Who is the best heli pilot in the world?
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I keep loking for my name but none of you have nominated me. That's just fine by me as I know my limitations. But one thing for sure Pope Marmalade th2 wont make it either, he/she can't even spell.
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Well hopefully, some guys will come up with better proposition than just naming another fellow telling stupidly "he is #1" without explanation or so little...
The 2 Frenchies above (Elena and Broottmeenoo) did an excellent job introducing fellows I never heard before and with quite interesting lives...
Sorry, not a rotor pilot so I have no one to suggest, but having some interest in this topic anyway.
The 2 Frenchies above (Elena and Broottmeenoo) did an excellent job introducing fellows I never heard before and with quite interesting lives...
Sorry, not a rotor pilot so I have no one to suggest, but having some interest in this topic anyway.
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Valérie André, for all the reasons already mentioned; Alan Bristow for everything he achieved, and a company with his name is still going strong; all helicopter experimental test pilots; Dennis Kenyon.
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There must be hundreds, if not thousands of possible nominations. Who amongst us is fit to judge, and how many have we flown with?
In my totally biased, limited experience with no particular qualifications to be able to say why my opinion is worth anything, I'd say, Derek Jones, ex-CFI of the Bristow Helicopter Training School in Redhill, who was recently honoured by the GAPAN.
In my totally biased, limited experience with no particular qualifications to be able to say why my opinion is worth anything, I'd say, Derek Jones, ex-CFI of the Bristow Helicopter Training School in Redhill, who was recently honoured by the GAPAN.
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IHL,
I had the pleasure of meeting some of those Chernobyl pilots, especially Gorgen Karapetyan and Anatoly Greshenko. Quite likely the most heroic pilots I have ever met. And by heroic, I do mean that they simply gave their lives, knowingly, to try and save the lives of thousands. The Mil Bureau management team helped to load the helicopters, and was almost as heavily exposed by the dust they helos brought back. The airframes were buried after the event.
Gorgan described the look of the reactor area as he approached after dark, having been scrambled with his baby, the massive Mil 26. He saw a shimmering beam of blue light extending upward from the exposed reactor core playing on the low clouds like some eerie Hollywood opening. He told me that the radiation in the cockpit was so bad that the digital watches on their wrists stopped. Once he told his CP to turn off the TV tube in the center console because it was so very bright and his CP told him, "It has never been on!" On the first few missions, they got sunburned on the backs of their legs and derriers due to the radiation piercing the aluminum of the aircraft, so they sat on lead sheets afterward. Greschenko paid with his life, having succombed to Lukemia after a struggle with transplants and treatment in the US (organized by my friend Cap Parlier, the project pilot on the Apache.) Gorgan gave me a bottle of Russian Plum Brandy which was reputed to help flush the body of radiation - I still have it, in rememberance. It has a tiny cartoon of an atom on its inscrutable Russian label.
Gorgan wore his "Hero of the Soviet Union" badge on his suit jacket, an award that is not given lightly. As "Bomber" Harris said about the Victoria Cross, it is given for actions that "should not be repeated at frequent intervals."
I had the pleasure of meeting some of those Chernobyl pilots, especially Gorgen Karapetyan and Anatoly Greshenko. Quite likely the most heroic pilots I have ever met. And by heroic, I do mean that they simply gave their lives, knowingly, to try and save the lives of thousands. The Mil Bureau management team helped to load the helicopters, and was almost as heavily exposed by the dust they helos brought back. The airframes were buried after the event.
Gorgan described the look of the reactor area as he approached after dark, having been scrambled with his baby, the massive Mil 26. He saw a shimmering beam of blue light extending upward from the exposed reactor core playing on the low clouds like some eerie Hollywood opening. He told me that the radiation in the cockpit was so bad that the digital watches on their wrists stopped. Once he told his CP to turn off the TV tube in the center console because it was so very bright and his CP told him, "It has never been on!" On the first few missions, they got sunburned on the backs of their legs and derriers due to the radiation piercing the aluminum of the aircraft, so they sat on lead sheets afterward. Greschenko paid with his life, having succombed to Lukemia after a struggle with transplants and treatment in the US (organized by my friend Cap Parlier, the project pilot on the Apache.) Gorgan gave me a bottle of Russian Plum Brandy which was reputed to help flush the body of radiation - I still have it, in rememberance. It has a tiny cartoon of an atom on its inscrutable Russian label.
