Short transcript from a Kenny Keller YouTube video recounting a near-accident in an R22 helicopter where a non-rated passenger (Darcy) leaned and accidentally struck the cyclic while the pilot held controls. Keller emphasizes removing controls from non-rated occupants and the risk of accidental control inputs leading to a crash.
Well, we had a good one today where we almost had a problem. You know how they say take these out when there's person's not a rated pilot? I didn't take this out. I had Darcy shooting pictures of you guys in R22. She leaned forward and hit that cyclic when it was in my hand. I'm like, whoa. So we landed. I took it out. So there through transparency, that's why they want you to take the controls out when the person's not a rated pilot because accidents happen. So I was taking, and I was taking pictures. Yeah, you were taking pictures and you just didn't think about it and you turned and your shoulder went into the cyclic and I grabbed it and said whoa. And we landed and took it out. But that's a good point. That's a good tip. Good reason that it could get your aircraft wrecked because somebody jammed on a control by accident.
