doesn’t do much for the instructor.

Low inertia rotor:
This is a great design to save weight, and from an engineering perspective, does what it should. But, not much time to react to an engine failure. I think Robinson calculated 1.5 seconds before RPM is unrecoverable. Don’t even consider a throttle chop on your student. The wrong reaction, causing that 1.5 second MR stall, could be deadly.

Instrument Training:
Not available in the R-22. Not anymore, at least. The few instrument trainers sent back to the factory are no longer being overhauled as instrument trainers.

Carburetor Heat:
Robinson noted that carburetor ice was such a big issue that they outfitted the 22 with a carb heat correlator. For personal use, carburetor ice is a hazard, but not quite the hazard it is in training. Lots of landing circuits, low power operations, etc. The 300CBi has fuel injection. One less thing for a student to forget.

Cost:
This was at one time a benefit, but with the price of the R22 around $225,000, it’s not too far off from a nicely equipped 300CBi. The few extra dollars for the CBi also gets you fuel injection. Another great feature for a trainer.

Trim:
Two position bungee trim, or full electric trim, usable in every flight envelope. The former is the R-22. Marginally useful.

Here are some cons inherent in the Schweizer: It’s slower. Well…yes it is, but is this an issue with a trainer? Shouldn’t be.

It’s more expensive to maintain. Debatable. More and more flight schools are selling the Robinsons. Don’t think they would be doing that if the two were vastly different in operating costs per hour.

It’s not as pretty as a Robinson. All in the eye of the beholder I guess.

It doesn’t have a governor. True. And the debate goes on about whether or not a governor is a feature which should be in a trainer. If you’re worried about controlling RPM manually, even though the 300 has a “analog randomizer”, (correlator), you shouldn’t be in a helicopter. With the forgiving manner of the 300, it’s a non-event. It’s definitely more work, but the heavier rotor system makes it a fairly easy task.

Ground resonance. This is something that is almost always avoidable through proper technique and proper maintenance. It’s a hazard inherent in the articulated rotor system, but it is avoidable in most circumstances.

When picking a trainer, the Schweizer comes out on top for many reasons, as listed above. The fully articulated rotor has less vibration (our 300C at Blue Hill Helicopters is smoother than most fixed wing recips), maintains RPM better then the 22, and is not prone to mast bumping like the 22.

The 300 is far more stable in flight and in a hover, and is also a bit more forgiving of student error in the pickup and setdown phases.

As a new student, it pays to do your own research. It’s most important that you are comfortable and have faith in the machine in which you will be training. Starting your helicopter training is a big investment in time and money, so look at the facts and make your decision wisely. If you need any assistance, feel free to call us at 781-688-0263 for more information. Our pilots are also Schweizer insurance check pilots, and we can answer any question you may have regarding helicopter training, training in the Boston, Massachusetts (and New England) area, and what to look for in a flight school.