I am a scriptwriter in need of some helicopter info

[Plot Device]

Hello!

I am an amateur scriptwriter (which means I haven't actually sold a script yet, so I still have a day job) and I am working on a script right now in which a helicopter plays a small role in the plot. And I'd really like to make sure I get my facts straight on a few items. So any help would be appreciated. http://rotorwashinternational.com/forum/Smileys/default/smiley.gif

Anyway, here's my problem and my questions ...
... It is ESSENTIAL that my main protagonist fall off a cliff top. There's no other way for me to utilize a very specific and also very important fantasy element of the story unless it's a cliff top plunge. And, therefore, it's essential that my chopper pad be situated on top of a mountain (or a mesa) rather than on the desert floor below.

But ... would a chopper pad REALISTICALLY be located on a mesa and NOT on the desert floor? Is that just plain STUPID of me to place the chopper pad up top like that??

Is a mesa-top pad valid?


What can you guys tell me?


Thanks so much! http://rotorwashinternational.com/forum/Smileys/default/cool.gif

[Bravo73]

But ... would a chopper pad REALISTICALLY be located on a mesa and NOT on the desert floor?



Sure, why not? As long as there's a reason for somebody building a helipad on top of the mesa. Off the top of my head, maybe there's an automated weather monitoring station on top of the mesa which needs to be serviced occasionally. No road access hence the helipad.

Does that work?


Oh, we don't have many mesas here in the UK. ;) But Google told me that it was one of these:

http://www.cpluhna.nau.edu/images/black_mesa.jpg

[Flying Lawyer]

There's no reason why there can't be a helipad on top of a mesa - you just have to think of a reason for it to be there.
How high does the mesa have to be?

A couple of ideas to start -

The LA Fire Department has (I assume it's still there) a helipad on top of a steep canyon in the Hollywood hills with a helicopter crew positioned there overlooking LA in the afternoons.
(Great for practising pinnacle landings in the mornings. ;) )
At least one of the LA radio stations has a helipad next to its antenna high up in the hills.Helicopters are frequently used for inspections in remote areas. If you look at the photographs in the 'Rotorheads Around the World' collection you'll see some shots of helicopters on pads high in the mountains.
Link here http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=76347

Some superb shots of helicopters on mountain pads in Canada were posted yesterday.
There are lots, but post #2762 is a good place to start.
You'll find plenty of scope there for your imagination and someone falling to their death. :eek:

[B Sousa]

Helicopters are so versital you can put the pad wherever you want. Some consideration is usually given for noise abatement and safety. By Safety Im talking about the ability of the helicopter to utilize the pad within its flight envelope, either loaded, hot days wires etc. Other than that pads are placed where they are for econmic reasons and for the convenience of the operator.

[helopat]

If you have the evil genius' lair on the mesa top, then of COURSE the guy would have a helipad there. Even better, if its an underground lair inSIDE the mesa and the helopad retracts into the mountain (ala Thunderbirds).

Sorry, thats just me being silly.

HP

[Lord Mount]

I am working on a script right now in which a helicopter plays a small role in the plot.


Why not have the helicopter play a large and integral role?

[Whirlybird]

Plot Device,

I think it's really great that you came on here and asked! I've read so many books, films etc where the writer doesn't have a clue what helicopters can or can't do...and seems to think that no-one else will either. Well done for taking the time to do your research. :ok:

[Plot Device]

Hey, guys, thanks for these great responses. :cool:

Meanwhile, my opening post for this thread was actually about five times longer than what the mods finally approved and posted (I guess I was too long-winded! :} ) . The stuff they edited out was extensive plot details that would have clarified a lot of things for you all. One plot point in particular was that my main protagonist has to drive a car up the side of the mountain to meet the helicoptor. So ... the hypothetical background story suggested by Bravo 73: "No road access hence the helipad," doesn't work for the purposes of the plot. But your suggestions are certainly welcome. I'm helicoptor illiterate, and I need all the help I can get here. (In fact, I've never even been in a helicoptor! :( )


And, Bravo: great shot of a mesa! Thanks! :ok:

[Plot Device]

There's no reason why there can't be a helipad on top of a mesa - you just have to think of a reason for it to be there.