Gorgan wore his "Hero of the Soviet Union" badge on his suit jacket, an award that is not given lightly. As "Bomber" Harris said about the Victoria Cross, it is given for actions that "should not be repeated at frequent intervals."
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Originally Posted by NickLappos
Gorgan described the look of the reactor area as he approached after dark, having been scrambled with his baby, the massive Mil 26. He saw a shimmering beam of blue light extending upward from the exposed reactor core playing on the low clouds like some eerie Hollywood opening. He told me that the radiation in the cockpit was so bad that the digital watches on their wrists stopped. Once he told his CP to turn off the TV tube in the center console because it was so very bright and his CP told him, "It has never been on!" On the first few missions, they got sunburned on the backs of their legs and derriers due to the radiation piercing the aluminum of the aircraft, so they sat on lead sheets afterward. Greschenko paid with his life, having succombed to Lukemia after a struggle with transplants and treatment in the US (organized by my friend Cap Parlier, the project pilot on the Apache.) Gorgan gave me a bottle of Russian Plum Brandy which was reputed to help flush the body of radiation - I still have it, in rememberance. It has a tiny cartoon of an atom on its inscrutable Russian label.
Mart
Most types
Sikorsky ?? Let's just remember that several Europeans were pioting helicopters around the skies well before Igor got the hang of it,.
So who has the most helo types in their logbook ?( not necessarily rated)Starting point 50 plus.
So who has the most helo types in their logbook ?( not necessarily rated)Starting point 50 plus.
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In 1973 a worker on a Dutch rig in the North Sea fell several stories onto a steel deck. The injuries were so severe that his brain was exposed, and he was in a deep coma. The rig called for emergency helicopter evacuation because the typical rig boat would surely kill him during the run to shore that would take several hours. WX was literally zero-zero, with no lift forecast until the next day. There was no breeze and the sea was relatively calm, with a long greasy swell.
Capt Hans Zeedyke launched a KLM S61 from Schiphol with its normal crew and a doctor who had been scrambled from an Amsterdam hospital. He found the rig on radar and identified it by passing overhead, using the ADF swing to be sure he had the right one. He lined up 5 miles out at 100 feet, using the radar and a steady 80 knots, 100 feet above the waves on the rad alt. He timed the range rings with a stop watch, so that he knew precisely how many seconds the last 1/2 mile ring would consume as the radar became unusable, and he had the rig launch a rig boat with a hand-held radio to sit and wait 1/4 mile out on his inbound bearing. The boat was to let him know when he passed overhead, so that he could flare to a hover in time to avoid the rig. He never saw the rig boat, but as he heard the boat's call, he raised the nose a few degrees and concentrated on the speed, altitude and heading, gradually beeping the cyclic into a trimmed hover. As the aircraft came nose down in a 15 knot running hover, the CP called out that one leg of the rig was in sight. He stabilized the hover on that leg - which was the only thing in sight besides the gray swells and the fog - and then raised the collective slowly to climb up to deck height. As the deck came past the windshield, he slowly tilted the nose a bit, came over the deck and then landed. He told me that his legs were shaking so badly, he had trouble setting the brakes.
The crew gathered the stretcher and patient, and they made an ITO off the rig within minutes. The ILS at Amsterdam and patient transfer were uneventful. The patient recovered, with a big plate in his head, of course.
All the crew were awarded the Sikorsky Winged S in a ceremony at KLM later that year.
Capt Hans Zeedyke launched a KLM S61 from Schiphol with its normal crew and a doctor who had been scrambled from an Amsterdam hospital. He found the rig on radar and identified it by passing overhead, using the ADF swing to be sure he had the right one. He lined up 5 miles out at 100 feet, using the radar and a steady 80 knots, 100 feet above the waves on the rad alt. He timed the range rings with a stop watch, so that he knew precisely how many seconds the last 1/2 mile ring would consume as the radar became unusable, and he had the rig launch a rig boat with a hand-held radio to sit and wait 1/4 mile out on his inbound bearing. The boat was to let him know when he passed overhead, so that he could flare to a hover in time to avoid the rig. He never saw the rig boat, but as he heard the boat's call, he raised the nose a few degrees and concentrated on the speed, altitude and heading, gradually beeping the cyclic into a trimmed hover. As the aircraft came nose down in a 15 knot running hover, the CP called out that one leg of the rig was in sight. He stabilized the hover on that leg - which was the only thing in sight besides the gray swells and the fog - and then raised the collective slowly to climb up to deck height. As the deck came past the windshield, he slowly tilted the nose a bit, came over the deck and then landed. He told me that his legs were shaking so badly, he had trouble setting the brakes.
