What's it like to be a "Real" Helicopter Pilot

-GRAND CANYON TOUR: GET UP AT 430AM, DRIVE 90 MILES TO THE DITCH, HAVE 5TH CUP OF COFFEE, PREFLIGHT, PEE, GET IN START UP, LOAD UP THE MIDWESTERN BEEFEATERS, FLY FOR 30 MINUTES, FLY FOR 30 MINUTES, FLY FOR 30 MINUTES, FLY FOR AN HOUR, FLY FOR 30 MINUTES, FLY FOR AN HOUR, CAN I HAVE A BREAK? NO - OK, FLY FOR 30 MINUTES, FLY FOR 30 MINUTES, FLY FOR 30 MINUTES, FLY FOR 30 MINUTES, FLY FOR 30 MINUTES, FLY FOR 30 MINUTES, FLY FOR AN HOUR, GET OUT, TIE DOWN, PEE, DRIVE 90 MILES HOME, EAT, SLEEP, REPEAT.

-HAWAII TOUR: SEE ABOVE BUT GET TO WEAR FUNKY HAWAII SHIRT AND SHORTS.

-OFFSHORE OIL: SEE ABOVE BUT THE TOURISTS SMELL BAD AND THE RIVER IS A LOT BIGGER.

-TUNA BOAT: SEE ABOVE BUT YOU GET TO CHANT WHERE DA FISH, WHERE DA FISH.

-POWERLINE PATROL: SEE ABOVE BUT YOU GET TO SAY TOWER ONE, TOWER TWO, TOWER THREE, TOWER FOUR, TOWER FIVE.......TOWER 496, TOWER 497 ETC.

-PIPELINE PATROL: SEE ABOVE BUT YOU GET TO SAY, YUP ITS A PIPELINE, YUP ITS A PIPELINE, YUP ITS A PIPELINE, YUP ITS A PIPELINE, YUP ITS A PIPELINE, YUP ITS A PIPELINE,.......SH!T THERES A WIRE! OK, YUP ITS A PIPELINE, YUP ITS A PIPELINE, YUP ITS A PIPELINE, YUP ITS A PIPELINE, YUP ITS A PIPELINE.

-EMS: GET TO WORK, HAVE 7TH CUP OF COFFEE, PREFLIGHT, PEE, NEWS AT 6, EAT, SLEEP, EAT, SLEEP, EAT, SLEEP, EAT, SLEEP, BEEP BEEP BEEP, MOTORCYCLE VRS A BIG RIG, FLY 20 MINUTES, LOAD PATIENT, YUUUUUUUKO THAT LOOKS LIKE IT HURTS! FLY 20 MINUTES, OFFLOAD, DEBRIEF, EAT, SLEEP, EAT, SLEEP, EAT, SLEEP. GO HOME.

-LOGGING: GET UP AT 5, HAVE 3RD CUP OF COFFEE, PREFLIGHT, COMIN UP, LOG, LOG, LOG, LOG, LOG, LOG, LOG, LOG, LOG, LOG, LOG, LOG, LOG, LOG, LOG, LOG, LOG, WIPE UP CP'S PUKE, LOG, LOG, LOG, LOG, LOG, LOG, ECT SHUT DOWN, GO HOME. DRINK MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF BEER WITH HOOKERS.

-FIRE: GET UP AT 4AM, DRIVE AN HOUR, HAVE 9TH CUP OF COFFEE, MISSION PLAN, YOU WANT TO DO WHAT? PUT ON BUCKET, GO TO FIRE, OH BIG FIRE! UP DOWN TURN AROUND FETCH A PAIL OF WATER. REPEAT 160 TIMES. SHUT DOWN WAIT UNTIL 14 HOURS IS OVER. OUT OF DUTY TIME FIND TENT EAT AT BASE CAMP, VISIT LITTLE BLUE ROOM, SLEEP, UP AGAIN AT 5AM. REPEAT

