How do you start a helicopter?

Question

Do you have like keys or something?

Also Give me Any GOOD info you can about helicopters as I'm writing a monologue about helicopters so I will need to know everything I can. Thanks.

Answer 1

If it's a small helicopter with a piston engine it is started just like a car. A very basic explanation is that after you turn on the fuel you turn the key to start and once the engine fires up you turn it to on.

The  turbine powered helicopters I've seen have a button that says engine start. The computer does all the work for you after you turn on the fuel and push the button. A turbine engine uses a starter just like a car starter except it is much bigger and spins faster.

Answer 2

Wow, that's allot of work socalwaz. I flew medivac in Vietnam. We stood two minute alert meaning from the time we got the call we had to be air born in two minutes. If our checklist was that long there'd be many more names on that wall.

You turn on a battery switch, roll the throttle to the idle detent and pull the start trigger switch at the end of the collective and release it when that Lycoming reaches forty percent N2. 15 seconds later your at idle. That's all there is to starting a UH1H Huey.

Answer 3

socalwaz gave a pretty good idea of what it's like.  similar concept with others, just different steps.

John B, the checklist for H model hueys IS that long, if you're doing it all.   N model checklist is about twice as long.  What cuts the time down is having everything other than the engines already checked out and left ******.

Answer 4

the one i am flying is started by selecting the engine started, and pushing the start button. THere are other procedures such as opening the fuel valves, but that is just another flipping of switches.

Answer 5

there are switches on the computer on the out side that say hot or cold and it needs to be on hot and on the inside you can use the computer to turn it on or  the joystick left button and the trigger

Answer 6

First, here are a few cockpit pictures to give you an idea of what the pilot is looking at.

This one in on a small piston engine training aircraft. The checklist Socalwaz gave you comes from this type of aircraft. You can see in the lower right the keys, but keys are only common for piston engine helicopters. This particular picture always gets some chuckles because someone photoshopped it to make the gauges give ridiculous readings:

http://verticalreference.com/helicopterf...

This one is from a Huey. This one gives a good view of the flight controls as well as the panel. They have replaced some of the gauges with electronic readouts in this particular aircraft:

http://verticalreference.com/helicopterf...

Here is the cockpit of a Blackhawk:

http://www.jetpix.com/webfiles/army/army...

Here is the FAA's Rotorcraft Flying Handbook (large PDF file). It is the basic textbook for students to learn all of the fundamentals about helicopter flight, including aerodynamics, flight controls, basic systems, maneuvers, and emergencies.

http://www.faa.gov/library/manuals/aircr...

You can also learn about basic flight controls here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hover_(heli...

This site has good information about aerodynamics and maneuvers:

http://www.dynamicflight.com/

This one goes into a lot of detail about starting a typical turbine engine powered helicopter. This is the place to look if you're specifically interested in starting procedures.

http://www.helicopterflight.net/turbine_...

It comes from this site which has tons of info about helicopter flight:

http://www.helicopterflight.net/

Finally, a couple of diagrams. The first is a diagram of a typical turbine engine that would power the types of helicopters flying around your town. It is important to understand how the engine works in order to understand the steps for starting it. The second is a diagram of the gauges on a typical instrument panel:

http://www.helicopterflight.net/engine_f...

http://www.helicopterflight.net/intrumen...

Answer 7

All the answers that have been submitted so far are right but I dont think they are going to help you write a monologue.

Before you start up any helo you should go through a thorough checklist that lets the pilot know it is safe to fly. This begins outside checking a myriad of parts. You systematically work around the helo checking, engine parts, oil, fuel, rotor blades (main and tail) skids, belts, fluids, battery, clutch cables, lights, and so much more.

Once in the helo, there is another checklist for start up procedure. An example might be as follows:

Cyclic and Collective controls locked

Master fuel valve in

All instruments in static condition

All circuit breakers in except heater

All electrical equipment off

Battery switch on

Check fuel quantity

Check fuel low light

Check transmission light

Check tail rotor chip detector light

Check clutch light

Clutch switch down/disengaged

Fuel cut off out

Throttle open one quarter inch

Fuel boost on

Fuel cut off in for 3 seconds

Fuel cut off out

Fuel boost off

Throttle closed

Mags to both

Engine starter button til the engine fires

Slowly depress fuel cut off once engine fires

Immediately roll on throttle to increase engine rpms to 1300

Radios on

Transponder to Standby

Headsets on

Position beacon on

Engine rpms to 1500

Check area surrounding helo is clear

Clutch switch engage til rotor blade move one width of the blade then back down to neutral

Wait til engine climbs back up to 1500rpm

Clutch switch engage two more times til rotor rpm needle joins engine rpm needle.

When clutch light is out increase engine rpm to 2000

Alternator check

When engine oil temp reaches 104 proceed with following 2 checks

1 increase manifold pressure to 14 with engine rpms at 2500. Turn key to left mag for 2 seconds and right mag for 2 seconds then back to both

Lower collective and roll off throttle to show engine and rotor rpm needles will split

Final checks:

Trim to pilot side

Mags to both

Clutch switch up and caged

Fuel boost on

Transponder to Alt

Position beacon on

Alt on

Battery on

Collective and Cyclic frictions off

Contact tower and youre away

All helo start ups are different and this is just one example but i hope it can help you

Answer 8

You start a helicopter just like you start an airplane. Go to the library and check out the video on helicopters, it will take you through the nuances of flying helicopters. There are too many things to go into here.