Real Helicopter pilots: Do you use your "rear" to operate the collective?

[-0303-]

Sensing the gravity ie...

Flown gliders in real life. Flying "fast" G load shifts are instantly and powerfully felt with even minute stick movements.

I imagine feeling the G shifts operating the collective could be equally distinct useful input, especially while landing. Like sitting on an adjustable height chair and moving the lever.

One continuously, subconsciously, feel and balance the G while approaching ground? Akin to riding a bicycle or flying planes, once trained, muscle memory replaces thinking actively about every move.

On second thought this probably applies to cyclic as well (though not as much), while hovering if nothing else. A helicopter, in ways a plane doesn't, can quickly change direction in all 3 axis and the pilot "feels" the inertia.

Edited Saturday at 01:10 PM by -0303-

[Grievo]

Yes and no, the "feel" is definitely part of it, especially in terms of balanced turns, straight and level flight etc, but reference to instruments is still a part of it.

As for things like landings, it's very much a visual task. Approach angle becomes a bit of a sight picture thing, but also changes depending on circumstances, weight (and therefore power available) etc. Then from there, if the landing site is moving up your windscreen, you're going to land short, if it's moving down your windscreen you'll overshoot, but if it stays fixed you'll find yourself arriving at or very near the spot.

Hope that answers your question.