What's the most stupid thing you've done as a pilot?
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Australia
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How about demostrating autorotations (R22) to a girl, me having less than 20 helicopter hours? Does that count?
reminds me of a mate of mine - an I'll just post on his behalf- who decided that he would demo to me an auto,.yes in an air log 269 B model, onto Huntington beach. I had just 2 hours in one of those buckets at that time.
I also had just enough hours (3300 in '47's) to be terrified, he had just enough (35, he was only converting from fast jets) to be supremely confident.
he pulled it off, despite the plethora of kites at about 750 feet with heavy cables attached, that were seen by yours truly as very hazardous descent traffic.
How about demostrating autorotations (R22) to a girl, me having less than 20 helicopter hours? Does that count?
by putting you stressful situation like that 
Women can be so cruel
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Iceland
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In a S300C, customer and I strapped in, engine cranked up, about to engage rotors when I notice the blade tie down still around the tail. Still feel silly over that.
With only 120 hrs heli or so. On a night flight in the S300C, pressing towards an airfield after a long day of flying, didn't check fuel consumption well enough, got the fuel low light shining its amber rays at my scary looking face on final to the unlit airfield!
I knew that there was a powerline down there somewhere along my track, a potato field, few barbwire fences and a river so it was very exciting for a while to see where I was to end up...
Slowed down to 40kts, looking out for a good landing spot if engine decided to quit, and of course pressing my dear towards the runway. Landed a little later on the ramp by the fuel pump with very little fuel left in tanks and trying not to look worried.
Never again!
The most silly thing I did as a pilot... thinking it was a smart move to become a pro helicopter pilot.
nigelh
What happened to the mobile you were on and the sandwich you were eating at time of bird strike?
With only 120 hrs heli or so. On a night flight in the S300C, pressing towards an airfield after a long day of flying, didn't check fuel consumption well enough, got the fuel low light shining its amber rays at my scary looking face on final to the unlit airfield!
I knew that there was a powerline down there somewhere along my track, a potato field, few barbwire fences and a river so it was very exciting for a while to see where I was to end up...
Slowed down to 40kts, looking out for a good landing spot if engine decided to quit, and of course pressing my dear towards the runway. Landed a little later on the ramp by the fuel pump with very little fuel left in tanks and trying not to look worried.
Never again!The most silly thing I did as a pilot... thinking it was a smart move to become a pro helicopter pilot.
nigelh
What happened to the mobile you were on and the sandwich you were eating at time of bird strike?
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Monkeys ride bikes, ever seen one fix a puncture??
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Used to know a guy in the Navy, who, to relieve the boredom of night time ASW operations used to play "CB Bingo" whilst dipping in a cable hover.. randomly pull CB to frighten ten bells out of rest of crew.. oh how we laughed!!
Ah, if only I had a pound/dollar for every time that I have heard the 'CB Roulette' story...
Putting my helmet visor down with the cover still on........you have control!
Not really my fault (excuses, excuses) as the co-pilot, but with the Ac Comd we managed to:
I don't know anyone else who has managed the 'triple'!
Safe flights, Sam.
- Sign out one machine
- Fly another
- Sign back in a third
I don't know anyone else who has managed the 'triple'!
Safe flights, Sam.
back in the day during my first xc flight, in a hover prior departure from a small airport asking the controller for qnh in inch. immediately realized the stupidity of my question. he said he couldnt provide for that and asked (with a very audible giant smile) if my ac shouldnt be equipped with some kind of device helping me figure that one out.
I don't know anyone else who has managed the 'triple'!
Pipeline check low level! A Good friend of mine was Pic, i was the observer!
My Pic wanted to turn the heater on, the wheel is located under the seat. After this action he was shocked, and tould me that the hydraulic isn't working any more! WE planed a emergency landing, during approch, i had the solution for the prob! He didn't turned the heater on, he fixed the friction of the stick.......
My Pic wanted to turn the heater on, the wheel is located under the seat. After this action he was shocked, and tould me that the hydraulic isn't working any more! WE planed a emergency landing, during approch, i had the solution for the prob! He didn't turned the heater on, he fixed the friction of the stick.......
The Westland Scout had the heater control next to a smiler looking fuel cock. On more than one occasion it's gone horribly quiet after the heater has been adjusted.
Avoid imitations
Join Date: Nov 2000
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Not really my fault (excuses, excuses) as the co-pilot, but with the Ac Comd we managed to:
I don't know anyone else who has managed the 'triple'!
Safe flights, Sam.
- Sign out one machine
- Fly another
- Sign back in a third
I don't know anyone else who has managed the 'triple'!
Safe flights, Sam.
I did many stupid things over the course of 40 years flying helicopters but the nearest to a self-induced accident was back around 1977 in a Bolkow 105. Enroute from the south to Prestwick for a load lifting job I took the opportunity to give another pilot with low hours on type some I/F training as his initial IR test with the CAA was due soon. We had the approved screen fitted which consisted of a bar across the cockpit, held in place at each side of the cockpit with pip pins and the attached screen was then rotated down in front of the PU/T.
We were in and out of cloud but the weather deteriorated around Carlisle and we began to pick up ice so I called it a day on the I/F and we descended to 1500ft and proceeded VFR. The PU/T asked if we could remove the I/F screens so we both removed a pip pin but the screens would not come clear of the brackets. We both gave an almighty tug, the screen assembly came loose and with the inertia it hit both speed selects in the cockpit roof and snapped them back to idle.
So… two pilots both with their hands in the air holding a fairly hefty bit of kit and both engines at idle. To say there was pandemonium in the cockpit would be an understatement. Utter, utter, stupidity!
We were in and out of cloud but the weather deteriorated around Carlisle and we began to pick up ice so I called it a day on the I/F and we descended to 1500ft and proceeded VFR. The PU/T asked if we could remove the I/F screens so we both removed a pip pin but the screens would not come clear of the brackets. We both gave an almighty tug, the screen assembly came loose and with the inertia it hit both speed selects in the cockpit roof and snapped them back to idle.
So… two pilots both with their hands in the air holding a fairly hefty bit of kit and both engines at idle. To say there was pandemonium in the cockpit would be an understatement. Utter, utter, stupidity!
Join Date: Mar 2001
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Performing a rejected take-off into a mine field.
It was day two of the peace in 1982 and I was tasked to move some 'passengers' from Goose Green to the holding camp in San Carlos. As I transitioned the CH47 into the climb, a transmission chip light illuminated so I popped the aircraft over a fence into the next field. A nice man called me on the radio to say that I had landed in a mine field. After a quick chat with the crew we decided to pull pitch and vacate.
It was day two of the peace in 1982 and I was tasked to move some 'passengers' from Goose Green to the holding camp in San Carlos. As I transitioned the CH47 into the climb, a transmission chip light illuminated so I popped the aircraft over a fence into the next field. A nice man called me on the radio to say that I had landed in a mine field. After a quick chat with the crew we decided to pull pitch and vacate.
"Just a pilot"
Does pulling the wrong engine off count? On the ground and I have a real good explanation...
In flight, shooting some bad guys up in the mountains, me and a team of Cobras. Climbing turn up into the overcast to cross the mountain I was just shooting at- with a full moon overhead. I'm very glad the best shot only had an AK...
In flight, shooting some bad guys up in the mountains, me and a team of Cobras. Climbing turn up into the overcast to cross the mountain I was just shooting at- with a full moon overhead. I'm very glad the best shot only had an AK...