The crew gathered the stretcher and patient, and they made an ITO off the rig within minutes. The ILS at Amsterdam and patient transfer were uneventful. The patient recovered, with a big plate in his head, of course.
All the crew were awarded the Sikorsky Winged S in a ceremony at KLM later that year.
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I reckon your man Jean Boulet featured here: http://www.eurocopter.com/site/FO/img/1601g72.jpg looks pretty handy to me, for having the bottle to fly at almost 40000 ft (12442m) at -62c and autorotating down from 12100m when the engine flamed out and for the skill in making it safely through 4000m of cloud using only the sun halo as a reference and then making it to the airfield.
the best probably not, but very very handy !
regards
CF
the best probably not, but very very handy !
regards
CF
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It all depends on what you are looking for.
Someone with high, repeatable technical ability? It's got to be a test pilot with years of training and thousands of hours.
High skill and big balls? Military or maybe SAR. These guys (and gals) know that any day or night they can be called to fly to the extreme limit and have the judgement and guts to say no, when to carry on would put their own machine at unacceptable risk.
And then there are the guys out there that just once in their life get put in a position where they choose to, or have to perform with exceptional skill and get it right. Just for that one hour or day they are the best because they answer the call.
In the last category I would nominate Stuart Gregg for his rescue of the crew from a sinking rig back in 1988. He and his co- got HAI recognition in 1989 and more recently from BALPA. I can't find the citations but perhaps someone who does have access can remind us of the details.
OA
Someone with high, repeatable technical ability? It's got to be a test pilot with years of training and thousands of hours.
High skill and big balls? Military or maybe SAR. These guys (and gals) know that any day or night they can be called to fly to the extreme limit and have the judgement and guts to say no, when to carry on would put their own machine at unacceptable risk.
And then there are the guys out there that just once in their life get put in a position where they choose to, or have to perform with exceptional skill and get it right. Just for that one hour or day they are the best because they answer the call.
In the last category I would nominate Stuart Gregg for his rescue of the crew from a sinking rig back in 1988. He and his co- got HAI recognition in 1989 and more recently from BALPA. I can't find the citations but perhaps someone who does have access can remind us of the details.
OA
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Overt Auk,
Your post hit close to home, unfortunately I can't agree with much of it. I'm a test pilot with a couple thousand hours (not thousands, true) and I used to be a military SAR pilot with a good number of missions worth talking about. I do not think I belong on such a list, and I'm sure those with whom I fly would agree (yet they continue to fly with me). I think many of us have been put in uncomfortable positions and have completed the mission without (further) injuring people or damaging machines. Whether or not exceptional skill is involved depends so much on the stories that follow
I'm not saying you're wrong, just pointing out that even more criteria would be required to accurately populate the list.
I already posted on my choices. The people I mentioned understand their machines, have completed their work safely for many years and tens of thousands of hours, have shown exceptional skill, and pass the "if **** hits the fan, would I fly with them?" question.
Matthew.
Your post hit close to home, unfortunately I can't agree with much of it. I'm a test pilot with a couple thousand hours (not thousands, true) and I used to be a military SAR pilot with a good number of missions worth talking about. I do not think I belong on such a list, and I'm sure those with whom I fly would agree (yet they continue to fly with me). I think many of us have been put in uncomfortable positions and have completed the mission without (further) injuring people or damaging machines. Whether or not exceptional skill is involved depends so much on the stories that follow
I'm not saying you're wrong, just pointing out that even more criteria would be required to accurately populate the list.I already posted on my choices. The people I mentioned understand their machines, have completed their work safely for many years and tens of thousands of hours, have shown exceptional skill, and pass the "if **** hits the fan, would I fly with them?" question.
