String Or Ball?

[412driver]

so the machine i train in has both string and ball..............

differing instructors opinions' on which is better..............

am throwing it out to you fine people. can you tell me which you prefer and more importantly....why??

many thanks...........

412

 

[pitchlink]

Hey 412,

The only aircraft I've flown that has a string is the a-star. Are there other aircraft using this high tech piece of gear?? :blink: Even when they had an inclinometer (a ball) I always preferred the string. If you were gonna fly a 355 IFR I would use the inclinometer just to keep my head in the game and at night you wouldn't be able to see the string.

My $0.02. B)

Later,
pl

 

[Elvis]

The Gazelle also use this high tech instrument replaceable at local wal-mart.

The only problem is they won't sell You a 6" piece You have to buy the whole ball.

:elvis: :elvis:

 

[pitchlink]

Hey Elvis,

I've been there too!

There are a few engineers out there with a ball of the red stuff in their tool boxes.

Later,
pl

 

[T-rex]

412,

Teach your students both! Like the previous posts, the Eurocopter product goes with the string, and the Bells, like the ball. I mostly fly Astars now so I prefer the string, eyes outside the cockpit looking forward, glancing at the string for minor corrections. The ball in the dash works well too, since your students don't know what they might fly, give them the full meal deal!

 

[LongRanger]

You should be covering up the ball, cutting off the strings and teaching to feel the aircraft in trim by the seat of your pants. 😉 Unless of course you're doing IFR.

 

[dammyneckhurts]

I usually have an AIP/CFS crammed under the seat to give it a left tilt. Sometimes catch myself trimming the A/C to "The seat of my pants" as previously mentioned, and the result is of course I am way out of trim. 🙁 Wishin I had a string somewhere in easy view in the medium....It sure makes it easy. 🙂

 

[skullcap]

French helicopters fly in generally a right skid low attitude unless the cabin is heavily loaded. Thus the reason there is a string, do not use the ball as it is only for inadvertant ifr. Bells should be flown by ball but a string works as well if there is a handy little antenna on the battery compartment to tie it to.

Bottom line, the ball is sometimes off depending on type the string is right always. As well the string works to give a wind indication amazingly well, saved my life more than once, especially in the astar as she can be a lieing #### downwind.

sc

 

[Winnie]

And if you read Cuclic and Collective, you'll get the answer!

The aircraft is not quite in trim using the ball, therefore I prefer the string! Try to do a climb in the 300 using the ball, then without changing any settings, go to the string and see what happens! The rate of climb increases with 3 or 400 feet pr minute. (that is an INCREASE with the use of the newfie tale!)(Yarn)

 

[downwash]

Wish I'd gotten here earlier so I could have been seen to be 'right' for a change. But I've always been an adherent of the string. The ball, for reasons already mentioned, just isn't as reliable. Have also wished it was on the mediums but, as someone implied, if I can't fly in trim by now, maybe I should try something else. B)

 

[VERTICAL REF]

A wise, old (well not so old!) mountain instructor taught grasshopper here how to sniff out the most hidden mountain breeze using the string!

Even how to land in the cirque at 10,000' get out and unravel the string so it would "fly" straight again!

"Yarn 101...". Priceless!

 

[412driver]

thanks guys. i agree with the teach both method myself....

good input guys!!