Please can I have a say!
I read the article in the ST with great interest, it was a bit glossy and skipped some of the possible importants bits, like cots and time to train for the PPL(H) and then the need to have many hours of NavEx and handling in order to be able to be confidente and GOOD enough to take a pax.
Normally most people who take the route of PPL(H) are the better off , or at least have the ability to get hold of funds which arent really required to be spent on new shoes and dress's, however that is where the difference is between PPL(H) and some of you more SUPER types who always seem to look on and make disdainful comments about the lower ranks of the Helicopter Pilots, One thing that we all have is the ability and training to be called a HELICOPTER PILOT, some of us do it purely for fun, some of us are lucky enough to use it daily or weekly in connection with our business's, some of US are paid to fly a helicopter much like a Bus Driver who travell's up and down the A6 or Edgeware Road.
What binds us all together whether you like it of not is the word PILOT,
Some of you were trained totally free courtesy of US, the TAX payer's, you have benefitted through the free training to now have a reasonablty secure job, paid quiet possibly for not even flying some time's.
We lowley pilots who occupy the lower perches in the Helicopter Tree have the same basic knowledge of what you SUPER men do, like it or not that is why the CAA set a basic test for new pilots to take part in.
What seperates us all, is EXPERIENCE, you super dooper CPLs have loads of hours that equates to experience, we lower hour jockeys have our enthusiasm and the will to carry on learning from every flight and indeed from every conversation on forums such as this one.
To any one of you multi thousand hour pilots I doff my cap to you, but I bet your weekly wage I can beat any of you driving a landrover over unmade terrain, I have 35 years of this experience , so if you really want to be Super Hero types and have the respect that you rightfully deserve learn about Humility, it is one attribute that cannot be taught in any class room>
I hope Pat Malone write many more pieces about Helicopters, It will not sway me one jot that he may be doing it for Harrys Helicopter INC Plc, what it means is us the pilots lower down the ladder will see that Helicopters may be more acceptable in our back fields!!
Certain people made comment about the AAC drop out rate, if TC was one of their instructors, the Student could fail by not bowing before entering said cab, TC I feel your comment about "CHOPPING" stands as a good indicator of your level of understanding, added to that the AAC have only certain hours allowable to train and normal grunt to fly something that initially is very demanding, so sitting with God bellowing in the ear cups is bound to have a deliterious effect on the Student pilots nerve!
Call me old fashioned, but patience is a Virtue always found in women, Never found in men, so perhaps the AAC should have female instructers!
Peter R-B
Vfr
Pat, I look forward to your next Sunday Times Flight Story