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Articles for tag My Two Cents Worth




Feb
23
2024

Radar Altimeters and 5G Exemptions…For Safety or Convenience?

Posted by Admin

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.  [Read More...]



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



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



Jun
26
2023

Be There for Others

Posted by Admin

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.    [Read More...]



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



Feb
27
2023

Hey FAA, IT’S TIME FOR A CHANGE! | Aviation Management Experience Deficit

Posted by Admin

The general aviation industry is hemorrhaging pilots to the airlines, and it doesn’t appear that this practice will slow soon. For decades, helicopter pilots were not a targeted market for the airline industry, but times have changed. Qualified and highly skilled helicopter pilots have their own path to airline selection from both military and civilian backgrounds. This situation has placed a strain on the helicopter industry to obtain and retain qualified aviation management personnel.  [Read More...]



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



Nov
28
2022

Larissa Hamilton | My Aviation Story

Posted by Admin

When I came back to North America after nearly 30-years of flying overseas, my main goal was to try to put an end of what was in my mind an unacceptable helicopter accident rate in the USA, specifically, in the HAA industry.  While flying abroad, I witness a new paradigm, a much safer way to operate that if adopted in the USA would undoubtedly significantly lower the accident rate. [Read More...]



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



Oct
24
2022

Flight of the Phoenix Down Under

Posted by Admin

I am in awe of aviation mechanics. I have always admired their ability to fix complex and even not-so-complex machines by wading through, what are to me, confusing-to-understand thick, cumbersome maintenance manuals.   [Read More...]



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



Aug
26
2022

Things Have Come a Long Way

Posted by Admin

A friend of mine recently sent me a copy of a letter addressed to all copilots at American Airways dated 25 October 1930.   When I read it, I realized how far we’ve come in 92 years in the crew resource management world. In fact, quite a lot of what I read, I found shamelessly politically incorrect when compared to today’s thinking in our aviation world.  [Read More...]



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



Jul
24
2022

Air Ambulance Helicopter Struck Ground During Go-Around

Posted by Admin

The title of this blog should be “Know your autopilot.”  As an ATP examiner having tested and examined pilots from over twenty countries, I have seen my share of pilots miss-handle the autopilot both in the aircraft and in the Level-D flight simulator and get themselves into trouble.  What I observed in most cases was the pilot flying would ‘punch off’ the autopilot just when they needed it most, mainly because they were not certain what the autopilot was doing.  Whenever they hit the autopilot disconnect button, I called it the “I’m going to kill myself switch” and watch the fun begin. [Read More...]



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



Jun
26
2022

Fiery Crash in the Australian Outback

Posted by Admin

Let me pass along to you an important tip: Listen to a pilot you are replacing; if a pilot quits a job you’ve just accepted and tells you, “Hey man, the machine’s unsafe,” or “This is an unsafe operation.” Believe them.   [Read More...]



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



May
19
2022

Transitioning into an IFR Program

Posted by Admin

Hello Randy, quick question if I may.  I’m formerly the Director of Safety at MercyFlight in Central NY (Rochester/Syracuse), now I’m doing my Multi-Commercial fixed wing and CFI’s in Daytona Beach. My old program is going to be replacing 4 legacy BK-117's with new single engine IFR Leonardo 119's.  They will be phasing in the 4 new ships over a year to 18 months.  Is there a standard for when new platform training should occur so it isn't too far away from delivery ?  The concern is having crew take the training and have too much time pass.  It's common sense to do it close to delivery, just curious if there were any best practice documents, thesis, etc. that may have addressed the question. [Read More...]



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


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