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May
23
2016
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Posted by Admin
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We’ve all been there. Flying with our student during the test prep phase of the training lifecycle, confirming what we set out to do so many hours before. That is, to present the FAA a qualified, proficient pilot applicant who is capable of exceeding all test standards set before them. You’ve done this many times before; it’s just a walk in the park. So you walk through your FAA exam checklist to verify nothing has been missed:
Training records complete? ✔
Logbook endorsements complete? ✔
FAA Examiner scheduled? ✔
Complete confidence your student is ready to take this checkride? Well … not so much.
During test prep, you notice that the student isn’t consistent with each maneuver or task you present. Although your student’s flying is OK, there’s this little voice in your ear and a knot in your gut that’s making you uncomfortable: They’re just not ready for this checkride! Then your student completes a picture-perfect autorotation and you ignore what you believed to be true just a few moments earlier.
[Read More...]
Categories:
Training
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May
16
2016
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Posted by Admin
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It certainly wasn’t my intention to be on drugs when I addressed FAA regulators at the “Meet the FAA Regulators” session at HAI Heli-Expo 2014. Two hours prior to that talk, I literally couldn’t walk. My back suddenly went out causing excruciating lower back pain, something that occurs every three years or so due to years of competitive tennis and decades in the cockpit. Still, I needed to tell the regulators that they missed a real opportunity to draft meaningful new rules to stop the unacceptable HEMS accident rate. Throwing a mix of over-the-counter painkillers down my throat, I gingerly made my way to the convention center.
[Read More...]
Categories:
Safety
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May
09
2016
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Posted by Admin
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When talking to Frasca International President and CEO John Frasca, one quickly discerns that not only does F begin his last name, but that letter coincides with other words relevant to who he is and what he does: Family and Flexibility.
It’s telling that the current generation of Frascas do not shine the light of success on themselves. Rather, the company website and brochure only speak of the founding father. Not even John Frasca is profiled. In an age of self-adulation and promotion, that may seem somewhat quaint … and refreshing. However, this lack of limelight is not surprising when you hear the humble way the son’s promotion to leadership in 2011 was announced to Frasca International’s staff—and to John Frasca himself. “We were just having a summer company party out at the airport with all of the employees, and Dad picked up the microphone and said, ‘Oh, by the way everybody, John’s taking over; he’s going to be president,’” says Frasca.
[Read More...]
Categories:
Career Development
Company Profiles
Human Interest
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May
02
2016
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Posted by Admin
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Many of the greatest adventure stories begin with three simple words: There I was…. This tale of a pioneering aviation company in the setting of insanely turquoise blue waters, white sandy beaches, cascading waterfalls, and lush mountain jungles deserves an adventurous introduction. So ...
THERE I WAS sitting in a car wash parking lot at a busy intersection in downtown Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic on the island of Hispaniola. (We’ll get to the water and jungles later.) I’m knocking back a frosty Presidente beer and chili dog empanada.
After four days in this country, I am starting to feel “Dominicanized.” I’m thinking I could live in this paradise and frequently nurse a cold beer. But the nagging question is: Where would I work?
[Read More...]
Categories:
Career Development
Company Profiles
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Apr
26
2016
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Posted by Admin
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RPMN: What is your current position?
I currently serve as the director of training and standards for CHI Aviation. In my position I coordinate training, in concert with department heads, for all company employees including pilots, mechanics, fuel truck drivers, etc. On the standards side, I participate in auditing, receiving feedback, and assisting the standardization committee in ensuring standards are created and met. I also perform duties as a captain in both the CH-47D and AS-332L1 aircraft.
[Read More...]
Categories:
Human Interest
Career Development
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Apr
19
2016
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Posted by Admin
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Last year we launched Rotorcraft Pro’s annual U.S. Pilot Salary & Benefits Survey. Traditional surveys of decades past were sent directly to employers by snail mail in ballot form, then collected and tabulated. This old method did provide interesting results, but because employers are reticent to reveal the exact salaries and benefits they provide, the sampling could be rather small and probably wasn’t always representative of the larger whole.
We felt using modern online technology to survey actual pilots and their employers would generate more interest throughout the industry. Wow, did it ever! Like last year, this year’s survey had excellent participation. We again got the latest information on pilots:
[Read More...]
Categories:
Career Development
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Apr
11
2016
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Posted by Admin
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Ever had someone sneak up behind you while twisting a wrench and inquire if you were doing it “by the book”? Ever wonder what book they were referring to?
What follows is my own unconventional interpretation. I’m by no means an expert. However, after years of practicing I think I can get this as mixed up as the best of them.
[Read More...]
Categories:
Training
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Apr
04
2016
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Posted by Admin
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For those not familiar with Metro Aviation, HFTC’s parent company, it has two main facets to its business. First and foremost, it is an EMS helicopter operator with over 130 aircraft in operation. Second, it’s also a Part 145 maintenance, repair, and overhaul facility, as well as a helicopter completion center.
According to Palmer and Mike Stanberry, Metro’s CEO, the impetus for creating HFTC was two-fold. Twelve years ago, Metro Aviation saw value in using simulation when it began using FlightSafety simulators for certain aspects of its Part 135 training programs. Not only is simulation training less expensive, but it also reduces the risk of damaging aircraft in training. However, as Metro Aviation’s teams grew, the cost of paying retail prices for training from a variety of third-party vendors began to grow as well. So the initial idea for creating HFTC was born out of necessity. It was a way to bring both pilot training and mechanic training back in-house, allowing for cost effective improvements in quality and standardization.
[Read More...]
Categories:
Company Profiles
Training
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Mar
29
2016
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Posted by Admin
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So you’ve provided all of the required training to your student. That’s it, they're ready to visit the FAA and apply for that sought after certificate or rating. However, there’s one last thing you have to do: You must certify to the federal government that as an authorized flight instructor you have provided the required ground and flight training, and found the applicant prepared to take the appropriate FAA practical test.
So what defines an authorized instructor? The Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs) define specific training requirements an instructor must meet to provide training for a certificate and/or rating. This definition is found within FAR 61.1: Applicability and Definitions. Most of the time, there is little confusion on this issue. However, over the last few years many regulatory changes and FAA Legal Interpretations are worthy of a closer look.
[Read More...]
Categories:
Career Development
Training
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Mar
21
2016
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Posted by Admin
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What is your current position?
I am the vice president of flight operations at Firehawk Helicopters, Inc. At Firehawk we operate four Sikorsky S-70 commercial Black Hawks and four BHI H60 Hawks (former Army UH-60s) and four Airbus Helicopters AS-350B3s. The aircraft are used for aerial firefighting, research and development flight testing, construction and external lift, and television and film productions. Previously I spent 17 years at Sikorsky Aircraft. The first nine years I was a test engineer and the last eight years I was a test pilot. Concurrent with my time at Sikorsky I was also in the US Army Reserves where I flew UH-60s for a decade.
[Read More...]
Categories:
Human Interest
Career Development
Training