shawnkappner, depending on how you use your test stand you will put a tremendous force on it and really stress the entire mechanics.
now you can not trim the heli on a test stand. all you can do is adjust the engine and the blade tracking.
blade tracking can be done (at least close enough for starters) without ever actually "taking off". so no safety hazard without your test stand.
engine tuning, has do be done anywhere under the proper load and not strapped onto a ladder. this again can be done safe and easily on the ground. hover - ;and - adjust needle - hover - land - adjust needle - full climb-out etc.
now the fact that you come form airplanes explains why you would ever even think about it... and please do not be insulted. there is thousands of heli pilots which started form scratch, never ran in the engine on a tune in stand and never used a "ladder test stand". and we all made it very safely and without crashing...
so please take the advice (as a 3 day "experienced" heli pilot) and never use any device like that again or ever do recommend it to some one else. IT IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, UNSAFE AND COMPLETELY UNNECESSARY !!!!!!!!!
end of discussion...
thank and PLEASE BE SAFE AND USE COMMON SENSE.