Customer Reviews

Rotorcraft Flying Handbook (FAA Handbooks)

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

It isn't great literature but there are very few wasted words in this book, which is the only textbook used at the flight school where I have been getting my helicopter training. The color diagrams and charts are immensely helpful in understanding aerodynamics. This book teaches you pretty much everything useful for flying helicopters that you can learn from reading a book (i.e., not all that much; don't expect to hold a hover until after a few hours of painful practice).

A very well written book explaining many areas of helicopter flight. I found everything to be written very well, and was benefitted by the color graphs, pictures, and layouts concerning all the intricacies of helicopter flight. If you are interested in helicoipter flight, or are wanting a more in-depth look into all the aspects of rotorcraft flight, this is the perfect book to buy, hands down. From basic flight controls, flight in general and in-depth looks into aerodynamics, this book has it all. I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting a more thorough knowledge of rotary wing flight; beginner to expert, this book will compliment anyone's knowledge and skill when it comes to helicopter flight.

Great book, clears lots of questions for both, new pilots and pros. Also good, because its the first book, which has a "gyroplane"section, covering lots of issues on that new aircraft type.I'd avise it to all my flying friends. ...

It explains basic details and expands upn them slightly. Not a huge amount of information but more than enough. Explains things thoroughly and well, and provides good glossary and index. Full of Charts and diagrams too.

Very indepth publication. Reviews all aspects of helicopter flight and structure, as well as the physics involved.

Not too bad for government work, but it's just a statement of the facts... Well, mostly. This book contains some really confusing errors, and glazes over some fundamental concepts (what are all those vectors on the autorotation diagram???). But, the FAA is always right, and this book does hit almost everything you need to know, so you need to read it. Also, as a CFI, you'll want to know the "Common Errors" that follow each maneuver (altho many of them are pretty obvious). To really learn how to fly a helicopter from an armchair, I'd consider Wagtendonk's Principles of Helicopter Flight my primary source, and come back to the RFM only as a supplement.

Just an observation.
On Page 2-2, the last paragraph of the page, under Angle of Attack, the book states, "Angle of attack should not be confused with pitch angle. Pitch angle is determind by the direction of the relative wind."
This is not correct. Angle of attack is determinded by the direction of relative wind, not pitch angle.

I am thinking seriously about learning to fly helicopters at the age of 55. A private pilot's license can be purchased for a flat fee of $12,500 in my area, including a lot of extra hours to really add that extra safety factor of assurance beyond the minimum required.

I bought this book to get a sense of what I would be getting into, and I find it fully satisfactory. It is the "official" FAA book and unlike most government publications I have seen in the past, this one is well-organized, fully illustrated into color, with figures also in color.

It is divided into two parts, the first part deals with helicoptors, and the second part (chapters 15 through 21) with gyroplanes, which are a hybrid capable of achieving fixed wing speeds and often with wings that increase stability.

The final chapter is about aerunautical decision-making.

The FAA designation for this handbook is FAA-H-8083-21.

I appreciate this handbook--it makes it crystal clear that serious training will demand my total attention, and that in combination, the complexity of the aerodynamics of the helicopter, the instruments required to calibrate the operations of the helicopter, and the unpredictability and force of weather (not covered in this book, but I am also an offshore sailing skipper with an advanced weather certificate) all make piloting a helicopter a very challenging endeavor.

This handbook also persuaded me that the training facility I have found, which includes a flight simulator, the better for that--I definitely want to feel comfortable in a simulator as part of the training.

This is a good FAA publication on the basics of airmanship of rotorcraft including gyro copters. I found it somewhat ironic that this FAA publication was printed in China!

Since this was the first book I have read regarding how helicopters fly i cant really give you a accurate rating. Although i can say that I did learn a hole lot of information. The pictures and graphs that accompanied the text goes together very well. There were a couple principles that the writers seemed to rush threw (but nothing Google couldn't solve)and others that still left me in question. I'm assuming that book was designed to coincide with a instructor. I was recommended "Principles of Helicopter Flight" by a friend pilot of mine upon completion of this book. Now anxiously waiting for it in the mail.