Welcome to the new site!
Hi everyone, welcome to the new look of VR Heli Academy’s website! The new version of the site has lots more information, photos and videos of all our courses in action, and we’ll be updating it frequently when we add new long line equipment and external load training scenarios. Have a look around, and feel free to contact us if you have any...
read more300lb concrete bucket
One of the loads we introduce in the latter half of the Pro Course is ‘Brutus’ the 300lb concrete-filled bucket. This is a heavy, dense load with relatively little wind-resistance, so it’s quite hard to control. The weight also makes it great for practicing power management and ensuring that 1) you’re not over max gross weight if you were to pick it up, and 2) you have the power to hold an out of ground effect (OGE) hover while carrying the load.
read moreSunset VR practice
A good foundation of ‘Vertical Reference’ flying techniques is essential to being a safe, precise long line pilot. The beginning of our Pro Course is dedicated to learning to fly based solely on ground references, without any external load attached. When hovering with your head out and down is no longer a problem, the lines and then loads are attached, and it’s at that point you’ll realize how important those first few hours of VR practice really are.
read moreHigh-vis marker
It’s important to see where the hook is underneath you, so we have a high-visibility marker on it to help you see it from above.
read moreSetting a utility pole
This exercise requires a steady hover using vertical reference techniques and good coordination with ground crew. Once in position, the pole is slowly lowered down to a height were the ground crew can guide it into the base. Too high, and they can’t reach it, and too low and it hits the side of the base instead of fitting in to the top. Once placed, the line is lowered again to allow the ground crew to unhook it.
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