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Aug
24
2020
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Posted 4 years 120 days ago ago by Admin
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Each Friday, a group of the greatest helicopter pilots on the planet meet for lunch in Fort Worth, Texas. They discuss past, present, and future happenings within the helicopter industry, enjoy a great meal, and then it happens: oral history lessons for those who listen.
Each story told by these helicopter industry historians are direct first-person memories and experiences. Often pictures and documented artifacts from a time gone by are passed around the table for all to see and enjoy. Each story told is unique to the individual storyteller, but the experience expressed during the event is shared among all within the group. In the early days of helicopter flight, the do and don’t of flying a helicopter were learned by a pioneering spirit of “let’s see if this works.” With each story comes the lesson learned during a hair-raising experience that only grace and luck allowed the storyteller to live to tell.
This group of pilots includes retired FAA inspectors, OEM test pilots, instructors, military, and even a few helicopter world record holders. Pretty cool stuff!
During lunch, a few months ago, I was asked by a member of this group about a helicopter related event I was involved in. Without much thought or delay, I found myself telling a story of my own escapades in the helicopter industry. As I told my story, I suddenly remembered who my audience was. I almost felt embarrassed as I looked around the group thinking of their experiences, and how trivial my story must be to them. As I spoke, I felt my eyes begin to look down toward the table as I did not want to see how bored they must be.
Yet, as I glanced back to the group, each person was intently listening to every word as if they were as excited by the moment being described as I was. Not only were they listening, they asked questions as they were genuinely interested in hearing my story. Then it happened. A group-member industry pioneer said, “This reminds me of a similar situation I experienced.” With those words and the story that followed, I realized that each member continues their helicopter career vicariously through the stories and memories of each of their peers and guests at the luncheon. Being able to rekindle a memory and share that moment was special to me.
As helicopter pilots, we all share experiences that are unique to the craft we fly. Although our friends and family may look interested and listen to our tails of vertical-flight adventure, it is only those that have experienced our passion that truly understand.
Fly safe!
About Randy: Randy Rowles has been a FAA pilot examiner for 20 years for all helicopter certificates and ratings. He holds a FAA Gold Seal Flight Instructor Certificate, NAFI Master Flight Instructor designation, and was the 2013 recipient of the HAI Flight Instructor of the Year Award. Rowles is the owner/president of Helicopter Institute.