Articles for category Human Interest
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Oct
05
2015
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Posted by Admin
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Has anyone ever said to you, “But we’ve always done it this way”? It’s a complacency trap that once held the potential for dire consequences for five of us employed as HEMS pilots for the king of Saudi Arabia.
I was new to the organization, standing on the bridge of the king’s yacht with the chief pilot. We were both looking half a mile away through binoculars as he explained the approach to the hospital helipad. “You’ll fly to the waypoint listed “WALL” in the GPS, which is the wall at the edge of the palace grounds. Once you reach it, you’ll make a left 90-degree dogleg turn, keeping those five construction cranes on your right while staying well clear of that big unlit stadium on your left. See it?”
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Categories:
Training
Safety
Human Interest
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Sep
28
2015
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Posted by Admin
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What is your current position?
Being the owner of a small business, I ask myself that question every day! My official title is chief pilot and CEO of Raven Helicopters LLC in San Diego. That means that my responsibilities range from washing the helicopter and scheduling reservations for charters to sitting in the middle of Mexico watching motorcycles and trucks race across the desert, and filling out all the fun paperwork and administrative duties that come with owning a business. I never know what I will be doing on any given day. Obviously my favorite days are when I just get to fly.
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Categories:
Human Interest
Career Development
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Sep
01
2015
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Posted by Admin
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Where did you get your start flying commercially?
After the Alaskan summer tour season was over with TEMSCO, I decided to continue my aviation endeavor at Precision Aviation located in Newberg, Oregon, flying a Schweizer 269C. There is where I achieved my additional ratings: fixed-wing add-on to my helicopter private, commercial helicopter, instrument airplane and helicopter, and helicopter CFI. I continued to instruct at Precision for a couple of years to build my hours and then moved straight into the world of flying a heavy helicopter as second in command (SIC) in a copilot position. I quickly concluded that a heavy helicopter is where my heart belongs. Not only do I love flying utility in the “big iron,” I also enjoy the camaraderie that comes out of working with so many different people from such diverse backgrounds. In this industry we have a bond because of our shared goals and experiences. You don’t necessarily have to be best friends with everyone in the group to know you have their support or that you are there to support someone else.
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Categories:
Company Profiles
Training
Helicopter Sectors
Human Interest
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Aug
24
2015
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Posted by Admin
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If I were to answer the question as to why I love the helicopter industry so much, I would have to say it’s because of the quirky characters I’ve met and worked with over the years. Characters that immediately come to mind are guys like “Lofty” because of his extraordinary height, “Bambi” because of his doe-brown eyes, a Brit we called “Captain Kleenex” because he had a sinus condition that caused him to leave tissues strewn about all over the cockpit, “Too Tall McCall” because he was short, and an Australian we all called “Trackless” because he was even shorter than Two Tall. (In fact, he was much shorter because his legs were so short his butt would drag behind him and wipe out his tracks, hence the name.) There was also Robert “Don’t call me Bob” because that’s how he introduced himself, “Squeaky Cheeks” because he had an odd walk, a New Zealander we called “Sumo” because he resembled a Sumo Wrestler, a Brit we called “Crusher” because he landed on a load handler hooking up an underslung load on a wellhead in the oil field and “slightly” crushed him.
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Categories:
Human Interest
Training
Helicopter Sectors
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Aug
08
2015
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Posted by Admin
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RPMN: When and how did you choose to fly helicopters? Or did they choose you?
I found out about the R-22 and civilian helicopter flight training completely by accident, I saw a helicopter on display at a recreational vehicle show and talked to the pilots and read a brochure. I knew absolutely nothing about it or what questions to ask, but it was a great discovery and it’s been a great career. I’m glad I was ignorant of the business at the time, because if I had known about flight hour requirements for different jobs or turbine time etc. I might not have ever gotten started.
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Categories:
Career Development
Training
Human Interest
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Aug
04
2015
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Posted by Admin
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During the summer months people don`t realize how quickly the brutal Arizona heat can dehydrate them. This, and other emergency situations often require an immediate response. To provide that response, in 1972 after a 3-year study that included an 18-month proof of concept through the Air Medical Evacuation System (AMES) project, the Arizona DPS initiated an air rescue unit utilizing Bell 206 Jet Rangers. Now after 43 years of continuous service, DPS Air Rescue performs hundreds of rescues every year. After the Jet Rangers, the unit obtained Bell 206L-3 Long Rangers, which performed well until they were replaced with the current fleet of four Bell 407 helicopters.
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Categories:
Company Profiles
Human Interest
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May
26
2015
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Posted by Admin
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RPMN: What has been your most challenging job in the industry?
The most challenging job in the industry is to find enough technicians of suitable intellect, work ethic, and attitude to train to our demanding standards, and to also find the technicians that will retain these qualities. Many technicians in the helicopter industry find the opportunities for advancement, in both position and pay, to be limiting after a few years.
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Categories:
Human Interest
Company Profiles
Helicopter Sectors
Career Development
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May
04
2015
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Posted by Admin
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This Mother’s Day, it’s important for us to give thanks to our mothers, but also to a committed group of men and women who provide care to most ill and injured mothers, fathers and children across the country, each and every day. Air medical flight teams, while not the most widely recognized of emergency care providers, deserve an extra pat on the back this Mother’s Day. Think of them as civilian soldiers on a mission for all of us, including our Moms.
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Categories:
Helicopter Sectors
Human Interest
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Apr
27
2015
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Posted by Admin
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RPMN: What is your current position?
I am the aviation standardization officer for 97th Aviation Troop Command (similar to a brigade) and the senior standardization instructor pilot (SIP) in the AH-64D Apache Longbow for the Utah National Guard. I have been in the Army for over 35 years, flying the Apache for nearly 30 years. In my position, I oversee the flight training of all Apache pilots in Utah. Prior to joining the Guard, I was on active duty for 12 years and also have experience flying the AH-1 Cobra (as an IP), OH-58 Kiowa Scout, UH-1 Huey, and UH-60 Blackhawk.
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Categories:
Human Interest
Helicopter Sectors
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Mar
16
2015
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Posted by Admin
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RPMN: What is your current position?
After spending nearly several years in the HEMS industry, I just recently started flying for a sheriff’s office in southwest Ohio (Cincinnati). I came out of an EC145 in HEMS and am now in an MD500E and MD520N. I greatly enjoyed HEMS, however, it is nice wiggling the stick again and not just pushing buttons and turning knobs. My current position is never boring and allows me to fly much more than I did as a HEMS pilot.
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Categories:
Human Interest