Tuna Spotting, tuna boat ops (incl Guam)
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helicopter job on a tuna boat part 1
saw a nice video on You tube ( helicopter job on a tuna boat part 1 )
a slow start , but then comes a nice video of the helicopter taking off. The song played makes it compleet !
Does anyone knows the title and artist of this song ?
best regards , marc
a slow start , but then comes a nice video of the helicopter taking off. The song played makes it compleet !
Does anyone knows the title and artist of this song ?
best regards , marc
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Tuna Ops In Guam
Hello guys
Need some info regarding the two major 500 operators in the SW pacific. Please PM me if you are currently or used to fly for either of them and are willing to answer a few vital questions I have. There is a very good chance will be working for one of them .
Need some info regarding the two major 500 operators in the SW pacific. Please PM me if you are currently or used to fly for either of them and are willing to answer a few vital questions I have. There is a very good chance will be working for one of them .
Join Date: Feb 2005
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hef-
I've seen pictures of both types flying off tuna boats, not recent snaps... Seems the Jetranger had corrosion issues with all the salt air. 369/500's in the West Pacific and Robinson's in Central, South America although there's probably Hughes/MD's there as well.
RS82-
If you still have ?'s pm me, I'll answer them best I can.
I've seen pictures of both types flying off tuna boats, not recent snaps... Seems the Jetranger had corrosion issues with all the salt air. 369/500's in the West Pacific and Robinson's in Central, South America although there's probably Hughes/MD's there as well.
RS82-
If you still have ?'s pm me, I'll answer them best I can.
Join Date: May 2005
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What The ????
I have just heard that Tropic Helicopters who operate in the Western pacific ocean area have LOST 10 helicopters to accidents in the last 12 months. 4 of these were to tied down accidents which is where I'm told the helicopter is still tied down to the ship and the pilot has taken off with one of the tie down straps still attached to the aircraft and the helicopter smashes into the side of the ship.
Can anyone confirm these numbers?
Seems that we ALL will now pay a higher premium for our insurances now!
Banger
Can anyone confirm these numbers?
Seems that we ALL will now pay a higher premium for our insurances now!
Banger
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I doubt it very much...but someone can correct me if I'm wrong, last time I heard (18 months ago) they only had 19 machines in the fleet.
It may seem like they make alot of money when you find out what the boats pay per helicopter, but the expenses are enormous. I doubt they could lose 10 machines in 12 months and get through it.
It may seem like they make alot of money when you find out what the boats pay per helicopter, but the expenses are enormous. I doubt they could lose 10 machines in 12 months and get through it.
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Have not heard of peska helos before but i take it they fly of tuna boats,also i got told there is a mob in american samoa that use 44s mayby its them.had a mate last year flying for tropic helos.crazy story about his drunk spotter,its the sptters job to take the tie downs of which hold the heli on deck,they were in the machine ready to go the master screaming in his ear (fry fry you fry now) old mate got the thumbs up that tie downs off he pulled power but the bloody rear pax side tie down was still on as the heli lifted the tie down pulled the heli starboard side in the water,heli hit part of the ship as it fell in the water both of them lucky to get out alive.
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GNR
A good song by the gunners. Failure to communicate. I had to fight for my safety every day operating a hughes 500 for Tropic helos. I was and remain determined not to sucumb to the preasure of a screaming lunatic (captain or fishmaster) who usually has zero knowledge of helicopter operations. I would rather be grumpy and no good according to the fishmaster than a nice guy who pleases but destroys the machine. Spotting is a safe practice. The helicopter should be operated like an aeroplane with the advantage of landing on a deck. Sadly, pilots fall to the trap of a lack of assertiveness and operate like hovercraft with many crashes. There is know insurance company that will insure for fish herding. None. Remember this next time you prance off the deck to replicate a hovercraft. Learn to say NO and live longer.
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Losses
I heard that it was nine. There is no australian underwriter that will touch a helicopter operating off purse seiner. Australia is known as a hot spot, whatever that means. I just finished a six month stint with tropic helicopters. Do your research on this one.
Originally Posted by drifersabre
I heard that it was nine. There is no australian underwriter that will touch a helicopter operating off purse seiner. Australia is known as a hot spot, whatever that means. I just finished a six month stint with tropic helicopters. Do your research on this one.
A good song by the gunners. Failure to communicate. I had to fight for my safety every day operating a hughes 500 for Tropic helos. I was and remain determined not to sucumb to the preasure of a screaming lunatic (captain or fishmaster) who usually has zero knowledge of helicopter operations. I would rather be grumpy and no good according to the fishmaster than a nice guy who pleases but destroys the machine. Spotting is a safe practice. The helicopter should be operated like an aeroplane with the advantage of landing on a deck. Sadly, pilots fall to the trap of a lack of assertiveness and operate like hovercraft with many crashes. There is know insurance company that will insure for fish herding. None. Remember this next time you prance off the deck to replicate a hovercraft. Learn to say NO and live longer.
Do this mob work under an AOC and do the regulators ever check?
Last edited by Heliringer; 10th Feb 2010 at 07:27.
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AOC
I would say with great confidence no. The helicopters that I know operate without a maintenance release. There is no entry in the POH about the fixed floats or a revised weight so you have no idea what it weighs. There are no flight and duty times or check flights by a CP. You operate the aircraft with no idea of component times, they call the maintenace on condition meaning if it works, it remains. I don't no why the regulators, CASA in this case leave Tropic alone. I guess it's because they are based in Pohnpei. For what it's worth,
Richard.
Richard.
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Why should CASA have anything to do with helicopters that have Filipino reg numbers that are operated overseas?
Alot of helicopters in Australasia are operated more or less 'on condition', anyone who says otherwise needs to get out more. If the CASA or the NZ CAA were serious about stamping out this practice they would have made tamper proof hour metres mandatory a long time ago.
Ok, the tuna boat heli companies take it to a new level, but it is an amazing experience flying off purse seiners, I could write a book about the positive aspects of this job. If you don't like it, stop complaining. No one tells a pilot to do this job, he does it by choice and it's his fault for not finding out more about the industry if he finds himself in the deep end.
There are 180 messages on this site about it for a start.
Alot of helicopters in Australasia are operated more or less 'on condition', anyone who says otherwise needs to get out more. If the CASA or the NZ CAA were serious about stamping out this practice they would have made tamper proof hour metres mandatory a long time ago.
Ok, the tuna boat heli companies take it to a new level, but it is an amazing experience flying off purse seiners, I could write a book about the positive aspects of this job. If you don't like it, stop complaining. No one tells a pilot to do this job, he does it by choice and it's his fault for not finding out more about the industry if he finds himself in the deep end.
There are 180 messages on this site about it for a start.
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No CASA, no problem. Unfortunately it is there resposibility to protect and inform the greater public. I agree with you Hef, although if you are going to provide a service, you need to be able to be scrutinised. The thing is, these companies know they would not get away with operating like this on the mainland. Should the pilot have lesser standards because you operate off a purse seiner? Walking pass the sat aerial dome on the flight deck used to concern me the most. You could not avoid it so have your kids before you get cancer. LOL
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Could someone tell me why they are still using the ancient C models? Would an R44 (even a 22 or a 300?) not do the job?
Has anyone heard of any future plans regarding helicopters on purse seiners? Some of the parts for C models must be getting as rare as hens teeth surely.
Has anyone heard of any future plans regarding helicopters on purse seiners? Some of the parts for C models must be getting as rare as hens teeth surely.