I want to make sure this plot point of the helipad being atop a mountain is NOT overly contrived or in any way artificial.

I really wish I had saved a copy of what I had originally posted (hint to any kind-hearted mod who might be able to access the archive and then send me a PM with the full and original text intact ;)) so I could drive home some of the other details. This movie is a fantasy, but NOT a far-fetched one in the same vein as "Lemony Snickets" (although I do have Jim Carrey in mind for the main protagonist). This film is to be more in line with the fantasy story "Miracle on 34th Street" where there's a dark pallor of harsh reality underscoring the fantasy aspect. Another good comparison --in fact a BETTER comparison--would be "Bruce Almighty" (once again, Jim Carrey) since this story is a romantic comedy with a vitally important fantasy element. In spite of the fact that it was a fantasy, there were many elements of realism in that film concerning life in up-state New York, and what it is to be a local television journalist. And I, likewise, want to capture the realism of my setting (a small fictitious desert town in the American Southwest) and my main protag's career (he's a promotional specialist).

Another specific detail that has been lost to the mods (PLEASE, mods, is it pssible to PM me a copy of what I originally posted?? I'm new here so I had no clue that you'd edit me down like that, and that text was actually kinda valuable--I know it's a huge favor, but please??) was that my small Southwestern desert town is located in the vicinity of a recently-decomissioned military base. One of the lines I recall writing in that initial post was "Think Roswell, New Mexico, and you'll get the gist of what this town might look like." Here in the US, little towns like that always sprung up in the vicinity of military bases. Therefore, there would be (at least I think?) quite possibly many helipads in the vicinity of the base and the town, all (or most) to serve the military's purposes. But I don't want to GUESS at these things. I want to be CERTAIN. The sad alternative would be that --God willing--I sell the script and it gets made into a movie (starring Jim carrey:ok: ) and then thousands of helicoptor pilots from all over the world see it, and they laugh at the absurd notion of a helipad atop a cliff. From what I'm reading here from you fine ladies and gentlemen (maybe just gentlemen--maybe there are no ladies in this thread other than myself), it's not such an absurd notion for there to be a cliff-top helipad. But I'm trying to nail down how likely or unlikely that it might be, and then I can put "apologetic explanations" into the script later on as needed.

Perfect case of such an "apologetic explanation": the recent film "Click" starring Adam Sandler and Kate Beckinsale. He gained over 300 pounds during one stage of his life, but as he gained the weight, he was also--unknown to anyone else--growing a huge brain tumor. While he was in this state of obesity, he went to his ex-wife's house and got into a fight with her new husband (played by Sean Astin, another actor I would dearly like to see in my film) The fight resulted in Adam Sandler falling backward (all 450 pounds of him), smashing his head against a brick wall, getting a skull x-ray, and only then the tumor was discovered. Kate Beckinsale later commented to Adam Sandler--BECAUSE A MEDICAL ADVISOR TO THE FILM SCHOOLED THEM ON THE REALITY OF GETTING A TUMOR--"You're the only person in the world who ever GAINED weight while festering a tumor in his body." THAT is an "apologetic explanation" of an unlikely scenario (most people drastically LOSE weight when cancer is ravaging their bodies). It was vitaly important to the timeline of that film's plot that Adam Sandler's character gain weight, and THEN have the cancer. They could NOT shuffle that time line without doing a major overhaul of the entire plot. So, after they consulted with a medical expert on the tumor thing, they tossed in that comment to save their butts.


How high does the mesa have to be?

A couple of ideas to start -

The LA Fire Department has (I assume it's still there) a helipad on top of a steep canyon in the Hollywood hills with a helicopter crew positioned there overlooking LA in the afternoons.
(Great for practising pinnacle landings in the mornings. ;) )
At least one of the LA radio stations has a helipad next to its antenna high up in the hills.

