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May
10
2012
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Posted by Admin
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From managers to maintainers to pilots to crewmembers, tablets and smartphones are rapidly working their way into the hands of the helicopter industry. Although the devices themselves are cool, it’s the even cooler apps designed for them that make us carry our mobile devices with us everywhere we go……including the cockpit.
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May
03
2012
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Posted by Admin
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Assaults on our industry have become interwoven into the very fabric that constitutes our daily activities. Don’t get me wrong, I welcome discussions on relevant issues such as safety and noise issues, and appreciate the opportunity to improve in these areas.
[Read More...]
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Apr
27
2012
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Posted by Admin
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Since 1999, the WFF has provided emergency support services, including financial assistance and immediate and ongoing emotional support, to over 150 families of firefighters seriously injured or killed in the line of duty. The WFF recognizes pilots and other aviation crews as wildland firefighters when they are involved with fire suppression and management duties.
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Categories:
Company Profiles
Helicopter Sectors
Human Interest
Special Announcements
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Apr
20
2012
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Posted by Admin
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Night Vision Goggles may conjure up thoughts of elite Special Forces units going into battle in the dead of night, but they also have found a use in nighttime helicopter operations. A number of fire departments and agencies have employed these devices to allow them to attack wildfires at night and to perform difficult night rescues that would be foolhardy otherwise.
[Read More...]
Categories:
Helicopter Sectors
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Apr
09
2012
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Posted by Admin
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As a measure of something’s quality or worth you could safely use longevity as a yardstick. I am lucky to own and fly a Robinson R-22 that has an early serial number. N9015V was the 11th R-22 to roll off the assembly line in Torrance, California on January 19, 1980. What makes this fact special to me is that I had been hired by Frank Robinson in 1979 to work for him as a mechanic. I was fresh out of A&P school and as green a helicopter mechanic as a Wenatchee apple. Frank had me assigned to work with Dave Akamine who was one of the first mechanics at Robinson Helicopter Company. Dave would try to keep me out of trouble.
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Categories:
Human Interest
Special Announcements
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Apr
05
2012
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Posted by Admin
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Fire Academy Brings Together Regional Helicopter Community with Unique Training Program
By Lyn Burks
It’s no secret that certain parts of the Midwest U.S. are a hotbed of helicopter activity, and Ohio is no exception. This is especially true when it comes to sectors like EMS, Law Enforcement, and Electronic News Gathering (ENG), where a variety of helicopters, from a variety of operators are literally operating in the back yards of the communities they serve.
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Categories:
Career Development
Company Profiles
Training
Helicopter Event Coverage
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Mar
23
2012
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Posted by Admin
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When I left the military in pursuit of my first civilian flying job, I assumed Part 135 was a common component on several different Bell 206 models. My first helicopter job was with a small company that had difficulty making payroll and cut corners on maintenance and training. My priority after this experience was to seek out a large and stable company that adhered to the regulations and preferably had direct deposit.
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Categories:
Career Development
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Mar
16
2012
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Posted by Admin
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On May 20 1969 I flew a routine mission that turned into a living nightmare. That's how combat flying is. It shifts from the mundane to the horrendous most often when you least expect it. This particular memory has become part of me. I have relived the mission hundreds of times in my mind. It is as clear to me now as if it had happened yesterday.
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Categories:
Helicopter Sectors
Human Interest
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Mar
09
2012
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Posted by Admin
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Whether they belong to the Army, Air Force, Navy or Marines, military helicopters are aging fast. Many models are expected to reach the end of their operational lives in the 2030 to 2040 timeframe. As it stands, none of the services have concrete plans for what to do when their various fleets become obsolete.
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Categories:
Helicopter Sectors
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Mar
02
2012
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Posted by Admin
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When Rotorcraft Professional asked me to write a piece on how regulation influenced the simulator marketplace, I truly believed that it would be a relatively straightforward task. However, as I began to review the history, I found there was virtually nothing written until the 1960’s.
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Categories:
Regulatory