"WHO's WHO": What do you fly? Where?
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: queensland
Posts: 19
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What Type Of Flying Work Do You Do?
Marine Pilot Transfer SPIFR 120nm out to sea
What Types Do You Fly?
B206, A109
Where?
Queensland, Australia
Previous Jobs?
Tourism, Instructing
Previous Types?
R22, H269, B47
Military/Ex Military?
Nope!
How Long Have You Been Flying?
7 years or so
How Many Hours?
4000 or so
Most Memorable
Mmmm, close call between fighting fires, teaching autorotations in a TH-55A or watching a squall line of Thunderstorms pass over Uluru at sunset!
Marine Pilot Transfer SPIFR 120nm out to sea
What Types Do You Fly?
B206, A109
Where?
Queensland, Australia
Previous Jobs?
Tourism, Instructing
Previous Types?
R22, H269, B47
Military/Ex Military?
Nope!
How Long Have You Been Flying?
7 years or so
How Many Hours?
4000 or so
Most Memorable
Mmmm, close call between fighting fires, teaching autorotations in a TH-55A or watching a squall line of Thunderstorms pass over Uluru at sunset!
Last edited by birdman; 22nd Feb 2004 at 10:58.
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Norway
Age: 44
Posts: 10
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What type of flying:
Taxi, power line inspection, sightseeing, photo, traffic watch.
Types:
R44 Clipper / Raven
Where:
Norway
Previous jobs:
Flight instructor
Previous types:
R22, HU269, BH47, SA313
How long:
3,5 yrs
Taxi, power line inspection, sightseeing, photo, traffic watch.
Types:
R44 Clipper / Raven
Where:
Norway
Previous jobs:
Flight instructor
Previous types:
R22, HU269, BH47, SA313
How long:
3,5 yrs
I suppose now seems like the right time to do this.
What Type Of Flying Work Do You Do?
At the moment, just getting in to basic commercial flying - pleasure flying in R44 / B206. Plan to do instructor's course in a year or two.
What Types Do You Fly ?
R22, R44, B206
Where?
Mostly FAST @ Thruxton - but willing to fly anyone's machines, especially with so much spare time on my hands !
Previous Jobs?
None in the aviation world. I did try for Bristow's sponsorship in the late 80s / early 90s - got an interview but no job, and they made the ones the did take on redundant after training.
Previous Types?
n/a. But I will admit to fixed wing flying in the past. I'm cured now, though.
Military/Ex Military?
No.
How Long Have You Been Flying?
Started gliding in 1984, f/w in 1989 with a five year gap 1993 - 1998, helicopters in 1998.
How Many Hours?
150 or so f/w, 200 r/w
Most Memorable Flight
Either over the top of McCarran International (Las Vegas) or 500' up the freeway to North Las Vegas, after a trip to Death Valley.
What Type Of Flying Work Do You Do?
At the moment, just getting in to basic commercial flying - pleasure flying in R44 / B206. Plan to do instructor's course in a year or two.
What Types Do You Fly ?
R22, R44, B206
Where?
Mostly FAST @ Thruxton - but willing to fly anyone's machines, especially with so much spare time on my hands !
Previous Jobs?
None in the aviation world. I did try for Bristow's sponsorship in the late 80s / early 90s - got an interview but no job, and they made the ones the did take on redundant after training.
Previous Types?
n/a. But I will admit to fixed wing flying in the past. I'm cured now, though.
Military/Ex Military?
No.
How Long Have You Been Flying?
Started gliding in 1984, f/w in 1989 with a five year gap 1993 - 1998, helicopters in 1998.
How Many Hours?
150 or so f/w, 200 r/w
Most Memorable Flight
Either over the top of McCarran International (Las Vegas) or 500' up the freeway to North Las Vegas, after a trip to Death Valley.
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Dansaff
Posts: 175
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Why not?
What type of flying work do you do?
Instructor training for large US/UK Attack Helicopter Simulator.
What types(s) do you fly?
No real ones right now but get to play virtually every day on the Apache.....('scuse the play there..)
Where?
UK and the US.
Previous jobs?
UK Army Aviation for 25 years, then a couple of years as a solo VIP Pilot/Instr. US Army flight school Instructor.
Previous types?
B47, B206(various), As350, MD500E, Sa341 (Incl a stretched one)
A109, A119
Military / ex-Military? (Which? What types?)
Gazelle, Scout, Allouette deux, Lynx 7 & 9, AH64A, Apache AH1(Longbow)
How long have you been flying?
Since 1979
Hours?
Around 7000.
Memorable Flight
A very early morning hop in a Gazelle over Mt Kenya at about 17k, unforgettable.
Worst experience.
Training in African bush as a young Pilot, misunderstood what the Instructor said and wanted, much to his surprise closed down the engine. Best engine off he ever did! doh!
