Schweizer 269 (300)

Aircraft Information
> Aircraft Make: Schweizer Model: 269 (300). Nickname: none
> Aircraft Mil Civ Description: Helicopter
> FAA Category and Class: Rotorcraft/Helicopter
> Engine Description: single recip

Aircraft Experience
> As of: 11/7/2024
> Number of Hours Flown: 10.4
> Number of Times Flown: 7
> Other Aircraft Models Associated: 269, S269, SH269, S-300, S300

First Flown Information
> Sequence First Flown: 168
> Date First Flown: 3/25/2015
> Location First Flown:
Fort Worth Alliance Airport (KAFW)
> Who and/or What Organization First Flown With: FAA (AFS-60) VFR helo recurrent, John Irving

Recollections: The official model number is 269 but the model number for marketing purposes is 300…I guess it sounds better!

My experience in this helicopter was during FAA training in Ft Worth.  The FAA runs a “flight school”, mostly for it’s inspectors who otherwise don’t fly much.  The “VFR/IFR helo refresher” was a great course that I took several times, augmenting rental flying locally in Seattle (mostly in the R-44).  One of the helos in Ft Worth was the Schweizer.  It’s unusual in that the PIC sits in the left seat…most helos have PIC in right seat. 

This helo was powered by a reciprocating engine that (unlike the R-44) didn’t have a throttle governor, so it taught me how to keep the engine on speed by manually adjusting the throttle with the collective twist grip.  Old school and challenging!