Cyclic Friction on in flight

[Dark007]

Was just reading the following topic on PPrune - rotorheads.

http://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/390498-cyclic-friction-whilst-flying.html

Apparently a lot of pilots fly with some cyclic friction on. I was wondering who, if any, does that here and how you find it versus not using it.

I find that I don't consistently stay at the same speed when I'm in straight and level flight. With my instructor on board I usually end up drifiting slightly back from my 70 knot target airspeed toward 60 and when solo I drift slightly forward from 70 toward 80. I try and keep an eye on it, but I focus on something else for a minute, like navigation or ATC and I change speed which of course results in a change of altitude at that power setting and then I have to correct it again.

I know the R22 is meant to be twitchy and difficult, but would putting some cyclic friction on help? Am I allowed to do that as a student in an R22?

Any and all opinions welcome.
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PPL(H) R22, R44, R66 (0.05 hours )
Hourbuilding...

[afterburner]

It depends on two things: the aircraft itself, and the pilot.

Most of the time, I will set the collective friction only when at cruise altitude. Using the cyclic friction depends on the aircraft and how stable it can be with any friction being used in flight. The Bell47 needed a bit of friction as the cyclic tended to be a bit of a heavy feel (for me at least). The Schweizer 300 gets along fine without any fiction on the cyclic, but then again it has stick trim, whereas the Bell206 needs a "touch" to make flying it virtually effortless. The Schweizer 500 can go either way. Many Robinson pilots put on cyclic friction all the time.

I would recommend that NO friction is used until the copter is airborne and at cruise altitude. Think of "friction" as the poor man's auto-help.
hahaha. Let it help, but not control.

The problem with many pilots is they use "too much" friction which hampers movement of the cyclic and can "mask" a developing problem in the control system. Vibration in the controls tells us something about what the copter is, or wants to do. It is a valuable tool.

At times, I fly with no frictions on at all in that I love hand flying even if it gets a bit tedious. It's all in the fun of it.
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"A Copter Pilot's Life has it's... ups and downs"
Bell 47-206, Schweizer 300/500, Citation 525

[paddywak]

Have you tried using the balancing trim springs in the cruise? I find it lightens the load. If I remember correctly, by pulling the knob it cancels out some of the longitudinal forces.

[Dark007]

I do pull the trim knob when in cruise (when I remember - I'm so used to not using it when doing circuits)

I'll have to ask my instructor what he thinks of using cyclic friction...
_________________
PPL(H) R22, R44, R66 (0.05 hours )
Hourbuilding...