What type of flying work do you do?
Instructor training for large US/UK Attack Helicopter Simulator.
What types(s) do you fly?
No real ones right now but get to play virtually every day on the Apache.....('scuse the play there..)
Where?
UK and the US.
Previous jobs?
UK Army Aviation for 25 years, then a couple of years as a solo VIP Pilot/Instr. US Army flight school Instructor.
Previous types?
B47, B206(various), As350, MD500E, Sa341 (Incl a stretched one)
A109, A119
Military / ex-Military? (Which? What types?)
Gazelle, Scout, Allouette deux, Lynx 7 & 9, AH64A, Apache AH1(Longbow)
How long have you been flying?
Since 1979
Hours?
Around 7000.
Memorable Flight
A very early morning hop in a Gazelle over Mt Kenya at about 17k, unforgettable.
Worst experience.
Training in African bush as a young Pilot, misunderstood what the Instructor said and wanted, much to his surprise closed down the engine. Best engine off he ever did! doh!
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Australia
Age: 47
Posts: 728
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What Type Of Flying Work Do You Do?
Anything from tourism to bushfire fighting
What Types Do You Fly ?
ASTAR, B206,EC120,R44,R22,B47
Where?
NOW, newcastle aust
Previous Jobs?
National parks, news media, survey, frost protection, ayers rock
Previous Types?
still current on all
Military/Ex Military?
No.
How Long Have You Been Flying?
9 years
How Many Hours?
1750 odd
Most Memorable Flight
Sydney harbour is always hard to beat, but landing in the middle of a meteor crater in central oz has the top spot
Anything from tourism to bushfire fighting
What Types Do You Fly ?
ASTAR, B206,EC120,R44,R22,B47
Where?
NOW, newcastle aust
Previous Jobs?
National parks, news media, survey, frost protection, ayers rock
Previous Types?
still current on all
Military/Ex Military?
No.
How Long Have You Been Flying?
9 years
How Many Hours?
1750 odd
Most Memorable Flight
Sydney harbour is always hard to beat, but landing in the middle of a meteor crater in central oz has the top spot
Howcanwebeexpectedtoflylikeeagles
whensurroundedbyturkeys
1.What types of flying work do you do?
Offshore oil support, Line Training
2. What types do you fly?
AS332 L2
3. Where?
Aberdeen UK
4.Previous jobs?
Aberdeen Chief Pilot, Base Manager for the "pre Year 2000" Bond Helicopters (stick to line flying - its much less hassle)
Offshore based oil support
Onshore general aviation
Short spell (very short) fixed wing (got a type technical on a DC3 but never flew it)
5. Previous types?
S61N, Bolkow105, B206, H300, Whirlwind, Hiller,
6.Military/ Ex-Military?
Civvy
7. How long have you been flying?
25 years and still get a kick out of it
8. How many hours?
14000+
9. Most memorable flight?
Had been doing a pilot transfer by winch to a tanker. Called by coastguard to a rig in distress. Broke cloud at 150’, ½ mile vis to see offshore rig on fire following a blow out. Sea below the rig on fire and flames/smoke pouring up through the derrick. Rig had just been abandoned but one man missing (later found dead in radio room unfortunately).
Worst flight? Offshore shuttle interupted by FOD being ingested into the MGB area. Shut down to inspect in 45kts of wind, attempted to restart just as a gust came through. The result----->
Was subsequently presented with the remains of the rotor brake handle (suitable mounted) which I was left holding after one of the rotor blades sliced through it about one inch above my thumb.
Offshore oil support, Line Training
2. What types do you fly?
AS332 L2
3. Where?
Aberdeen UK
4.Previous jobs?
Aberdeen Chief Pilot, Base Manager for the "pre Year 2000" Bond Helicopters (stick to line flying - its much less hassle)
Offshore based oil support
Onshore general aviation
Short spell (very short) fixed wing (got a type technical on a DC3 but never flew it)
5. Previous types?
S61N, Bolkow105, B206, H300, Whirlwind, Hiller,
6.Military/ Ex-Military?
Civvy
7. How long have you been flying?
25 years and still get a kick out of it
8. How many hours?
14000+
9. Most memorable flight?
Had been doing a pilot transfer by winch to a tanker. Called by coastguard to a rig in distress. Broke cloud at 150’, ½ mile vis to see offshore rig on fire following a blow out. Sea below the rig on fire and flames/smoke pouring up through the derrick. Rig had just been abandoned but one man missing (later found dead in radio room unfortunately).
Worst flight? Offshore shuttle interupted by FOD being ingested into the MGB area. Shut down to inspect in 45kts of wind, attempted to restart just as a gust came through. The result----->
Was subsequently presented with the remains of the rotor brake handle (suitable mounted) which I was left holding after one of the rotor blades sliced through it about one inch above my thumb.
