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Dec
14
2009
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Posted by Admin
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IA - Initial Attack! by Ken Carlton
I.A. means initial attack, that’s what I do with a helicopter. The Viet Nam Vets who are honest will tell you that they miss the adrenaline rush they got from flying helicopters. There is something about being shot at and missed that has a way of focusing your attention. Flying the helicopter well under combat conditions is the very best part of flying...if you can't do that then there's I.A.
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Categories:
Regulatory
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Dec
14
2009
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Posted by Admin
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How to Operate a Helicopter Mechanic by William C. Dykes
A long, long time ago, back in the days of iron men and wooden rotor blades, a ritual began. It takes place when a helicopter pilot approaches a mechanic to report some difficulty with his aircraft. All mechanics seem to be aware of it, which leads to the conclusion that it's included somewhere in their training, and most are diligent in practicing it.
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Categories:
Humor & Poetry
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Dec
14
2009
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Posted by Admin
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Helicopter pilots are just better than fixed wing pilots...by John Jones
This has been a serious debate for quite some time with battle lines well drawn and the debate field hot, furious, and emotional. Obviously, the heat of the debate and the surety of the participants are directly proportional to the amount of liquid intelligence that has been consumed. Nevertheless, this humble observer will present the evidence that clearly proves helicopter pilots are, as a matter of fact, the most superior pilots in the aviation community.
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Dec
14
2009
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Posted by Admin
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Helicopter Industry Flying Descriptions by Author Unknown
GrandCanyon Tour:
get up at 430am, drive 90 miles to the ditch, have 5th cup of coffee,preflight,pee,get in start up,load up the midwestern beefeaters,fly for 30 minutes,fly for 30 minutes,fly for 30 minutes,fly for an hour,fly for 30 minutes,fly for an hour,Can I have a break? no ok,fly for 30 minutes,fly for 30 minutes,fly for 30 minutes,fly for 30 minutes,fly for 30 minutes,fly for 30 minutes,fly for an hour,get out tie down,PEE, drive 90 miles home, eat sleep repeat.
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Categories:
Humor & Poetry
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Dec
14
2009
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Posted by Admin
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Fuel Planning,Endurance and Fuel Problems...by Cem Kurkcu
Fuel,it is essential for any sort of machine to work. However, it really means more than that to pilots, especially for helo pilots who fly over different regions, terrain and water. There is no excuse for fuel problems. Whatever goes wrong with fuel, eventually the helicopter loses substantial power, because piston or turbine engine runs inefficently, the worst situation is an unexpected engine flame out at an unexpetd time,over an unexpected place. This combination is intimidating.
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Categories:
Safety
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Dec
14
2009
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Posted by Admin
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Does it really benefit a pilot to obtain the ATP certificate? by Randy Rowles
The answer depends on your perspective of need. The ATP itself is only needed for select types of flight operations, i.e. scheduled air carrier, etc.
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Dec
14
2009
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Posted by Admin
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Combat Versus Fire Fighting by Ken Carlton
Several people have asked me lately if flying on fires is "pretty tame" after flying a helicopter in combat operations in Viet Nam. I've thought about it a bit, and I have to say, "It's incredibly similar!" Ever present in both is the excitement, the danger, and the adrenaline rushes everything, I suppose, except the shooting. And if you REALLY miss the shooting, you can always amend that by flying "low and slow" over someone's marijuana garden, and someone is bound to fire a few rounds at you just to make sure you don't miss Viet Nam TOO much. The similarities abound, and as I've done both with a helicopter, I thought I'd point out a few of them.
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Categories:
Helicopter Sectors
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Dec
14
2009
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Posted by Admin
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All accidents are not preventable by Anonymous
The cry of helicopter Aviation Safety and Management seems to suggest that all accidents are preventable. While I applaud and support the efforts to reduce accidents within our community and hope serious calamities are minimized, I'm not willing to concede that the concept of Zero Defects is, in the long run, practical or even beneficial. I posit that the very existence of accidents is demonstrative of the predisposition of the human condition, namely our own imperfections. Furthermore, it is the positive response to accidents which is the seed for our greatest improvements and achievements (a case I should not have to make).
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Categories:
Safety
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Dec
08
2009
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Posted by Admin
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By Ken Carlton - A Noodle in a Wildcat's Ass
The other day I flew a long line mission. Forest Service smoke jumpers had jumped on one of our fires and had put the fire out. Now they had to hike out six or seven miles to the nearest road. They notified us that we needed a 150-foot line to reach down in the tall trees on the side of a steep hill. They also said they had 650 pounds of equipment that needed to be slung out.
[Read More...]
Categories:
Helicopter Sectors
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Dec
08
2009
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Posted by Admin
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By Dana Raaz -
A DAY IN THE LIFE.....a deep-water pilot in the Gulf of Mexico
The 4:00 AM beeping of the alarm clock signals the start of another day for Jayne Brodie, a helicopter pilot assigned as an SIC (second-in-command) on a PHI Bell 412SP based in Morgan City, Louisiana. Like most of the 1,000 + Gulf Coast helicopter pilots, Jayne works a 7 day on, 7 day off schedule and stays in company-supplied housing while at work. She makes the weekly commute from her home in Pensacola, Florida on Thursday afternoon and starts her work hitch with a 5:30 AM Friday morning briefing. Since Jayne’s customer wants the first flight to depart the heliport at 6:00 AM she and her PIC (pilot-in-command) have already done the preflight, checked the weather and filed their IFR flight plans before the 5:30 briefing begins.
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Categories:
Helicopter Sectors