WOW! The reason I haven’t responded is that I knew before hand that I would be lashed for hyperboling my wonderful experience. Let me get the naysayers out of the way first. Some of your conspiracy theories about me trolling the internet just to “piss off pilots” is the dumbest thing I ever heard, why would I waste my time doing that? Also, suggesting that I’m posting on other helicopter forums is a bit much. Are you aware that there were other passengers on the flight? They could have easily been venting, there were tons of helicopters going in that day, it could have been a pax on one of those birds telling his experience, you guys don’t have the best reputation you know?
Some of you must work for the US government! Because you are trying to tell me what my eyes see and ears hear are not real. I have been flying in the GOM since 95’, I work on 4700VAC Solar turbine generators and program PLC’s for a living. So yeah, I can read a gauge! That was not my first time flying offshore. I have thousands of hours as a passenger and have flown with hundreds of pilots, heck I’ve likely flown with you before! I have seen you kill yourselves and I have seen you kill my friends, my run in the GOM has been long with little incident, I just want to make it to the beach in one piece, not a body bag. If we have to land on some nasty toadstool for the night, then so be it! I will buy you a case of beer when we get in.
As the economy deteriorates people start fearing for their jobs, I assume pilots are no exception. It amazes me the inability that pilots have to SAY NO in fear of retaliation. The bottom line is economics, and that is all that matters, my life is worth about 1million USD post crash, it’s cheaper to risk it and fly like a wild man I guess. I’m highly suspect of this latest Coast Guard crash, especially ending nose first like a dart on the bay floor ejecting flight crew out of seatbelts. Sounds like someone got disoriented on a foggy night.
Anyway, I’m not “sorry” for addressing you more properly or with “respect” in my original post, because when you knowingly put my life in jeopardy like that, I lose all respect for you. You are not “special” because you fly helicopters for a living, some of you gamble with lives on purpose when conditions are well below company minimums.
THANK YOU European pilots and GOM pilots who were able to understand my frustration and post about my flight that day.