Last edited by HughMartin; 6th Mar 2004 at 21:53.
Guest
Posts: n/a
What types of flying work do you do?
Scheduled Public Transport, Utility work on a live volcano (fun fun)
What Types Do You Fly?
AS365, AS350
Where?
Caribbean
Previous Jobs?
Forestry and Forest Fire Suppression, Tours (of course), Filming and Photography, Offshore Oil and Gas,
Previous Types?
RH22, RH44, BH06, B212/412
Military/Ex Military?
No.
How Long Have You Been Flying?
9 years.
How Many Hours?
4,000
Most Memorable Flight
The one I came closest to killing myself (and a couple others.)
Scheduled Public Transport, Utility work on a live volcano (fun fun)
What Types Do You Fly?
AS365, AS350
Where?
Caribbean
Previous Jobs?
Forestry and Forest Fire Suppression, Tours (of course), Filming and Photography, Offshore Oil and Gas,
Previous Types?
RH22, RH44, BH06, B212/412
Military/Ex Military?
No.
How Long Have You Been Flying?
9 years.
How Many Hours?
4,000
Most Memorable Flight
The one I came closest to killing myself (and a couple others.)
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: S-E Oz
Posts: 7
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What type of flying?
Tourism, Charter
What types?
B206,R44
Where?
Central Australia
Previous jobs?
Farming, Navy
Other types?
H269,B47,R22
Military / Non Military?
not aircrew
How long flying?
3yrs in choppers
Hours?
500+
Most memorable flight?
over the ranges flight at sunset with doors off and great pax!
Tourism, Charter
What types?
B206,R44
Where?
Central Australia
Previous jobs?
Farming, Navy
Other types?
H269,B47,R22
Military / Non Military?
not aircrew
How long flying?
3yrs in choppers
Hours?
500+
Most memorable flight?
over the ranges flight at sunset with doors off and great pax!
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: England
Posts: 75
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What type of flying work do you do?
Hems/Air Ambulance
What types(s) do you fly?
EC135T1/2, Mbb BO105
Where?
North of the equator, South of the Artic circle!
Previous jobs?
Police, ad-hoc charter, tours, training
Previous types?
AS355, Bell 206, R22
Military / ex-Military? (Which? What types?)
Wouldn't have me, ask Thomas Coupling?
How long have you been flying?
Since 1987
Hours?
@6000
Hems/Air Ambulance
What types(s) do you fly?
EC135T1/2, Mbb BO105
Where?
North of the equator, South of the Artic circle!
Previous jobs?
Police, ad-hoc charter, tours, training
Previous types?
AS355, Bell 206, R22
Military / ex-Military? (Which? What types?)
Wouldn't have me, ask Thomas Coupling?
How long have you been flying?
Since 1987
Hours?
@6000
It's not just an adventure....
it's just a job!
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Philippines
Posts: 219
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What type of flying?
In order, Military ASW & SAR, Civilian Air Ambulance and for the past 10 years Offshore Day/Night IFR
What types?
BH05, BH06, BH212, SK61, SK76
Where?
Azerbaijan, Brunei, Canada, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Myanmar, Malaysia, Philippines, Rwanda, Somalia, Thailand,
Previous jobs?
CF and Present
Other types?
Various Planks!
Military / Non Military?
EX
How long flying?
24 years
Hours?
7500+
Most memorable flight?
I'd rather not talk about it!
In order, Military ASW & SAR, Civilian Air Ambulance and for the past 10 years Offshore Day/Night IFR
What types?
BH05, BH06, BH212, SK61, SK76
Where?
Azerbaijan, Brunei, Canada, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Myanmar, Malaysia, Philippines, Rwanda, Somalia, Thailand,
Previous jobs?
CF and Present
Other types?
Various Planks!
Military / Non Military?
EX
How long flying?
24 years
Hours?
7500+
Most memorable flight?
I'd rather not talk about it!
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Canada
Posts: 10
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Thumbnail Sketch
I noticed that there were several different formats in use for this subject so I chose the point-form one that seemed to be the most popular. I wrote a narrative for the most exciting flight part because I like to hear (and tell) the whole story:
Type of Flying:
General charter work. For the last several years mostly seismic and fire fighting.
Type of Aircraft(s):
At this time almost exclusively Bell 212.
Location:
Canada, The United States, Asia, the Middle East and Spain.
Previous Jobs:
I wasn't sure if this applied to other work outside of the industry or jobs held within aviation, so, in a nutshell:
I have been a commercial fisherman, a welder, a heavy equipment operator, a bouncer, an apprentice carpenter (if I'd been an Indian Chief I could be the Village People!) and have experienced myriad other short-term and part-time occupations.