-CFI: GET IN AT 9AM, HAVE 10 CUPS OF COFFEE THREE CIGS AND WAIT FOR NO SHOWS, NON ENGLISH SPEAKING STUDENT SHOWS UP, PREFLIGHT, FLIGHT, SCREAM I HAVE THE CONTROLS, REPEAT 20 TIMES, AFTER HOUR FLIGHT CLEAN SHORTS, REPEAT 5 TIMES, GO HOME KNOWING YOUR THE PILOT GOD THAT SAVED THE R22 FROM THE CLUTCHES OF THE STUDENT PILOT, GET ON PC AND TYPE RESUME, YUP GETTING THERE, 252.4 HOURS, LOOK FOR WAY TO GET TURBINE JOB WITH OUT FLIGHT TIME, GO TO SLEEP THINKING HOW GREAT IT WOULD BE TO BE WORKING AS A "REAL" PILOT! 

From an unknown author

Mast Rocking - Robinson R44 Helicopter

On May 12, 2009, a Robinson R-44 helicopter was damaged during a hard landing about 57 miles northwest of Iliamna, Alaska. The purpose of the flight was game management patrol for the Alaska State Troopers, Fish and Wildlife Service. After take-off from a ridge, about 300 feet above the ground, the helicopter was flying about 90 knots when the pilot felt an unusual medium-frequency vibration in the controls. The pilot told the NTSB that the vibrations turned to oscillations in both yaw and pitch to the point he felt the helicopter was going to come apart. He decided to make an immediate precautionary landing. During the descent the vibration increased and the helicopter landed hard causing the main rotor blades struck the tail boom.

The NTSB discovered that operators of the Robinson R44 helicopters were aware of similar events and that the condition had been dubbed “chugging.” According to Robinson Helicopter, tests determined that a mast rocking oscillation may develop during operation of the helicopter at high gross weight and about 90 to 100 knots. The oscillation was more of a “bucking” motion due to the fore-and-aft movement of the rotor mast. Tests also showed the tendency to enter the oscillation was exacerbated by a forward CG (within the CG envelope) and a 30 degree banked turn to the left. The oscillation is not divergent (that is, the main rotor blades do not diverge from their normal plane of rotation) and can be reduced by adding power. The oscillation is due to the firmness, or lack of firmness, of the transmission mounts. At the time there were no service alerts/bulletins referencing the phenomena or the remedies to resolve it.

On August 22, 2011 the NTSB issued the following safety recommendations to the FAA:

*Require Robinson Helicopter to resolve the root cause of the mast-rocking vibration in the main rotor assembly to ensure that all applicable R44 helicopters are free of excessive vibrations in all flight regimes, as required by 14 Code of Federal Regulations Section 27.251, “Vibration.” (A-11-82)

*Require Robinson Helicopter to maintain a database of all reported incidents of mast rocking in the main rotor assembly of R44 helicopters. (A-11-83)

*Require Robinson Helicopter to issue a service letter to all approved service centers describing the mast-rocking vibration that can occur in the main rotor assembly of R44 helicopters and instructing service centers to report all incidents of mast rocking to the manufacturer. (A-11-84)

*Require Robinson Helicopter to amend the R44 helicopter flight manual to inform pilots of the potential for mast-rocking vibration in the main rotor assembly and how to safely exit the condition. (A-11-85)

*Require that the Robinson Helicopter R44 pilot training program be revised to provide pilot instruction in the recognition and mitigation of in-flight mast-rocking vibrations in the main rotor assembly. (A-11-86)

Most helicopter pilots are aware of mast bumping in semi-rigid (two-bladed) rotor systems, but this issue is new and not as well-known and raising awareness is important to safe operations.

by Tim McAdams 

Secrets of Success

Even though the following tips may be true "secrets of success," they mean nothing unless you get busy, implement and execute them!

Secret #1: If you are going to do something well, then do something you LOVE. You must be passionate about whatever you consider to be your career or business. Passion is the fire that lights the spark of ingenuity and powers the flame of discipline.

Secret # 2: Closely related - you must become DARN GOOD at what you do...you must become a SME (Subject Matter Expert). It takes 10,000 hours to master something so that you can do it with unconscious competence. Start with training and learning your skills for at least an hour a day...

