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Feb
27
2023
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Posted by Admin
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The 407 intake cowl assembly is notorious for corroding in salt-laden environments, especially on the intake shelf and intake screen supports. One proactive measure is to remove the shelf and screen support associated steel nut plates, strip the factory paint, and apply a new coat of epoxy primer and a quality polyurethane paint. Then reinstall the nut plates with dissimilar metal tape between the nut plates and aluminum metal. The result won’t be 100% corrosion proof, but will make it much easier to manage.
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Maintenance Minute
Scott Skola
Categories:
Maintenance Minute
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Feb
27
2023
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Posted by Admin
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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.
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My Two Cents Worth
Randy Rowles
Categories:
My Two Cents Worth
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Feb
27
2023
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Posted by Admin
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Sir Isaac Newton wrote in a 1675 letter to fellow scientist Robert Hooke, “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.”
Newton was intelligent in more than one way. Sure, his scientific inquisitiveness and academic prowess were qualities that most of us dream of possessing, but Newton was more than an intellectual giant; he was resourceful and knew how to capitalize on resources. In addition to his brain power, Newton used an often overlooked power that helped him become a household name in the areas of mathematics and physics. That power was the superpower of mentorship. Newton wasn’t afraid to seek advice and further study from others, and with every shoulder of every giant he figuratively stood upon, he could see “further.” Most would agree that having mentoring “giants” worked for Newton.
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Matt Johnson
Rotocraft Checkride
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Rotorcraft Checkride
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Nov
28
2022
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Posted by Admin
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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.
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Tags:
My Two Cents Worth
Randy Mains
Categories:
My Two Cents Worth
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Nov
28
2022
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Posted by Admin
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When Lyn Burks approached me with the opportunity to develop a column in Rotorcraft Pro magazine titled Rotorcraft Checkride, I really wasn’t sure if I was the right person for the job. My initial thought was to pass on the opportunity and allow a much better writer to handle the task. Lyn assured me that he had confidence in my ability to engage their readership in a meaningful manner and so I accepted his offer. Here we are 8 years later and I’m sad to say it’s time to pass the torch.
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Randy Mains
Rotorcraft Checkride
Categories:
Rotorcraft Checkride
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Oct
24
2022
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Posted by Admin
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Have you ever heard your mother or grandmother quote John Wesley saying, “cleanliness is next to godliness”? Turns out that quote is effective in aircraft maintenance as well. I like to think that cleanliness is the twin brother to order, and all aircraft maintenance requires cleanliness and order to attain the highest level of professionalism.
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Tags:
Maintenance Minute
Mark Tyler
Categories:
Maintenance Minute
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Oct
24
2022
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Posted by Admin
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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.
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Tags:
My Two Cents Worth
Randy Mains
Categories:
My Two Cents Worth
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Oct
24
2022
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Posted by Admin
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As the pilot shortage becomes more of an issue within all segments of aviation, an increasing number of pilots that have not flown in several years are returning to the flight deck. One such group that is reentering the pilot fold are former military aviators. In some cases, these pilots left the military and did not obtain Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) pilot certificates prior to discharging from their military service.
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Randy Rowles
Rotorcraft Checkride
Categories:
Rotorcraft Checkride
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Sep
26
2022
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Posted by Admin
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As a young helicopter mechanic at Carraway Hospital, one of the first jobs assigned to me by my mentor was washing the helicopters every day. One reason was to display a positive and professional image for the hospital. The other reason as he explained was to provide another avenue to put eyes on and inspect the aircraft. I quickly learned this was sound advice.
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Tags:
Maintenance Minute
Mark Tyler
Categories:
Maintenance Minute
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Sep
26
2022
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Posted by Admin
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I very nearly lost my life in a training accident while serving as a combat helicopter pilot in Vietnam but my training to expect the unexpected saved my life and the instructor flying with me. I’d been ‘in country’ for three months when my instructor nearly killed us. I was taking my check ride to become an aircraft commander in the Bell 205 Huey. Imagine the irony of losing your life while training to save your life in an emergency only to die training for it. It seemed nuts. It also sounds like a line out of the book Catch-22.
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Tags:
My 2 Cents Worth
Randy Mains
Categories:
My Two Cents Worth