Location: Propping up the bar in the Land of Bishop Bonner
Age: 44
Posts: 4,871
JJ Jelly,
you are absolutely right but I think that, given the amount of nattering that went on during (yes, during) paco's CRM course, there is obviously a need for the social element. We're a very lonely and isolated breed and need to ocassionally seek solace in the company of others of our ....ilk!
I am pleased to report that every experienced pilot I have asked to participate in this has agreed.
Some have posted on here already.
Jellycopter is of course correct, the kind of people who want to go to these kind of events already have the kind of mentality which mean they are less likely to be involved in unsafe practice to start with.
I am working on some stuff discussed by myself and Helimutt earlier this evening.
However these meetings take place, I hope they can only serve to keep at least one of us alive who might not have been by the end of the year.
I totally agree with the experience part. loads of hours flying circuits or a to b in good weather is not going to help you say doing a precautionary or emergency landing in a gale in a confined area or coping with severe turbulence in the hills etc etc When it comes say to handling for instance, a few hours of crop spraying or sling load will benefit you more than thousands of hrs S & Level. These guys are out there, jellycopter being one of them, and i for one will be doing more brushing up on my autos, tail into wind slope landings, hyd failures etc etc at the end of the day they are ALL dirt cheap @ £4 -500 a day. ( you pay more for a dealer mechanic to service your car per hr !!) I think the annual check rides should be much more testing with some really testing moments thrown in for the F E to see the reaction because we can all fly ok when in our comfort zone , so who is ever going to fail their test ??
NigelH, watch what you're saying. Some people might just take you up on that offer then i'd be out of a job! Spoke to VeeAny tonight and seems we will go on with this and maybe push it further. Watch this space for details and more. Jumpseater, I think you have a valid point. ATC often give heli's instructions which some of us do wonder about. We don't like overhead joins when we can come in low level and adjust speed to suit etc
I don't see why those interested can't come along. The more the merrier. I'll bring what little experience I have.
Anyway, planning has commenced. A web address will be supplied soon, to those interested, but obviously without upsetting the PPRuNe hierarchy and management.
Don't be so dismissive of 'standard' FIs flying skills. Yes, I spend a lot of time in the circuit teching basic manouvres, but I can also teach so called 'advanced' manouvers mentioned above. It's all part of the JAA syllabus. You don't need to be a crusty old ex-army/north sea FI to teach this stuff. More respect please.
I live the Nort East also and would be interested. How about joining Yorkshire and NE together and meeting at Northern Aviation at Durham Tees Valley? I can arrange if need be.
Based near newcastle,prepared to travel,if it works then next time we meet maybe it could be nearer here as there seems to be a good few Geordies crawling out the woodwork.
Could twist Neils arm from Northumbria to hold a future event in the 'toon' ,I could also contact some ringers who are both commercial and private helo pilots to come along who are not pruners
I've spoken to some influential people today and they have all pledged support for these evenings.
Just a matter of sorting what gets done and where.
Helimutt and I will be in constant touch over the next week or so to try and sort this out.
I don't think we rush in and do it all straight away [like this week or next week], we need a couple of weeks maybe a month to get the message out to as many people as possible.
I think there will be enough people in Newcastle area to have one fairly soon but as VeeAny says, we're now working on some stuff to be included.
I'll go to the Newcastle one but need at least 1 months notice to adjust roster.
Spoke to VeeAny tonight and seems we will go on with this and maybe push it further. Watch this space for details and more. 
Jumpseater, I think you have a valid point. ATC often give heli's instructions which some of us do wonder about. We don't like overhead joins when we can come in low level and adjust speed to suit etc
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