Secret #3: You must FOCUS your efforts. A challenge for me and many entrepreneurs is focus. But focus precedes success...think of your energy projecting out as a lighthouse beam rather than diffused as a floodlight.

Secret #4: You must WORK VERY HARD. Nothing good in life comes easy. There is no correspondence course to become a Helicopter Pilot or Navy SEAL; there are no shortcuts to being successful in any endeavor. By the way, did I mention that you should HAVE FUN doing this hard work! (see secret 1)

Secret #5: You must SERVE a higher cause than lining your pockets. Add some value to others lives, create something new that changes the world (even a little), leave the world a better place. Be CREATIVE and BOLD!

Secret #6: You must NEVER QUIT! It is okay to change course, 'fight to the rear" in tough economic times, "re-tool" the business or concept...but NEVER, EVER, QUIT! Too many have bailed at the cusp of success. Remember that all successful people were "instant successes" typically after 10 to 20 years of back-breaking work.

Secret #7: You must take MASSIVE ACTION, every day! One man's definition of massive action is different than another's...but the proof is in the pudding. You must work tirelessly, doing something you are passionate about, darn good at, which serves a higher cause, and you must never quit...even after you "make it!"

Simple...but not easy!

Train hard and have fun! Coach Mark Divine.


Merrill Field Airport; Group 3 Aviation Alaska, Training in the S-300CBi

Jeff and Gene Zalutsky

   

                                                                              

On the go - East; Chugach Mountains in the distance

Schweizer 300CBi (now Sikorsky S-300CBi) Schweizer vs Robinson

I tried this Sikorsky 300-CBi on for size with Group 3 Aviation Alaska another training helicopter used by quite a few helicopter schools.  Check out Group3 Alaska on FaceBook also.

Here's a good article by Midwest Helicopter that compares and contrasts the Robinson R22 Beta II with the Schweizer 300CBi.

In the December 2003 - January 2004 Issue of Vertical Magazine, there was an excellent article entitled "Schweizer vs Robinson, "A Battle of Equals" by Guy R. Maher discussing the pros and cons of each helicopter; download a copy of that article here in PDF format.  Give it a minute to download, it's well worth it.    

Schweizer Model 300CB / CBi Information Manual

PILOT INTERRUPTED "EVERYBODY LOVES WHALES" is now called "BIG MIRACLE."

                                      I'm at :42 left side in the trailer walking into the scene

Helicopter Pilot Wanted: I saw an add for a helicopter pilot in the Anchorage Daily News. I wasn't sure exactly what they were looking for in a pilot but I was going to find out.

It was a ‘casting call’ – I said to myself, ‘go for it, you have nothing to lose.’ There was an email address; I sent a mini bio with some self photos, a couple of months went by and I forgot about it. One day an email showed up asking me to come in for an audition! The very thought of auditioning scared the hell out of me! They sent me a script and I had a couple of days to get my lines down cold. Mary, my wife, helped me with the expression of my lines which was huge because I was losing confidence faster than I could gain it; the more we went over the lines the more confident I became.

Long story short...they didn't pick any of us helicopter pilots in Alaska and instead chose to audition the part in L.A. Funny thing was they didn't need a real pilot but an actor pretending to be a pilot. My guess is originally the production company wanted to be able to say the actor pilot was a real pilot. In any case, a week later I was notified they wanted to use me as an extra in the movies ‘press corps’. I was excited at the prospect of working on a movie but had NO idea what to expect!

2 ½ Months Later: I just spent the last two and a half months (mid Sept -Nov) working on, "Everybody Loves Whales" as an extra. All together I worked approximately 20, 12 to14 hour days in various locations around Anchorage. Most of my parts were done at the Ship Creek location built to look like the ice fields and the City of Barrow. It was such a surreal experience I'm afraid the words I come up with will do it no justice! My role portrayed me as the ‘sound man’ on a three person reporting team for the Press Corps; one man held the camera, I held the boom mike and a reporter (female) did the reporting.

I had a front row seat to some amazing actors/actresses and was able to watch them in action, up close as I did my part. What an HONOR that was! I'm surprised I didn't have to pay them for this amazing experience! The entire cast was very professional. They take their work seriously and at the same time they are able to have fun and be positive -- this is what one would call ‘loving what you do’. The word ‘surreal’ cannot express my experience; I was within arm's length during most of my scenes with the following actors...see photos below. It still doesn't seem real to me.