It needs to be high enough so that when he falls off the top of the mountain, there is absoutely NO WAY he could survive when hitting the bottom. (Again, this detail has been edited out of the original post.)

Helicopters are frequently used for inspections in remote areas.

I'm tentatively looking to set up the excuse for the existence of this helipad as one formerly used by the now-defunct military base. And, since I am helicopter illiterate, I don't even know what kinds of differences might exist between a civilian chopper pad and a military one.

If you look at the photographs in the 'Rotorheads Around the World' collection you'll see some shots of helicopters on pads high in the mountains.
Link here http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=76347

Some superb shots of helicopters on mountain pads in Canada were posted yesterday.
There are lots, but post #2762 is a good place to start.
You'll find plenty of scope there for your imagination and someone falling to their death. :eek:


This is GREAT stuff, Lawyer! Thanks! :D

Meanwhile: any guys here with a military background who can help me with a few military questions?

[Gargleblaster]

So ... the hypothetical background story suggested by Bravo 73: "No road access hence the helipad," doesn't work for the purposes of the plot.

Have you considered editing the helipad entirely out of your plot ? A helicopter can easily land without a pad to settle on !

[Plot Device]

Helicopters are so versital you can put the pad wherever you want. Some consideration is usually given for noise abatement and safety. By Safety Im talking about the ability of the helicopter to utilize the pad within its flight envelope, either loaded, hot days wires etc. Other than that pads are placed where they are for econmic reasons and for the convenience of the operator.

I guess I'm being leery of two things here, both are issues of plot credibiity :

1) Wouldn't it make more sense for there to be a chopper pad located right inside of my small town rather than out on some mountain all the way outside of town? Do I need to dream up an excuse for there to be no working chopper pad within the town limits? What can anyone here tell me about when choppers are FORBIDDEN to go into a town? You mentioned power cables and noise. How about health cnsiderations of kicking up dust (it takes palce in a desert town)?

2) Is wind a consideration for placing a chopper pad up on some damned mountain, when the desert floor would maybe be safer and less windy?

And on that second point, I don't know a thing about wind considerations for a chopper. I have a couch-potato education on helicopters--which means everything I know about them I saw on TV. And even I know that probably more than half of what I learned from THAT arena of schooling was most likely total crap. (Thus am I here.)

[Plot Device]

If you have the evil genius' lair on the mesa top, then of COURSE the guy would have a helipad there. Even better, if its an underground lair inSIDE the mesa and the helopad retracts into the mountain (ala Thunderbirds).

Sorry, thats just me being silly.

HP

No--you're not silly! :) (I loved the original Thunderbirds, BTW. I still have the theme music tucked away in my head to this day.)

My original thread-starting post contained an extensive plot summary. This script of mine is a romantic comedy with strong fantasy element (like "Bruce Almighty"). The chopper pad is tentatively going to be a former military helipad from a former military base that USED TO BE in the area but has since shut down. And the chopper itself is a news helicopter that is flying in to this small town in order to cover the town's Centennial celebration.

No evil genius with secret lairs atop remote an impenetrable mountains. (That's ANOTHER script I have in my files.;) )

[Plot Device]

Why not have the helicopter play a large and integral role?

Ha ha! :}

Very funny!

The helicoptor is a news chopper flying in to cover a news story at film's end. The summary of the story is (I'm so sick of explaining this :) ) in the original post that was edited down by the mods.

Anyone here wanna know what the story is about?

[Plot Device]

Plot Device,

I think it's really great that you came on here and asked! I've read so many books, films etc where the writer doesn't have a clue what helicopters can or can't do...and seems to think that no-one else will either. Well done for taking the time to do your research. :ok:

Thanks, Whirlybird.

