Rocky Mountain Helicopters RMH
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Nevada
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RMH owning Western Helicopters
In 1981, I was on a BLM firefighting 500D flying out of George AFB. Our contractor was Western helicopters, then part of RMH. I have actually been wearing a RMH belt buckle for 32 years, now. Not sure if that is bragging or embarrassing.
Our primary pilot was Chuck Smith. He was a CWO in Vietnam in the early 1960s, then a Bell guy in Iran when things fell apart. Amazing pilot. A couple tales I recall include flying north towards the Owens valley. We were at Kramer Junction and still did not have clearance to go through the north part of Edwards. We dropped to the deck and flew north at 110+ knots, under the high lines. Another was hopping out of the ship in the eastern Mojave, one skid on the ground (flying at ground level, not the only time) and stepping out carefully to sign a recently discharged midshipmans shirt displayed as a flag. We also auto-rotated back to the station (engine running, but eerily quiet). And the coolest and scariest was riding a thermal from Lone Pine to a trail head near Whitney, right against the cliffs.
One time the electric trim (coollie cap, IIRC) failed outside of Fresno. A few of us figured out how to take Western out of contract so Chuck could fly all the way back to Rialto to get it replaced.
Our relief pilot was their manager, Dorcey Wingo. He'd show up in the afternoon as Chuck was maxing out. Take off his jacket, tie still on, pull on the Nomex, and start flying.
Thanks for letting me reminisce.
Our primary pilot was Chuck Smith. He was a CWO in Vietnam in the early 1960s, then a Bell guy in Iran when things fell apart. Amazing pilot. A couple tales I recall include flying north towards the Owens valley. We were at Kramer Junction and still did not have clearance to go through the north part of Edwards. We dropped to the deck and flew north at 110+ knots, under the high lines. Another was hopping out of the ship in the eastern Mojave, one skid on the ground (flying at ground level, not the only time) and stepping out carefully to sign a recently discharged midshipmans shirt displayed as a flag. We also auto-rotated back to the station (engine running, but eerily quiet). And the coolest and scariest was riding a thermal from Lone Pine to a trail head near Whitney, right against the cliffs.
One time the electric trim (coollie cap, IIRC) failed outside of Fresno. A few of us figured out how to take Western out of contract so Chuck could fly all the way back to Rialto to get it replaced.
Our relief pilot was their manager, Dorcey Wingo. He'd show up in the afternoon as Chuck was maxing out. Take off his jacket, tie still on, pull on the Nomex, and start flying.
Thanks for letting me reminisce.
Last edited by BaddogLT; 17th Apr 2013 at 16:34.
Rocky Mountain Helicopter Down Under
Please forgive me for crashing your thread but I thought you guys would like to know that a piece of your history has turned up in Australia. The Queensland Air Museum at Caloundra recently acquired SA315B Lama s/n 2575 which once served with Rocky Mountain Helicopters as N3597D.
We have the RMH log books from Oct 91 to Dec 93 but there are many gaps in the history so we will be very pleased to receive any anecdotes about her time with RMH. It seems that she did a lot of geophysical survey ranging as far afield as Alaska and Mexico. Above all does anyone have a photo of N3597D?
We have the RMH log books from Oct 91 to Dec 93 but there are many gaps in the history so we will be very pleased to receive any anecdotes about her time with RMH. It seems that she did a lot of geophysical survey ranging as far afield as Alaska and Mexico. Above all does anyone have a photo of N3597D?
Wingo.....now there is a character in his own right!
Lama N3597D
Further to my post #24, closer examination of the RMH log books (OCT91-DEC93) for this aircraft reveals the following ops amongst many others:
JAN92 with the Dighem system at La Grande OR, Republic WA & Lincoln MT.
SEP92 geo survey at Fernley, Eureka, Ely, Pioche & Winnemucca NV.
APR-JUL93 ops at Talkeetna, AK culminating in a hard landing.
NOV93 with Aerodat geo system at Culiacan, Mexico.
Does anyone remember these ops? In the absence of a photo of N3597D, I'll be grateful for a colour photo of any RMH Lama.
Rgds
JAN92 with the Dighem system at La Grande OR, Republic WA & Lincoln MT.
SEP92 geo survey at Fernley, Eureka, Ely, Pioche & Winnemucca NV.
APR-JUL93 ops at Talkeetna, AK culminating in a hard landing.
NOV93 with Aerodat geo system at Culiacan, Mexico.
Does anyone remember these ops? In the absence of a photo of N3597D, I'll be grateful for a colour photo of any RMH Lama.
Rgds
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Utah
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Pictures Anyone
Hey guys, we are looking for some pictures that show the RMH paint scheme on the old Lama's. I know there wasn't a lot to paint but if you have anything please post here or send them to me at [email protected]. A museum is trying to restore an old RMH machine for display and they would like for it to be as authentic as possible. Many thanks for any help you can give us.