At this time I'm not at liberty to talk about the story line and have been sworn to secrecy by our Extra's Director Stacy Stuart, besides you have to see the movie. It'll be awesome!

Stacy grew up in Palmer Alaska and now lives in the L.A. area. Everyone from the Director (Ken Kwapis) to the producers and assistant directors made this experience such an honor to be a part of and gratifying. It wasn’t all fun and stardom, there was real work to be done and scenes to be acted out over and over and over and it was cold -- it’s a typical Alaskan winter. I wore my Sorel boots rated for -40 degree temps for 12 to 14 hours a day at times, standing on ice, sometimes in the wind and while it snowed – typical Alaska elements and half the time my feet were still cold. It wasn’t easy; I can’t imagine it was for the cast who aren’t from here!

The movie is based on the book , "Freeing the Whales - How the Media Created the World's Greatest Non-Event" by Tom Rose. We were here when this happened (Oct 1988) and we were here when the Exxon Valdez ran aground (Mar 1989).

Here are some photos (click here) from the Anchorage Daily News as the movie was being filmed around town. The news articles from 1988 when the whales were trapped near Barrow by the Anchorage Daily News, ADN. We’ve been here for 22 years less the military taking us away and bringing us back a couple of times – however, during this time Alaska has been and will always be our home.

During the filming of this movie I didn't once fly a helicopter...

I used photos for the most part that reminded me of the actors I worked with. It's funny cause the photo of Drew is the exact look she gave me one day in the beginning of the shoot. I can understand, she didn't know me from Adam. I do regret not being able to have a small conversation with her. Anyway the whole experience was very cool.

Drew Barrymore

Kristen Bell

John Krasinski

Tim Blake Nelson

Ted Danson

Vinessa Shaw

Dermot Mulroney

Rob Riggle

James LeGros

Here's some of my own photos I took of Dermot and Vinessa and other misc photos of extras waiting to go to work on the set. If you want to be an extra on a movie set be prepared for tons and tons of waiting around in "holding". There are no photos with me and the stars. I'm still kicking myself over that missed opportunity.

Vinessa Shaw and Wanda; who was a part of the National Guard in the movie

Dermot and Duane "Dewey" Halverson, nine-time veteran Iditarod Alaska Sled Dog Race Musher.

Dewey and me became fast friends. Dewey was the camera man on our three man news team. We worked well together and would many times improvise and add to our parts in the movie, add lib if you will. We'd be willing to do a western next :-)

Eddie one of the native extras in the movie and Dermot

"Holding" for the extras. You learned to be patient, there were times we waited up to eight hours before being called upon to do our thing in the movie.

Elmer Bekoalok one of the native actors in the movie taking a much needed break, and Theo Soloview from Russia and now a friend of mine. Check out the card game he invented; Six Generations. My friend Terry Burge, an important extra in the movie.

Holding for extras, standing by, waiting to be called into action!

I have so many stories I could tell but I think it best I wait until the movie comes out. The whole experience was awesome!!

Normal Approach to Birchwood Alaska in the R22 Helicopter 23 May 2010

I added another video to "My Video Series" on YouTube

It was a nice day to get out and have some fun flying a helicopter. Notice the Cub landing ahead of me on final to 19R? I'm following landing 19L. Notice the other R22 helicopter in the field? That's Dusty teaching a student how to hover an R22 helicopter. My wife Mary was my passenger who shot this video while I made the approach and transitioned back to the NE ramp to land and shut her down.

Crow Pass Hike "Girdwood to Eagle River" Alaska - It took us 14.5 hours

When you can't fly a helicopter for various reasons here in ALASKA the next best alternative is hiking this beautiful land with your family

"Click on photos for a closer look"

Me, Crow Pass (3500 ft) (Mile 4) on our way down to the Eagle River valley in the back ground. Lessons learned: My back pack was too heavy for a 26 mile day hike. My right knee became irritated at 19 miles, too much weight due to the size of the water bladder. Next time I'll carry less water and resupply more often with the water filter. The SPOT is spotty when in the trees. It needs a clear view of the sky to transmit your current position. Next time I'll hold it straight up to the sky when I'm in a clearing to make sure the OK message gets out to my wife. She became a little concerned when she didn't get a message for a couple of hours while I was in the trees on the Eagle River side of the trail.

