Who does the heli rides at Hollowell Steam rally?

[plinkton]

Can anyone tell me what company will be doing the helicopter rides at Hollowell Steam & Heavy Horse Show (5 & 6 July 2008) Northamptonshire, UK.

I'd be very grateful.

plinkton

[helicopter-redeye]

4:1 odds on Skycharter UK

[plinkton]

Many thanks helicopter-redeye.

In the same way I discretely check the tread on my other daughters boyfriends car tyres and make sure he gets her home on time, I wanted to know who will be flying her. All I get is "I'm going on a helicopter ride at Hollowell..." Obviously they think I am paranoid. For all I know it could have been some local rich kid showing off in his R22.

Cheers

plinkton

[McBad]

Any company doing helicopter rides in the UK at events like this will be a reputable operator; the CAA will only allow properly qualified commercial pilots to carry out this sort of operation.

There are also all sorts of rules about the size of the landing areas, approach paths, fire extinguishers, etc, etc, etc.

'Fraid I'm with your daughters on this one. :)

Hope she enjoys her flight.

M

[plinkton]

Any company doing helicopter rides in the UK at events like this will be a reputable operator; the CAA will only allow properly qualified commercial pilots to carry out this sort of operation.


That's a good point, as long as it's a 'proper' company I'll be happy, I just can't get any sensible info from 'her majesty'.

[Qualityman]

Not only are there regulations on the size of pad, RFF equipment and crew, now during the safety brief we have to check if any passengers are carrying any dangerous goods.

Damn, and I so wanted to take my fireworks and battery acid on five minute trip over the English Countryside.

Sensor arches and body cavity searches next year!!! :ok:

[plinkton]

The only dangerous goods my daughter will be carrying are a pair of hair straighteners in the hope that during her heli ride they will have the same effect as at home: Slowing down of time.

Seriously, thanks for the replies folks, I'm a lot more reassured now.:)

[flyboy23454]

Hi all

I'm sure it will be fine, Just like anything make sure you are happy with what you see on the day. My only concern with pleasure flying sometimes operators use low hour pilots which are keen to build hours as they are cheaper, lets face it there are in bussiness to make money!!, the less bills they have to pay the more they earn!

I am not trying to say this particular company may do this but just a thought in my mind! Why not pay for a trial lesson, you only get 5 mins in the sky with a pleasure Flight for around 30 quid,not much time time to fully appreciate the fantastic feeling of being up in a helicopter. With with a lesson you can have a go at flying it aswell, alot more fun than just being a passenger!!!:ok:

Whatever you do...... enjoy;)

[Ewe Turn]

Flyboy

Why are you overly concerned about newly qualified CPL's conducting pleasure flying? You infer that there may be an increased risk.

Individuals holding a CPL have passed the exams, a CAA flight test, done a type rating and a base and line check and have been signed off as competent.

BTW I note from your 'Unpaid invoices' thread that your are new to avaition yet on your user profile you state you are the holder of an ATPL ????

ET

[flyboy23454]

Hi ET,

I hold theory credits for the ATPL and I R, I apologize if I have miss led you as I do not hold a full ATPL yet and will amend my profile accordingly.

I am sorry put if you read the statistics you will see that a fresh CPL is a far higher risk than a pilot with say 2000 hours. Just because you have “Ticked the boxes” could not possibly make up for 10 years flying experience, Why do insurance companies charge more or refuse to insure low hour pilots? Reason… increased risk.

Everyone has to start somewhere I agree but all I am doing is pointing out the facts, no offence intended.

Flyboy

[longbox]

Sky Charter are indeed doing the Hollowell Show, it has been flown by the same people for over 12 years, the pilot on the day is the Chief Pilot who has over 15000 hours, so I think you will be in safe hands, incidentially, Sky Charter operate more pleasure flying sites than any other operator in the UK :ok:

[flyboy23454]

That wil be DH then, I concur he is a very experienced Pilot.....shame Skycharter wil lose him soon due to retirement, saying that after 15000 hours he is due a break!;)

[Billywizz]

Ewe turn wrote

Why are you overly concerned about newly qualified CPL's conducting pleasure flying? You infer that there may be an increased risk.

Individuals holding a CPL have passed the exams, a CAA flight test, done a type rating and a base and line check and have been signed off as competant

On saturday while I was following H9 at Gutteridge [class A airspace] some wally decided to lift and do his pleasure flight straight into the extended centre line of Northolt and crossing in front of me L-R without calling Thames radar for permission to lift!! Think of the consequences if anything had been taking off.

[Ewe Turn]

and you're privvy to this 'wallys' licence type, ratings and total hours flown I presume ????

[Twiddle]

H9...Gutteridge, maybe (s)he was with Heathrow director?

[MK10]

Interested to hear that Skycharter fly more pleasure flights than anyone else?
Its not my bag, i'm in the lifting end of the market.........however we have an aircraft based down that way most of the time and the word on the street is that skycharter are selling off all their assets(see recent helidata) and can hardly keep an aircraft in the air, due to the age of its "fleet".

