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Aug
30
2021
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Posted by Admin
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Byron Edgington, a self-professed ‘Sky Writer’ author and a commercial and military helicopter pilot for 50 years, told me his vision for his latest published book, Postflight: An Old Pilot’s Logbook, was simple: “Educate wannabe and upcoming aviators by offering lessons shared by those with experience in the business.”
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Tags:
My Two Cents Worth
Randy Mains
Categories:
My Two Cents Worth
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Aug
30
2021
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Posted by Admin
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It was an ordinary day and I was having an ordinary lunch with my friend. Something we do each week to break up the day, share some laughs and conduct some business. Today, it was double patty melt day at our favorite hole in the wall restaurant. It is the hard-to-find, off the beaten path restaurant where everyone knows your name and you know them too. When the server returned with my friend’s patty melt, he quickly surveyed his sandwich and quipped, “Hey, you forgot to add mayo.” In one motion she whirled around and without hesitating she replied, “It’s not my responsibility to manage your sandwich.” He was left speechless, but I could not hold back my laughter.
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Tags:
Maintenance Minute
Mark Tyler
Categories:
Maintenance Minute
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Jul
26
2021
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Posted by Admin
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“Is having a medical crew member in the co-pilot seat a positive or negative safety issue?’ That’s a question a flight nurse put to the helicopter air medical community a while back. How would you answer that question?
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Tags:
My Two Cents Worth
Randy Mains
Categories:
My Two Cents Worth
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Jul
26
2021
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Posted by Admin
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It is common to have practical test applicants confuse aerodynamic terminology, especially during their FAA exam. Knowing that the applicant is under pressure to perform is part of the pilot certification process, and every FAA Inspector or Examiner is aware of this fact. However, some terms and theories are so firmly rooted within aerodynamic process that an immediate lack of understanding or recall on the subject is concerning.
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Tags:
Randy Rowles
Rotorcraft Checkride
Categories:
Rotorcraft Checkride
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Jul
26
2021
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Posted by Admin
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Several years ago, I attended an aircraft maintenance course designed for a specific model of aircraft. On day one, the instructor told the class that in the classroom environment we would only retain twenty percent of the information that we would be taught. I promptly raised my hand and asked if we would receive an eighty percent refund. Everyone laughed except the instructor. In the years that have followed, the only thing I remember about that class is that statement.
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Tags:
Maintenance Minute
Mark Tyler
Categories:
Maintenance Minute
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Jun
27
2021
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Posted by Admin
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As professional pilots, we naturally want to please our passengers, get them to their destination on time, give them a memorable flight, and of course we want to do it safely. But if we are not careful, an overwhelming urge to please our passengers can overpower our good judgment, creating a mental blind spot to a link or links in an error chain forming, which can lead us into a deadly trap. That is what happened to Ara Zobayan, the pilot tasked to fly Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and six others to his Mamba Sports Academy near Thousand Oaks, California, where Bryant was scheduled to coach a game. Sadly, and to the shock of the sports world, none of them made it to their destination.
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Tags:
My Two Cents Worth
Randy Mains
Categories:
My Two Cents Worth
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Jun
27
2021
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Posted by Admin
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Adversity…we can try to run from it, but it is in the adversity that we find growth and ultimately, we find excellence. Leadership coach Les Brown says that there is greatness inside us all. I believe that is true, but I also believe that greatness is revealed through the pain and suffering of adversity.
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Tags:
Maintenance Minute
Mark Tyler
Categories:
Maintenance Minute
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Jun
27
2021
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Posted by Admin
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Recently, the FAA has tried to increase the number of helicopter-specific Inspectors within their ranks. This effort was driven in part to improve the oversight of helicopter operators. Many FAA inspectors are not rated in helicopters, so engaging with a helicopter-specific operator on issues requiring a keen knowledge and understanding of helicopter operations may be limited. To support these situations, the FAA developed the Flight Standards Inspector Resource Program (FSIRP).
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Tags:
Randy Rowles
Rotorcraft Checkride
Categories:
Rotorcraft Checkride
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May
24
2021
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Posted by Admin
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I received this direct message on Facebook from a Mr. Jerry Murray after he read my comments on my Facebook page about the video 56 seconds to live about going inadvertent IMC and having only 56 seconds before you die. Jerry wanted to add his personal story about going inadvertent instrument meteorological conditions as a cautionary tale for others. As he put it, “What I hope to convey to over-confident pilots is that I was prepared, current and proficient and had alternatives available. But it only takes a few seconds.”
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Tags:
Randy Mains
Rotorcraft Checkride
Categories:
Rotorcraft Checkride
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May
24
2021
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Posted by Admin
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The premise of aviation safety is an expectation that all pilots, maintainers, or other persons associated with the operation of an aircraft are trained and checked to a standard. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) provides their expectation of a minimum standard for certification of pilots with the Airman Certification Standards (ACS) or Practical Test Standards (PTS). These references are the FAA’s minimum acceptable standard by which an individual is measured for airman related tasking and often have worldwide acceptance. Quite impressive really.
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Tags:
Randy Rowles
Rotorcraft Checkride
Categories:
Rotorcraft Checkride