I have a few passions in life that I am an "expert" on (but not helicoptors, obviously). And it makes me cringe when I see a film that botches some of the simplest details of those things I hold so dear. I would hate to likewise make anyone else cringe over THEIR passions via one of MY films.

So my motto is: when in doubt, go to a message board and ask around. :cool:

In fact, the screen name "Plot Device" is the name I amost always use whenever I go on a fact finding mission for one of my scripts. I have been to horticultural web sites, spelunking web sites, gun enthusiast web sites, etc., all for the sake of asking experts. And I have left a trail of "Plot Devcie" user names all over the internet as a result.

[Plot Device]

Have you considered editing the helipad entirely out of your plot ? A helicopter can easily land without a pad to settle on !

No. And once again, had my opening post been left intact ... (yadda yadda) ...

The news crew needs to land on the mountain top for the purposes of my plot. And I can't think of any other reason to force the news crew to land there except that it's where a designated helipad is.

And now I have a NEW question for all of you: would a news crew feel the freedom to just bypass a helipad, if the heipad were inconvenient, and merely land in some farmer's field?

Again, this is a question of plot credibility. I am of the couch-potato understanding that helicoptors have much more leeway to land wherever they feel like in a country/rural setting than they do in a large city. My story takes place in a small, remote, Southwestern desert town. Considering the remoteness of the towen, could my news chopper pilot have taken liberties and merely landed wherever he felt like and not gone through the formality of landing on the mountain?

[Plot Device]

There's no reason why there can't be a helipad on top of a mesa - you just have to think of a reason for it to be there.
How high does the mesa have to be?

A couple of ideas to start -

The LA Fire Department has (I assume it's still there) a helipad on top of a steep canyon in the Hollywood hills with a helicopter crew positioned there overlooking LA in the afternoons.
(Great for practising pinnacle landings in the mornings. ;) )
At least one of the LA radio stations has a helipad next to its antenna high up in the hills.Helicopters are frequently used for inspections in remote areas. If you look at the photographs in the 'Rotorheads Around the World' collection you'll see some shots of helicopters on pads high in the mountains.
Link here http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=76347

Some superb shots of helicopters on mountain pads in Canada were posted yesterday.
There are lots, but post #2762 is a good place to start.
You'll find plenty of scope there for your imagination and someone falling to their death. :eek:


I made a very lengthy reply to your excellent post, Flying Lawyer. But it was SOOOO long it got swept away into the mod's queue of posts needing to be reviewed and edited down before it can be posted. So please don't think I'm ignoring you (I feel bad if I don't respond to someone's post, especially one that obviously took some time). My response will come.

[Bravo73]

The chopper pad is tentatively going to be a former military helipad from a former military base that USED TO BE in the area but has since shut down. And the chopper itself is a news helicopter that is flying in to this small town in order to cover the town's Centennial celebration.


I've briefly been trying to think of why you might have road access and a helipad on top of a mesa. Two that spring to mind are either a) a large house/mansion (built on top of the mesa for the views) for a guy/girl with a garage of cars and a helicopter for his commute into town for work. Or b) some sort of helicopter tour operation (a la the Grand Canyon).

However, your idea of a decommissioned military base with an attached helipad sounds like a much more viable option! :ok:


And to answer your other queries:

1) Wouldn't it make more sense for there to be a chopper pad located right inside of my small town rather than out on some mountain all the way outside of town? Do I need to dream up an excuse for there to be no working chopper pad within the town limits? What can anyone here tell me about when choppers are FORBIDDEN to go into a town? You mentioned power cables and noise. How about health cnsiderations of kicking up dust (it takes palce in a desert town)?

The rules for the UK and the US are slightly different but if I was to build a helipad, I would rather have it outside the town that within it. The land will be cheaper, you'll have less bother from your neighbours (due to noise etc) and it will be less restrictive for the types of helicopters that can use the facility. (There are different rules for if the helicopter has 1 or 2 engines and if it is a private flight or public transport). But, like I said, the rules and attitudes are different over here. For example, I know that there are helipads in Vegas in places that we wouldn't be allowed helipads by the UK authority.