Just my tuppence worth to re-address the balance

MK10

[longbox]

interested to hear your comments MK10, skycharter are selling 2 of its 10 helicopters in order to purchase a 3rd 355, maybe you should check your facts forst before spreading gossip, also the fleet concerned consist of 5 long rangers, 3 jet rangers and 2 ifr twin squirrels, i think the ages of most are in line with the uk fleet, also when did age determine sevicability? on aircarft such as the 206, 355 parts are freely available, :ugh:

[longbox]

just my tuppance to correct the balance

[misterbonkers]

rather well said longbox!

:ok:

having flown several of that fleet I cant fault their servicability, reliability or standards.

[plinkton]

Many thanks longbox and flyboy23454, thats some good news, I'm very grateful.:):)

[choppertop]

My only concern with pleasure flying sometimes operators use low hour pilots which are keen to build hours as they are cheaper

Obviously you came out of the womb with 2000hrs in your logbook ...

[Whirlygig]

Obviously you came out of the womb with 2000hrs in your logbook ...
Not if the fATPL is still frozen!!! :}:)

I thought that statistically, it was pilots in the 500-1,000 hour band who had the most accidents and that newly-qualified CPLs didn't feature as high in the data! It's all relative of course.

Cheers

Whirls

[Brilliant Stuff]

Wasn't it:

the first 100hrs

then 500-1000hrs
and then again 5000hrs.:confused:

[flyboy23454]

Hi all

Coppertop…

Obviously you came out of the womb with 2000hrs in your logbook...

… I wish, if I had I would not have to have worked as hard and spent so much money on my training!!!:ugh:

Wirlygig… May I say you always seem to write well-balanced, inoffensive and well thought out comments…. Well done and keep it up! :ok:

Regarding the statistics comment on accidents. How many pilots are out there flying commercially below 500hrs? Not many I guess….. North sea? But as co jock’s? Could explain it? Just an idea!!

Brilliant Stuff…. Isn’t it because over 5000 hrs some people become complacent etc….as they say most car accidents happen within 2 miles of your home due to feel to “comfortable” as you know the area so well??

Just ideas!!!

[choppertop]

I think you've missed my point... but, as kids say today, 'whatever'...

[Twiddle]

I think the issue is actually over confidence, it's just lucky for them that we're so good.....

[flyboy23454]

Hi

Choppertop…Sorry if I missed your point, I would be very grateful if you could explain it to me……….

Twiddle…. Yes I agree, complacency certainly stems from overconfidence, i.e. it’s raining and the “A” check gets done quickly and certain aspects are neglected due to not finding a problem before… I was recently told of a high hr PPL nearly getting into a mess by just that…

[Brilliant Stuff]

Indeed complacency can be the reason for such.

[Ewe Turn]

Flyboy23454

I don't know where you get your figures from, do you just pluck them out of thin air? I hope you are a bit more precise with your numbers when starting a Jet Banger or similar! ...... Oh 927 that's close enough to 950 isn't it......:{

FWIW: I started flying commercially with 161 hours in my log book. A quick chat with a few other CPL(H)'s and around the 200 hour figure seems to be the norm. Where do you get this figure of 500 hours from???? Do you really think newly qualified CPL's pay for 300 or so hours after getting their licence issued.

BTW: Are you working in the industry yet???? How many hours do you have? I hope you're not building hours by working for free :=

[flyboy23454]

Hi Ew Turn

You do seem very touchy for a professional ……… the reason I stated the 500 hr mark specifically is that was the figure quoted to me by a company I approached regarding the minimum hours they could accept to enable them to insure me to fly commercially at a rate that was prohibitively expensive to them.

Is it not true that most enter the industry via either the Instructor route or as a North Sea co jock? So as I say I guess there are not many people below around the 500hr mark that out and about flying pic commercially? I stand to be corrected however as this is a rumor network not a school playground if you get me EW!!

Sorry but as for your Jet banger comment, come on… Hardly a constructive professional remark is it…

I have around 1000 hrs; again I could split hairs and get the exact number if you really want…. And no have not worked for free just been employed until recently and now gone down the self-employed road with a large unpaid bill!!!!

Before you ask ET …… built hrs to get an instructor rating and paid for them!!!

Good night all

[Ewe Turn]

Hi

I'm a bit 'touchy feely' apparently but certainly not touchy. One must have a thick skin in this game surely??? (Oh and I save my constuctive ,professional remarks for work and annual appraisals:))

What does annoy me somewhat is figures being quoted with nothing concrete to substantiate them with, that is all and I'm sorry if you feel I was having a go at you as I wasn't.

What really annoys me is people working for free. (I remember when I had just got my CPL(H) there was someone offering an employer $10,000 to give them a job:ugh: )

Yes FI or CPL + IR seem to be the two most successful ways into this industry. Personally I'm not prepared to fork out $$$/£££ on an IR with no guarantees and will only do an FI course when I have all the money in the bank saved up !

Anyway : Fly safe

ET