Articles for category My Two Cents Worth
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Oct
25
2024
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Posted by Admin
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The aviation industry has consistently been a beacon of technological innovation that leads to greater safety, efficiency, and capabilities in air travel. Helicopter aviation, a crucial branch of this industry, is now experiencing a profound transformation thanks to artificial intelligence (AI). From predictive maintenance to autonomous navigation, AI is revolutionizing operations in ways that would have been considered science fiction only a decade ago.
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My 2 Cents Worth
Randy Rowles
Categories:
My Two Cents Worth
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Aug
29
2024
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Posted by Admin
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About a year ago, I was conducting pilot training for a Part 135 company, which was a relatively new customer. Prior to FAA approval to conduct this training, I conducted a review of their Part 135 training program to determine their differences from our training. Most often, a VFR Part 135 helicopter operators training program is going to be quite like another. Of course, some differences will always exist. The question is whether those differences require additional training and checking.
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Tags:
My Two Cents Worth
Randy Rowles
Categories:
My Two Cents Worth
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Jun
26
2024
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Posted by Admin
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In 1997, I was a relatively new FAA Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) in the South Florida FAA District Office. On a beautiful Saturday in December, I was asked to complete an FAA private pilot added-rating exam for an applicant at a helicopter flight school at the Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (FXE). As I had done many exams for this school, there was nothing unique about this day. At least, that was my thoughts prior to my arrival.
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Tags:
My Two Cents Worth
Randy Rowles
Categories:
My Two Cents Worth
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Apr
29
2024
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Posted by Admin
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As the quality and cost of flight simulation decreases, the regulatory limitations on its use within the flight training industry remain stagnant. Looking much like it did decades ago, the credits offered on the use of simulation provide very little in the way of aeronautical decision-making (ADM) and focus on simulation versus flight-hour credits on limited aircraft-based maneuvers. Does this maneuver, credit-based simulation model truly capture the capabilities of the flight training simulation available today?
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My Two Cents Worth
Randy Rowles
Categories:
My Two Cents Worth
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Feb
23
2024
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Posted by Admin
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The introduction of radar (also known as radio) altimeters to the helicopter industry began as a highly accurate tool to validate actual height above ground during Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) flight operations. Like the fixed wing world, a helicopter being flown on an IFR approach needs accurate information on height above ground to continue to a safe landing.
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Tags:
My Two Cents Worth
Randy Rowles
Categories:
My Two Cents Worth
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Dec
18
2023
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Posted by Admin
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Have you ever noticed an airship hovering over a sporting venue near a major airport? There is no chaos or mayhem to the orderly flow of aircraft, all operate safely while following prescribed procedures to allow such activities to take place. In previous years, these sporting venues would have had countless aircraft safely operating in and around each other simply due to the vigilance in procedural development exercised by the aviation industry in partnership with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The system worked!
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My 2 Cents Worth
Randy Rowles
Categories:
My Two Cents Worth
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Oct
27
2023
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Posted by Admin
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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.
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My 2 Cents Worth
Randy Rowles
Categories:
My Two Cents Worth
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Aug
28
2023
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Posted by Admin
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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.
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My Two Cents Worth
Randy Rowles
Categories:
My Two Cents Worth
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Jun
26
2023
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Posted by Admin
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For many of us, the daily grind of life presents a real struggle. Not because it’s hot outside or the work we do is exhausting. It’s because of battles being fought within us outside of the public eye. For some, these battles started many years ago and continue to influence day-to-day behaviors and thoughts. People are affected by events and life experiences and react to them in different ways. I believe that you can only truly understand someone when you know and understand their past.
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My Two Cents Worth
Randy Rowles
Categories:
My Two Cents Worth
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Apr
20
2023
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Posted by Admin
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A key concept in the development of early relationships is finding common ground; elements within each of our lives where we share interest and experience. It is through these shared perspectives that we gain trust and confidence that our communications with each other have meaning and understanding. At times, identifying common ground can seem like an impossible task. As the vertical lift industry becomes more diverse, the people, aircraft, and even operating methodologies look very different; however, the importance of working together has never been more critical than it is today.
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Tags:
My 2 Cents Worth
Randy Rowles
Categories:
My Two Cents Worth