2) Is wind a consideration for placing a chopper pad up on some damned mountain, when the desert floor would maybe be safer and less windy?

Wind is obviously a consideration but it would have to be consistently very high (50-60mph+) in order to persuade you to build elsewhere. But other weather considerations might be more important - is the top of the mesa regularly 'in the clouds'? If it was, then yes, I would build the helipad on the desert floor.



Edited to add: My reply has come between a couple of your extra posts. I can't type quick enough to keep up with the questions!

But simply (in response to Gargleblaster's point), yes, the news heli can land wherever it wants (as long as it has got the necessary permissions - generally from the landowner (although this might only be a UK restriction)). The pilot would only HAVE to land at a helipad if he needed fuel. But if it was a decommissioned helipad, it probably wouldn't have any fuel so this wouldn't be a factor.

[Plot Device]

I've briefly been trying to think of why you might have road access and a helipad on top of a mesa. Two that spring to mind are either a) a large house/mansion (built on top of the mesa for the views) for a guy/girl with a garage of cars and a helicopter for his commute into town for work. Or b) some sort of helicopter tour operation (a la the Grand Canyon).

However, your idea of a decommissioned military base with an attached helipad sounds like a much more viable option! :ok:


And to answer your other queries:



The rules for the UK and the US are slightly different but if I was to build a helipad, I would rather have it outside the town that within it. The land will be cheaper, you'll have less bother from your neighbours (due to noise etc) and it will be less restrictive for the types of helicopters that can use the facility. (There are different rules for if the helicopter has 1 or 2 engines and if it is a private flight or public transport). But, like I said, the rules and attitudes are different over here. For example, I know that there are helipads in Vegas in places that we wouldn't be allowed helipads by the UK authority.




Wind is obviously a consideration but it would have to be consistently very high (50-60mph+) in order to persuade you to build elsewhere. But other weather considerations might be more important - is the top of the mesa regularly 'in the clouds'? If it was, then yes, I would build the helipad on the desert floor.



Edited to add: My reply has come between a couple of your extra posts. I can't type quick enough to keep up with the questions!

But simply (in response to Gargleblaster's point), yes, the news heli can land wherever it wants (as long as it has got the necessary permissions). The pilot would only HAVE to land at a helipad if he needed fuel. But if it was a decommissioned helipad, it probably wouldn't have any fuel so this wouldn't be a factor.

Once again, Bravo, very good stuff. I want to keep dialoging with you if possible.

I'm gona do it in short chunky posts to avoid anymore of my posts becoming so long that they get swept off into the mod's approval queue. Stand by for a few quick bursts of reply posts.

[Plot Device]

Edited to add: My reply has come between a couple of your extra posts. I can't type quick enough to keep up with the questions!

But simply (in response to Gargleblaster's point), yes, the news heli can land wherever it wants (as long as it has got the necessary permissions - generally from the landowner (although this might only be a UK restriction)). The pilot would only HAVE to land at a helipad if he needed fuel. But if it was a decommissioned helipad, it probably wouldn't have any fuel so this wouldn't be a factor.

Wow! :eek: I'm thinking you have actualy managed to get right to the heart of the matter here! :D I'm going to concentrate on this one reply of yours.

My fictitious small town is having its Centennial celebration, and the state governor will be there as well (i am deliberately not sayig WHICH state it is--one of the four desert states is all I ever imply). His presense is part of why the news crew is even bothering to fly in a chopper. So now I'm thinking that -- via the presense of the governor --I have accidentally provided myself with yet another plot device to make all of this mountain-top-helipad stuff "okay" and not at all contrived or non-credible.


Please read the following suggested scenario, and tell me if your non-credibility-meter is flashing any red lights at you.

What if there have been MANY helipads here and there in the region because of the prior existence of the military base? But then after the military pulled out, just TWO helipds were left operational for the town's purposes: one on the mountain top, and one down below on the desert floor just a bit closer to the town. The one closer to the town might be near a medical clinic or something.

