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Author: Admin




Nov
16
2023

Maintenance Minute - November 2023 | Focus

Posted by Admin

When I first started my civilian aircraft maintenance career many years ago, my friend and mentor Buddy Evans told me that as aircraft mechanics we are not afforded the luxury of a mistake. I understood what Buddy was saying but I thought, how can we, as humans, not make mistakes? It’s in our nature. “To err is human,” is the famous quote credited to Alexander Pope in the 1700’s. I soon realized that what Buddy was trying to communicate to me was that I must take every precaution to mitigate the risk of errors. [Read More...]



Tags: Maintenance Minute Mark Tyler
Categories: categoryMaintenance Minute



Nov
16
2023

Finding Structure After Leaving the Military

Posted by Admin

Transitioning from military to civilian life can be a difficult process, especially when it comes to finding structure. Trust me, it is stressful no matter how prepared you are, and I can guarantee at some point you will ask yourself, “What have I done?” After spending years serving in an environment with clear rules and expectations, it can be overwhelming to enter a world with less structure and more ambiguity. Military service is an experience unlike any other, and transitioning from active duty to civilian life presents many challenges. After leaving the structured environment of military life, veterans may struggle to adjust and find purpose in a new setting. The transition can be even more difficult for those who entered the military fresh out of high school, as they may need to learn basic life skills for the first time. [Read More...]



Tags: Mil2Civ



Nov
16
2023

European Rotors

Posted by Admin

Come Collaborate to Improve Safety and Operational Excellence Since time began, humans have come together to share stories and discuss ideas that can make the world a better place. In such a diverse community like that of rotorcraft and VTOL, we have lots of amazing people using a wide variety of machines to perform different tasks and activities.  [Read More...]



Tags: Safety First VAST
Categories: categorySafety First



Oct
27
2023

Maintenance Minute - October 2023 | Before “Clear!”

Posted by Admin

As the pilot straps in the helicopter, he or she begins to go through the checklist and starts moving switches to their proper positions. Battery on, fuel pump on, and throttle set. The last thing a pilot does before he engages the start switch is to look over his shoulder and yell, “Clear!” [Read More...]



Tags: Maintenance Minute Mark Tyler
Categories: categoryMaintenance Minute



Oct
27
2023

Rotorcraft Checkride | Fire the Canons

Posted by Admin

It should come as no surprise that unintended entry into Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC) has plagued our industry sector for decades. Thankfully, wonderful organizations like the USHST, HAI, and others have relentlessly tried to curb the problem. However, at least weekly, I read a news blurb about another helicopter that crashed after the pilot “encountered diminishing weather conditions.” The certificate level and experience level of those involved in these accidents vary. Each of these tragedies begs questions: How did they get into that situation? Given the situation, were they prepared for it once they found themselves there? Obviously, these are rhetorical questions, given the outcome of the numerous news stories. Many factors can be deduced to explain this situation. Still, I think most would agree that properly learning the warning signs of potential IMC scenarios and how to adequately control the helicopter by reference to instruments is lacking.  [Read More...]



Tags: Matt Johnson Rotorcraft Checkride
Categories: categoryRotorcraft Checkride



Oct
27
2023

My 2 Cents | Paying For the Sins of Others

Posted by Admin

As an industry, we fall victim to the questionable behavior of our brethren pilots and their sometimes-misguided follies. Not directly, but in the form of increased regulatory oversight, increased insurance premiums, and a sense by the public that helicopters are just unsafe! The evidence for such a belief is derived from the countless hours of helicopter crash videos found online. Not to mention the movies that often use a helicopter crash as the go-to ending for a high energy chase finale. [Read More...]



Tags: My 2 Cents Worth Randy Rowles
Categories: categoryMy Two Cents Worth



Sep
22
2023

AUVSI is Your Copilot for the Future of the Drone and AAM Industries

Posted by Admin

Everyone has heard about these technologies that promise to reshape our industry. But no one knows exactly how that reshaping will occur. Each step forward depends on a multitude of factors, including engineering breakthroughs, federal and state regulations, commercial contracts, government budgets, and even consumer demand.  [Read More...]



Tags: AUVSI Uncrewed



Sep
22
2023

“Safety is not Proprietary”

Posted by Admin

I knew at age 16 I wanted to fly when I saw my first medical helicopter pick up a trauma patient in front of me. I began my career in air medicine at the ripe old age of 24 as a flight nurse at Lifeline in Rockford, Illinois.  It was several years later that safety took on a new meaning when I later flew for AirLife-Denver in Colorado, and our program experienced a fatal crash that rocked me to my core. I was afforded the resources to heal and saw meaningful industry-wide changes develop over time. I still applaud AirLife’s leadership who first supported their people and then mined for lessons learned, sharing them broadly to enhance safety for all.  When I became their le [Read More...]



Tags: Safety First VAST
Categories: categorySafety First



Sep
22
2023

Mil2Civ | The FAA has Launched a New “SPECIAL PROJECT”

Posted by Admin

In recent months, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has joined forces with the Veterans Administration (VA) in a collaborative effort to identify pilots who, whether intentionally or unintentionally, have failed to accurately disclose receiving disability benefits. [Read More...]



Tags: Mil2Civ



Aug
28
2023

FAA Oversight | Dysfunctionality Perfected!

Posted by Admin

Many facets of our lives, both personal and professional, changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. One significant entity within the aviation industry, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), took great strides in protecting their staff by providing a path for most FAA employees to work from home. During the pandemic, connecting with an FAA staff member once the communication process was developed and released seemed to be simple and functional. As an operator, we were pleasantly surprised by the expeditious email and phone call returns that were occurring in this new FAA work-from-home world, but this was all about to change. [Read More...]



Tags: My Two Cents Worth Randy Rowles
Categories: categoryMy Two Cents Worth


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