Matthew.
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Nick your story of Capt Hans Zeedyke brings to mind stories I’ve heard about a couple of legendary Okanagan pilots: Michel Durin and Pierre Looten. They may not be the greatest but they deserve honorable mention.
Flying 61s Off Shore out St. Johns Newfoundland (NFLD), in the worst weather the planet has to offer: high winds, rain, freezing rain, sleet, snow, ice, fog, freezing fog and all other forms of crap. (The cold Labrador Current meets with the warm Gulf Stream making it the foggiest place on earth.) These guys were Pioneers in Off Shore helicopter flying and developed procedures that are still used today.
Both these pilots came to Canada from France after the flying helicopters for the French Military in Algeria.
Michel is a no-nonsense man of superior intellect and integrity, I had the good fortune of having him as a Chief Pilot.
Pierre Looten passed away in 2003; unfortunately I never had the honor of meeting him. I have attached a link to his memoriam published in Transport Canada’s 2003 Vortex.
In Memoriam: Remembering Pierre Looten
http://www.tc.gc.ca/civilaviation/sy.../1-03/V032.htm
Flying 61s Off Shore out St. Johns Newfoundland (NFLD), in the worst weather the planet has to offer: high winds, rain, freezing rain, sleet, snow, ice, fog, freezing fog and all other forms of crap. (The cold Labrador Current meets with the warm Gulf Stream making it the foggiest place on earth.) These guys were Pioneers in Off Shore helicopter flying and developed procedures that are still used today.
Both these pilots came to Canada from France after the flying helicopters for the French Military in Algeria.
Michel is a no-nonsense man of superior intellect and integrity, I had the good fortune of having him as a Chief Pilot.
Pierre Looten passed away in 2003; unfortunately I never had the honor of meeting him. I have attached a link to his memoriam published in Transport Canada’s 2003 Vortex.
In Memoriam: Remembering Pierre Looten
http://www.tc.gc.ca/civilaviation/sy.../1-03/V032.htm
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[QUOTE]Dave Knight keeps telling us he is ... so he must be.[/QUOTE]
How can somebody who used to be a " Pinger " be the best pilot, or am I mistaken was he a CRAB.
Also anybody that used to drive an Austin MAXI can't be a good decsion maker. Also when he parks his Austin MAXI he needs to reverse it into a post to let him know he is at the end of the parking bay,
is also a good reason.
My last point is does his take off's equel the same amount of controlled landing's ( ie the tigermoth incident)
How can somebody who used to be a " Pinger " be the best pilot, or am I mistaken was he a CRAB.
Also anybody that used to drive an Austin MAXI can't be a good decsion maker. Also when he parks his Austin MAXI he needs to reverse it into a post to let him know he is at the end of the parking bay,
is also a good reason.My last point is does his take off's equel the same amount of controlled landing's ( ie the tigermoth incident)
Last edited by Daft bat; 18th Dec 2006 at 21:46. Reason: SPELLING MISTAKE
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Overt Auk,
I think the other pilot with Stuart was Roger Williams wasn't it?
I don't think you can generalise with test pilots, SAR or military pilots. I remember one former test pilot some years ago who managed to 'toast' the engine of a B206 because of a certain lack of skill. I have little more competence than the average Ukranian tractor driver despite being both ex military and SAR
.
From the posts I've read here Valérie André seems to be a strong contender, but who really knows, and by what criteria is this pilot-amongst-pilots to be judged?
I think the other pilot with Stuart was Roger Williams wasn't it?
I don't think you can generalise with test pilots, SAR or military pilots. I remember one former test pilot some years ago who managed to 'toast' the engine of a B206 because of a certain lack of skill. I have little more competence than the average Ukranian tractor driver despite being both ex military and SAR
.From the posts I've read here Valérie André seems to be a strong contender, but who really knows, and by what criteria is this pilot-amongst-pilots to be judged?
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Jim
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What's that BO-105's pilot's name? I think he's dead, but I nominate him, after Igor, who built and flew that yellow concentric thingy over the pool (at the age of 19). 
Wow! 19 years old, made his own chopper and flew it too!
Da Monk
Wow! 19 years old, made his own chopper and flew it too!Da Monk