Anyway ... what if the governor flew in on his own chopper, and (for security purposes) , he landed on the medical clinic chopper pad and NOW (here's the good part), that helipad will (for security purposes) remain off limits to all other non-emergency helicopters for the duration of the governor's stay ? ? ? ?

Therefore ... the news chopper will NOT be allowed to land on the medical clinic's chopper pad. And what's more (this gets even better!) all air traffic in the vicinity is being heavily controlled (for security purposes) so any chopper in need of landing is being restricted to ONLY LAND ON THE OTHER CHOPPER PAD UP ON THE MOUNTAIN!


Is THIS a valid scenario ? ? ? ? ? ?

[flyer43]

I think somebody has already mentioned the idea of a remote weather staton with no road access. However, there are some locations I have seen where telecoms relay/repeater stations are situated in very remote locations. Generally these are placed as high as possible in the area and often have "road" access - i.e. they are accesible by land transport albeit with some difficulty.
Such telecoms relays, or repeater stations, are powered by solar cells which charge a large array of batteries. From time to time the batteries have to be checked, replaced and or topped-up etc. Where time permits this is conducted by land transport but where speed is of the essence a helicopter is often used. Hazardous liquids, including batteries, are usually underslung to the location after the ground support team has been flown in first.
The helipad for these sites is usually very basic with little more than a windsock and some basic ground markings to provide the pilot with "useful" information. The ground support team would carry an airband transceiver to communicate with the pilots.

[Plot Device]

I think somebody has already mentioned the idea of a remote weather staton with no road access. However, there are some locations I have seen where telecoms relay/repeater stations are situated in very remote locations. Generally these are placed as high as possible in the area and often have "road" access - i.e. they are accesible by land transport albeit with some difficulty.
Such telecoms relays, or repeater stations, are powered by solar cells which charge a large array of batteries. From time to time the batteries have to be checked, replaced and or topped-up etc. Where time permits this is conducted by land transport but where speed is of the essence a helicopter is often used. Hazardous liquids, including batteries, are usually underslung to the location after the ground support team has been flown in first.
The helipad for these sites is usually very basic with little more than a windsock and some basic ground markings to provide the pilot with "useful" information. The ground support team would carry an airband transceiver to communicate with the pilots.

Oh my God! :eek: This is SOOOOOOOOOOOOO awesome! You have just solved ANOTHER plot problem I had that is totally unrelated to my helicoptor problem!

Jesus! You people are beautiful! :D :D :D

Let me tell you (in detail) what kind of a miracle you just bestowed upon me, flyer43:


I'm gonna do this in chunks, once again because I don't want to risk a too-long post.

Stay tuned ....

[Heliport]

"The summary of the story is (I'm so sick of explaining this :) ) in the original post that was edited down by the mods."

I've got sick of you explaining it too.
We aren't meant to allow posts by people researching for various projects because PPRuNe gets so many of them. I let yours go, but if I hadn't edited your synopsis (one of the longest posts in the history of the forum) it certainly wouldn't have escaped the site Administrators' axe. It still might not, but your chances will be better if you write much shorter posts.
No copy kept for posterity. It didn't occur to me that, as the scriptwriter, you wouldn't have a synopsis stored.

"Anyone here wanna know what the story is about?"
That would spoil the enjoyment of the movie. Just let us know when it's in post-production and we can start waiting with eager anticipation for its release. :)
Seriously - No.


Heliport

[Plot Device]

My non-helicopter problem was that my small desert town had no cell phone service. Two critical plot points rely heavilly upon the lack of cell phone service in the region. First, there's a flashback to five years earlier where a man and his wife are travelling cross country in the vicinity of my smal town. They run out of gas in the middle of the desert, only to discover that there's no cell phone reception to allow them call for help. But then (here's the fanatsy element of the story, guys) a mysterious tow truck driver comes along and gives them five gallons of gas to get them on their way. The married couple tries to pay him, but he refuses to take their cash. It turns out the tow truck driver was an angel in disguise. But the married couple doesn't realize that until later, and even then, they really don't tell anyone about it.