Laura (our daughter) at Raven Gorge (mile 7) it was a beautiful day for a hike. By that I mean a little sun but mostly clouds and no rain with a dry trail. Too much sun will sap the energy right out of you.

Laura (mile 10.5) what a trooper, her left knee gave out on her with about 9 miles to go, she persevered! Eagle Glacier and Lake behind her.

Me and my trusty .357 magnum, is that a bear over there? (mile 10.5). Eagle Glacier and Lake behind me pretty close to where we have to ford the river.

Raven Gorge (mile 7) Can you see the rock that looks like a bear?

Me and John (our son) (mile 5) John did a good job on this hike with plenty of energy to spare.

Laura and John on the way down after summiting Crow Pass (mile 5)

John enjoying the sun (mile 11ish). Is that a bear behind you?

Crow Pass (mile 4) - Elevation 3500 ft, Raven Glacier behind me. Do I look wet? It's because I just climbed 2000 ft from the trail head to this point. Probably the hardest part of the hike, the next hardest is crossing the Eagle River (ford site) at 13 miles. And overall just having the strength and endurance to hike all 26 miles. I really love this hike when everything goes well. It's a challenge to mind and body!

Laura

Raven Glacier (mile 4) This is what you see at the top of Crow Pass

Moose antler we found at Turbid Creek (more like a river) (mile 9.5) Notice where the porcupines gnawed on the horn? They eat the horns for the nutrients.

Raven Gorge (mile 7) This is an amazing site, the photo does it no justice. It's a very sharp, sudden, deep, rocky cavernous drop off. I'm guessing 75 to 100 feet. A hike to this gorge alone, and back to the Girdwood trail head would make an excellent day trip.

Raven Gorge (mile 7)

Raven Gorge with John standing and waiting; he's ready to move on and make some progress.

A Squirrel! This was the only wildlife we saw, oh and a couple of rock squirrels at the top of Crow Pass. This was near Yakedeyak Creek (mile 20) some of these so called creeks are actually little rivers. We don't have too many photos on the Eagle River side, mainly because my knee and Laura's knee were hurting, and we just wanted to make it to the Eagle River Nature Center (mile 26). Next time I'm traveling a lot lighter and the goal will be 10 to 12 hours. I guess I'm a glutton for punishment :). Overall this is a great hike, I love the challenge!

Robinson R22 Helicopter - Aerobatics "Cool Cuts Showcopters"

This video shows the capability of the Robinson R22 helicopter. Technically it's not aerobatics per say like a fixed wing airplane; it's what the helicopter is capable of in normal flight. Autorotations, flying backwards (the rotor disc doesn't care which way it's flying), turning, climbing descending. It's pretty cool how they do all these maneuvers in formation. I'd love to see this demonstration in person. You can tell these guys have 1000's of hours of experience. The lead pilot is a Vietnam veteran helicopter pilot, Jim Cheatham. Excellent demonstration, check it out, amazing!

Side Note: I was sad to find out that Showcopters were a Salinas, California based team headed by Jim Cheatham who died in March 2009. Once an instructor at Verticare Helicopters and Airplanes in Salinas, Cheatham eventually took over the fixed-wing and rotary flight training, sales and service business. He started Showcopters in 1996, and soon the three-ship team -- flying Robinson helos -- attracted a following at air shows throughout the country. Helicopter Association International did a nice little write up on Jim Cheatham and so did Vertical Reference here. I would have loved to seen their demonstration in person.

Jim Cheatham;  January 5, 1942 ’ March 11, 2009

Obituary:

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Local business owner Jim Cheatham died suddenly in his home early Wednesday morning. Cheatham experienced a minor heart attack and corrective angioplasty one week prior.

