Flying in the Alps - How to start?

[AlfonsoBonzo]

I am flying offshore, have no real experience flying any other operation and I am very keen on flying in the mountains.

Anyone have any advise?

[Brilliant Stuff]

Sadly no idea, I would love to do some of that as well. I am told the Swiss are rather picky and prefer to take low timers they can train up. You could of course start by going to Sacramento and flying around Lake Tahoe and Truckee to get a feel for mountains. I did some of that.

[HeliTester]

I assume that mountains equates to significantly higher elevations. Study the flight manual limitations and performance charts. Understand the various limits associated with high altitude operations. Performance and maneuverability margins are reduced at altitude. You are more likely to encounter the engine T5 or N1 limit (than the torque limit), and rotor droop can accompany large/rapid increases in collective pitch when operating at or near the engine power limits.

A better way to explain the reduced performance/maneuverability margin is to simply say that with increasing altitude the rotor power required increases while the engine power available decreases. You will be operating at the performance limit when the two become equal.

[vaibronco]

From an italian "old beginner"
Very open question.
What kind of operations? Aerial work, SAR / HEMS...
Wich side of the Alps?
Your nationality?
And your license?
I think the RFM is a good start, but if you don't have any mountain experience (even low altitude is not always equal to easy job) that is not enough...
Mountain Aerial Work is a very commercial and competitive environment.
Many Mountain SAR / HEMS captains come from aerial work, but also navy / off-shore captains with a strong background are trained to those kind of operations.

[hueyracer]

The best way to start is a mountain-flight course......

If you have no real experience flying in the mountains, starting there without training is a stupid idea.

There are a LOT of things you have to take into account you could never imagine before......