Stay tuned for the NEXT post ...

[Whirlygig]

Plot Device, going back to your post #19, yes it's a perfectly valid scenario i.e. security restrictions etc - I wouldn't balk at that!

Cheers

Whirls

PS - some of us are lady pilots!!! :ok: ;)

[Bravo73]

Is THIS a valid scenario ? ? ? ? ? ?

In essence, yes!

Although, just to go over a few details. Depending on their size, helipads connected to hospitals or clinics are often restricted to EMS (Emergency Medical Services) aircraft only. ie they are not 'public-usage' heliports. They might well make a concession due to the fact that it's the State Governor and he has to visit somewhere locally. I know that they would obviously make this concession for GWB!

The authorities (ie FAA or ATC) could also introduce airspace restrictions to 'protect' the governor's presence. They are called TRAs (Temporary Restricted Areas, or Restricted Area (Temporary) if you are bang up-to-date) over here. There were plenty over here for the recent G8 conference in Scotland to 'protect' GWB and his buddies. However, whether or not they would extend this privilege for a lowly state governor, I don't know...

Also, as we've already covered, the news heli wouldn't necessarily be limited to landing on the mountain top helipad. He could potentially land anywhere on the mountain (in order to get some panoramic shots for his report, for example). However, if I ever have to fly somewhere and there is a helipad in the area, I would generally prefer to land there rather than in a field next door.

Finally, please remember that this is all coming from a UK perspective. Things are probably very different 'Stateside'!

[Blind]

(maybe just gentlemen--maybe there are no ladies in this thread other than myself),

Oh yes, there are ladies here!! They fly helicopters too, some commercially, some just for fun & some even teach others too. Whirlybird who left you a nice message, perfectly typed as always, is a lady but the female thing is a whole different thread!

and Heliport is right, your posts are VERY long, maybe you just type quicker that us :{

[Plot Device]

I've got sick of you explaining it too.
We aren't meant to allow posts by people researching for various projects because PPRuNe gets so many of them.

I had no idea. Thanks! :)


I let yours go, but if I hadn't edited your synopsis (one of the longest posts in the history of the forum) it certainly wouldn't have escaped the site Administrators' axe. It still might not, but your chances will be better if you write much shorter posts.

Will do.


No copy kept for posterity. It didn't occur to me that, as the scriptwriter, you wouldn't have a synopsis stored.

I do have a synopsis in my files, but the wording of that particular post was exceptionally well-refined as compared to what I have in my notes. Part of the reason it was so well-written is that it was meant for digestion by an audience, not for my own short-hand bullet points. It's a shame it's gone. I put a lot of heart into it.


"Anyone here wanna know what the story is about?"
That would spoil the enjoyment of the movie. Just let us know when it's in post-production and we can start waiting with eager anticipation for its release. :)
Seriously - No.


Heliport

[Plot Device]

Plot Device, going back to your post #19, yes it's a perfectly valid scenario i.e. security restrictions etc - I wouldn't balk at that!

Cheers

Whirls

PS - some of us are lady pilots!!! :ok: ;)

Thank you. :) And good to meet a lady pilot. ;)

[Plot Device]

The authorities (ie FAA or ATC) could also introduce airspace restrictions to 'protect' the governor's presence. They are called TRAs (Temporary Restricted Areas, or Restricted Area (Temporary) if you are bang up-to-date) over here. There were plenty over here for the recent G8 conference in Scotland to 'protect' GWB and his buddies. However, whether or not they would extend this privilege for a lowly state governor, I don't know...

Also, as we've already covered, the news heli wouldn't necessarily be limited to landing on the mountain top helipad. He could potentially land anywhere on the mountain (in order to get some panoramic shots for his report, for example). However, if I ever have to fly somewhere and there is a helipad in the area, I would generally prefer to land there rather than in a field next door.