Cheatham was recently in the news regarding how his business was devastatingly affected by the economic crisis. A significant factor of his business collapse was the abruptly canceled helicopter contract with the Monterey County Sheriff’s Department. Cheatham was left with massive overhead for the nearly one Million dollar specialized aircraft. Just another victim of major budget cuts.

Born in Laveen, AZ on January 5, 1942, Cheatham later served as an aircraft mechanic and helicopter pilot in the United States Army, completing tours in both Viet Nam and South Korea.

Jim Cheatham moved to the Salinas area in 1967, working for Clevenger’s Air Service. He purchased the company in late 1970 and changed the name to Verticare Helicopters in 1971. During his 42 years flying out of the Salinas Airport, Cheatham utilized his piloting skills performing in airshows, cropdusting, aerial photography and filming, charter services, and flight training.

Cheatham is survived by his significant other, Cheryl Harris (Big Sur, CA); sister Janice Shoemaker (Boerne, TX); children Jodi Serrano (Sacramento, CA), Captain Amanda Evans (Osan AFB, South Korea), Stacey Wilson (Soledad, CA), Kylie Pachuilo (Salinas, CA), Amy Hayes (Yukota NAS, Japan), and Burton Cheatham (Salinas, CA); and seven grandchildren. He will be greatly missed, as he was adored by his family.

A Celebration of Jim’s life will be held in the Verticare Hangar (240 Mortensen Ave) at the Salinas Airport on Monday, March 16th at 11:00am.

-WATCH FOR THE WIRES-

..."and if you do hit them, keep flying the helicopter"...

-Jim Cheatham

RIP

Helicopter Operations - Deer Recovery / Live Capture - New Zealand

Interesting video of Kiwi's using the MD500 for deer capture in New Zealand
The pilot in this video is Morgan Saxton who died in 2008 when his R22
went  down in Lake Wanaka. RIP M Saxton.

How the Proper Attitude Helps Your Training and Career

This was such a good post from Mauna Loa Helicopters I thought I would post it here!

From: Mauna Loa Helicopters in Hawaii  March 27, 2010

Winston Churchill once remarked that, “Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.” Does it ever! Having a positive attitude can lead to your ultimate success in helicopter flight training much more than intelligence, than circumstance, than skill, education, money or background. A positive attitude towards your flight training can spark positive outcomes and extraordinary results. And that same positive attitude can and will give you an edge through your entire flying career.

It’s practically unheard of in our flight school to encounter an individual who simply does not possess the ability to fly a helicopter. Granted, it has occurred that the occasional student will give up and drop out, but that decision to quit has much more to do with the student’s attitude than it does with his or her skill.

The reverse also is true: a student faced with seemingly insurmountable hurdles can overcome those barriers and achieve success with a positive attitude.

In the time that I have been with Mauna Loa Helicopters, I’ve come to know dozens and dozens of would-be professional pilots. From the 17-year old fresh out of high school right up to and including a gentleman in his late sixties, all express a desire to master helicopter flight. And over the years it has become increasingly clear to me that those individuals who possess the right attitude have an overwhelming advantage over those who are taking up space and wasting time. That’s because the quality and effectiveness of training absorbed by a student is directly proportional to how involved that student becomes in the process.

When a student shows up late for a session, unprepared, distracted and perhaps tired from a late night out, the behavior demonstrates a casual attitude towards the mission at hand. Even if that student manages to ultimately graduate and land a flying job somewhere, the lackadaisical attitude will haunt his or her every working moment.

Compare that behavior with one that I see in a current student in Honolulu. Brad (not his real name) is a reasonably bright guy who exhibits a genuine curiosity towards his training. He frequently comes to the school, even if he’s not scheduled with an instructor, simply so he that can concentrate on his studies. I found out yesterday that he’s been taping his flight lessons so that he can listen to each lesson later to try to find ways to improve what he’s doing. With a winning attitude like that, Brad can expect great things in his future. Even though he just soloed, he’s already a professional at heart.

Adopting a proper attitude and focusing on your training in a positive manner can and will work wonders. Remember: excellence is not a skill, it’s an attitude.

P.J. O’Reilley
Honolulu Manager