Any offshore pilots ever made the switch to mountainrescue?

[CopterD]

Hi,
I am flying over the North Sea and was wondering, are there any offshore-pilots who ever switched to mountain rescue flying? I was looking at the vacancy that REGA has in Switzerland, but it will be nearly impossible for an offshore pilot to meet those demands (especially the mountain experience and slingload).
I was lucky enough to start flying for CHC right out of flight school, therefore I don't have any other experience except flying over the North Sea.
Any ideas?
CopterD

[detgnome]

A purely personal point of view...Whilst there is a certain art to mountain flying, it can be learnt; however, like any skill it takes time and experience to become competent. Like any job, the difficulty comes when there are others who are more experienced and better qualified for the job.

Now the job may sound/be more than interesting than N Sea, but surely the pay will be worse...? Anyway, if you stick around with CHC and you might be able to move to SAR, should they be successful in winning SAR(H), in a few years!

[Brilliant Stuff]

The Money can not be to bad after all it's Switzerland.

It would be a cool job. Though I keep reading everywhere they prefer to grow their own pilots.

[dammyneckhurts]

Sure it can be done.

Directly...not a chance. Just get a job for an operator that works in the mountains, learn how to fly in the mountains and learn how to use a long line. After 3-4 years you could be good to go.

A big part of flying in the mountains is performance. How many times in your career in the North Sea have you had to actually had to consider if your helicopter would have the power to complete the maneuver you are asking it to do?

Seriously....say you lift off a platform with 20 guys on board...how often is it where would be in the position to fly to another platform 2 miles away and not have anywhere near enough power to land? In the mountains performance of the helicopter changes huge amounts depending on where you are. Sometimes literally moving a few hundred meters can change a power requirement from 50% torque to well over 100% torque with the same load. When the power is not available it can get real ugly real fast. Now do this with 2 guys hanging under your helicopter, or more accurately know when NOT to do it. (Dramatic examples....it’s easy once you know what to expect!)

It’s all what we are comfortable with I suppose...put your average VFR mountain guy in a multi crew off shore environment and we would be totally lost!

[[email protected]]

Just be prepared for a very different way of doing things and regular 'bottle' checks:)

For one thing, your pure handling skills will be tested to the limit as you won't be flying hands off in the cruise very much and coping with the demands of mountain flying means 'using' the helicopter to its limits.

[170']

Hi CopterD

It is normally difficult to get hired on by Rega. It would normally take a definite effort and several years directed employment (aimed at their req's) to position yourself for something like Rega...And if there's a local similarly qualified, Well!

You need at least fluent German or French depending on location, (Maybe you already have them?)...and a basic strong working knowledge of at least one of the other 2 major languages...You can get by out of Ticino without Italian, and Rumantsch is not widely spoken out of their region...But Fr/Ge are needed.

Ok, all Swiss are not truly fluent in all the languages but it could be one of the potential doors that bars the way unless you speak them fluently.

A common misconception is that English is the international language of aviation. And that's basically true in FW aviation. But for us unfortunately it's not that simple!...

Speaking English with a street cop/ fireman/ etc on the radio in many European countries is like speaking fluent Swahili. Interesting but not practical...

In fact foreign language capability could in many cases be the deciding factor on future employability (Global Economy) after the current employment boom subsides...

Also....As in many other places. Advertisements often meet legal requirements and that's often the only function. I know several Fre/Ger/Swi/Ita pilots who have been waiting years for the job. Which is not well paid when you consider the cost of living...But a lifestyle choice.

I'm out of touch with Rega now, and not saying this is the case at the moment. But it used to be common for Adverts to appear to meet legal requirements.

If you really want to do it?.... SAR that is (not Rega)...Email me and I might be able to help if you have the hours needed. But if you are still building hours, you might want to stay where you are. As some SAR bases are relatively busy, but many are 100 to 300 hours a year average operational hours, and split between the various shifts. It's not going to help you hit the high numbers anytime soon...

I'm not saying not to apply to Rega. At the very least you could start a record of interest. And who knows. Something in your background might work (Maybe you're Swiss?) Maybe you know the name of every bump in the Alps ;-))...Just don't get too excited about the chance of success on the first go round...

Good luck whichever way you go!

170'

[Tail-take-off]

Try getting a posting to Stornoway with CHC. when Bristows had the Stornoway contract it was the most callenging of their SAR bases with Mountain Rescue work & long range ops into the Atlantic using an additional internal fuel tank & various remote refuel stations (fuel drums etc)

[CopterD]

Thanks for the replies. I'll be staying where I am for now, it's great for hours building. Hopefully SAR-work in the future and who knows...
Dammyneckhurts: I fly an EC155 as a shuttle aircraft offshore, performance has a big emphasis on our operation. Often we lift MTOW (offshore) and land on the next platform 1,5 nm away. Even offshore there are power difficulties :)