Finally, please remember that this is all coming from a UK perspective. Things are probably very different 'Stateside'!


I agree that most governors are "lowly" ;) , but not from the persepctive of Homeland Security. Ten years ago, a "lowly governor" here in the US would normally not have much security hubbub surrounding him. But since 9/11, almost any politician of either gubernatorial or senatorial status gets security consideration on a federal level. Doubly--so if he's even HINTED at a bid for the presidency (that's when they literally call in the Secret Service MiB's to chaparone him around everywhere). And one of the priorities that the press has is to document the ENTITRE public life of virtually ANY politician for the sake of future historical accuracy AND in the event that said politician becomes famous (or even infamous).

I like your clarification of temporary air space restrictions. The notion of such restrictions is also something I have kicking around in my head from my couch-potato education on helicopters. You've just strongly confirmed what I only vaguely suspected. And this sort of confirmation helps a lot in achieving a believable flow and cohesiveness to the interconnectivity of all the plot points.

[Plot Device]

[quore=bravo73]In essence, yes!

Although, just to go over a few details. Depending on their size, helipads connected to hospitals or clinics are often restricted to EMS (Emergency Medical Services) aircraft only. ie they are not 'public-usage' heliports. They might well make a concession due to the fact that it's the State Governor and he has to visit somewhere locally. I know that they would obviously make this concession for GWB![/quote]

The post by flyer43 really helped a lot. He unknowingly gave me a perfect excuse to have there be two helipads in the vicinity, and to have one of them specifically atop a mountain. Here's the upshot of what he did for me:

1) Small rundown town has just one heliport on the desert floor to service the medical clinic just outside outside of town.

2) Cell phone service in this small rundown town totally sucks due to lack of cellular towers in the area.

3) My main protag's job is as a promotional specialist. He was hired by the town to help bolster the local economy since the recent shut-down of the military base.

4) After this promotional specialist gets the brilliant idea to make this little town into ANOTHER version of Roswell, New Mexico with an artificially manufactured tourist draw centered upon the claim that the town is graced by angels (as opposed to aliens), the town's tourism starts to boom, money starts coming in, and the long-standing complaints about bad cellular service are finally addressed because a brand new cellular booster tower is installed on top of one of the local mountains, complete with a helipad (as described by flyer43 in his priceless gem of a post up above).

5) Our main protag works hard via connections and favors to help keep the town in the news, and he decides to make the town's Centennial a huge extravaganza, and he even gets the state governor to agree to come.

6) Part of the problem of having the governor come includes security concerns. The town leaders have to work with the governor's security guys on those concerns. The logistics of landing the governor's helicoptor at the medical helipad get worked out. And the back-up of the newly constructed mountain-top helipad that services the cellular tower is part of that logistical planning. The security guys tell the press that IF they want to send choppers to cover the governor's visit, they can't land their choppers anywhere else but at the celluar relay station on the mountain top.


This is utterly, utterly perfect. You guys have so totally helped me work out the bugs in my script!

Cookies for EVERYONE!

http://www.chocolatechipcookies.us/images/chocolate-chip-cookies-480.jpg

[Plot Device]

(maybe just gentlemen--maybe there are no ladies in this thread other than myself),

Oh yes, there are ladies here!! They fly helicopters too, some commercially, some just for fun & some even teach others too. Whirlybird who left you a nice message, perfectly typed as always, is a lady but the female thing is a whole different thread!

and Heliport is right, your posts are VERY long, maybe you just type quicker that us :{

Yeah, I admit: I type a lot. Your passion is helicoptors, yes? Well ... guess what MY passion is. ;)

[MSP Aviation]

i've landed in a fixed wing on top of a mesa, so heli should be no problem.

[Heliport]

Your passion is helicoptors, yes? Well ... guess what MY passion is.



Err, ............ the sound of your keyboard? ;)