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Dorcey Alan Wingo
Wingo.....now there is a character in his own right!
Join Date: Jul 2015
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60th Street Pad
I worked as a flight medic on that BK. We flew out of NYC for about three years.
We here parked next to Colgates BK and they had a rotor snap because of the S76
We here parked next to Colgates BK and they had a rotor snap because of the S76
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: New York
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Not true. I was a flight medic on NY117 BK. We started out of east 60th street and then went north after a couple of years. It was Colgates BK that had a rotor snap because of the DD of a S76.
A couple of years later that same bird lost a tail rotor and webt into the river. Pilots got out, not OK and three people drowned in the cabin because it had pneumaticly sealed doors that didnt pop off on impact
A couple of years later that same bird lost a tail rotor and webt into the river. Pilots got out, not OK and three people drowned in the cabin because it had pneumaticly sealed doors that didnt pop off on impact
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: SoCal
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Chuck Smith at George AFB
Ha! I remember when Chuck Smith's trim motor went away. He used a bungee cord to relieve some of the strain and flew it back to base for repairs. If you've never experienced the problem, you don't know what you've missed, ha ha!
Thanks for the memories!
Dorcey
Thanks for the memories!
Dorcey
Join Date: Apr 2013
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Captain Methane
Many thanks for the plug on one of my three books, Gordy!
Am enjoying the thread about RMH and the seismic days. For those of you who haven't read any of my nonfiction stories, I have elaborated about the Rocky Mountain seismic days and added my two cents worth regarding what was good and what was bad about that era. Yes, we lost some good pilots. I've saluted most of the logging pilots in my memoirs, hoping they are not soon forgotten.
"Wind Loggers" - 2015 Edition now available at Xlibris Publishing.
"The Rise and Fall of Captain Methane" - Award-winning autobiography.
"Captain Methane and his Finely Feathered Friends" - 2015 edition available at Xlibris Publishing.
Fun summer reading!
Cheers,
dw
Am enjoying the thread about RMH and the seismic days. For those of you who haven't read any of my nonfiction stories, I have elaborated about the Rocky Mountain seismic days and added my two cents worth regarding what was good and what was bad about that era. Yes, we lost some good pilots. I've saluted most of the logging pilots in my memoirs, hoping they are not soon forgotten.
"Wind Loggers" - 2015 Edition now available at Xlibris Publishing.
"The Rise and Fall of Captain Methane" - Award-winning autobiography.
"Captain Methane and his Finely Feathered Friends" - 2015 edition available at Xlibris Publishing.
Fun summer reading!
Cheers,
dw
Back in the late 80's, I was on HAI's EMS committee... Reid Griffin was the chair and he was with RMH at the time, if i remember correctly... Think he got into marketing with Aerospatiale... no idea where he is now...
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Death Rangers, Long Dangers, Lamas and N214RM
Hi All,
Wow! What memories this forum brings back.
I can't remember everyone I worked with, but they were all great guys.
I crewed quite a few types of aircraft, but mainly supported 214RM until I left in 84'
Here are a few: (Sorry for the misspellings)
Gary Norris, Wayne Forbes, Kurt Sawatzki, Bud Johnson, Brian Brennan, Morris Scott, Dave Fogowaga, The Burgermeister, Semi Lapho, Tom Lights, Mike Cunningham, Brad Warren, Kawalski, Brad Hassey, and the girls in the front office
, Tom Banks, .....
So many great people and only so many functioning brain cells....
Please update with more names.
To all the survivors, cheers! To all those who didn't, cheers and rip!
Jeff
Wow! What memories this forum brings back.
I can't remember everyone I worked with, but they were all great guys.
I crewed quite a few types of aircraft, but mainly supported 214RM until I left in 84'
Here are a few: (Sorry for the misspellings)
Gary Norris, Wayne Forbes, Kurt Sawatzki, Bud Johnson, Brian Brennan, Morris Scott, Dave Fogowaga, The Burgermeister, Semi Lapho, Tom Lights, Mike Cunningham, Brad Warren, Kawalski, Brad Hassey, and the girls in the front office
, Tom Banks, .....So many great people and only so many functioning brain cells....
Please update with more names.
To all the survivors, cheers! To all those who didn't, cheers and rip!
Jeff
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Cambria, Calif.
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Came upon this website looking for info about RMH...great site! I worked as a flight nurse with Lifeflight Southern Calif from 1980-83. Wonderful memories. Anyone know of Ted Cash, Pat Conway, Mike Brand? I believe Joe Sulac was killed in a hell crash in Hawaii, sorry to say.
John Hood
[email protected]
John Hood
[email protected]