Within the aviation industry I have been a floorsweeper/bathroom cleaner/lawncutter/apprentice a.m.e., a pilot, a check pilot, a chief pilot, a base manager, a safety officer, an operations manager and a primero barbecue chef!
Military/Non-Military:
Well, I've never been in the military but I considered joining the reserves. However, a friend who was in the military asked me what was going to happen in basic training when I was sound asleep at 3:00 a.m. and some 20 year old punk woke me up by throwing my mattress out in the rain and mud and told me to go out and get it... I decided the military probably wasn't for me... at least at my current age and experience level.
Duration of Career:
I started in aviation just over 15 years ago but have been flying full time for just over 10.
Hours Flown:
Approximately 6000.
Most Exciting Flight:
I thought long and hard about this one and I can't decide between two very exciting flights so I decided to include both of them... hopefully this doesn't annoy anyone.
Adrenal Gland Test #1:
Like many similar stories I have heard, there was nothing that I could interpret as being amiss on the day in question. I had already been flying for several hours and was just levelling off at about 400 feet when things took a decided turn for the worse.
Two minutes previously I had been hovering a Bell 206 over the churning waters of a river in North-central Canada, showing my three passengers some well-preserved aboriginal cliff paintings purported to be many hundreds of years old. After everyone had taken pictures, I lightly said, "we'd better get going before the engine quits!", to the accompaniment of nervous laughter.
Just as I pushed the cyclic forward to level off, there was a sound very much like the sound a benchgrinder makes when you force a piece of metal into the wheel hard enough that it starts to slow down. Having never heard such a sound from an aircraft before, I glanced at the front seat passenger to gauge his reaction. He was looking at me very intently and seemed about to ask some questions but, before anybody said anything, there was a sound that must be very similar to what a 10 gauge shotgun fired in the backseat would sound like. The explosion was followed by the panel lighting up like a Christmas tree, all kinds of whistles and horns (I was asked by the accident investigator to list the exact succession of panel indications and aural warnings... something that I found to be absolutely impossible... with the exception of the engine chip light that I definitely noticed illuminating just as we went in the trees), and a very violent shaking. I lowered the collective to recover the, already much decayed, rotor RPM and looked for a spot to land. The area was completely treed except for a grassy area adjacent to a small creek just aft of 9:00 on the port side of the machine. The wind was off my 4:00 position and as I cranked the machine through 180 degrees, I guess I let the airspeed decline excessively because the nose turned about 45 degrees to the left, more or less into the wind... at this point I discovered that the tailrotor pedals had no effect whatsoever. Not really having time to sort out what was going on, I dumped the nose and gained back considerable airspeed (at the cost of altitude), which also caused the nose to straighten out more or less in the direction of travel... until we flared. The spot I hoped to make was never even close, but luckily I hit a spot that was very thinly treed and had room for the aircraft. As I flared the machine turned 90 degrees from the direction of travel and I found myself alternating between my exit door and the windscreen to judge how things were going... not well, I thought at the time. We topped about 12-15 trees with the blades as we came into our spot, and when the trees appeared to stop moving I levelled the aircraft until the trunks were exactly vertical (it was actually kind of handy having all those trees around) and pulled the collective with all my might. The machine pancaked into the ground but it didn't move one inch in any direction from where it landed... which was a good thing considering the sideways motion we would have had in a run-on landing. The skids broke off and the transmission isolation mount broke, but the machine sort of looked like it was parked there... and there wasn't a scratch on anyone. After the landing I went right back to the engine cowlings to investigate the cause of the afternoon's work stoppage and discovered that my hands were shaking so bad I could barely work the latches. It may sound strange to someone that's never had a mechanical failure, but I was overjoyed to see a huge gaping hole in the turbine case through which the #1 wheel had decided to leave the aircraft. I was doubly thrilled to notice that the tailrotor driveshaft had been cut by the departing debris, and the holes in the engine pan showed that the tailrotor push-pull tube which runs beneath had also been severed, as if by an axe. I could actually see the ground beneath the helicopter through the engine pan, because the entrance/exit wounds grew larger with every layer that the turbine wheel debris passed through on its exodus.
The passengers were very cool about everything. A company 206 came to pick us up and these guys wanted to finish the day's tasks! So I stayed with the wreck and the other pilot flew them around for a couple of hours and then they came back and got me.
Adrenal Gland Test #2:
This is a much shorter story, and would never have happened if I hadn't been on some other planet on the day in question.
I had been tasked with establishing a level of currency with a couple of low-time pilots at a northern base in Canada. These guys hadn't really flown much in one or two years since getting their licences and we were trying to get them up to speed for the upcoming season. One of the guys had only ever flown an R-22 and was receiving a 206 endorsement at the same time. Unfortunately we didn't have a 206 available for training so the plan was changed so that the 206 endorsement would be handled at the head office. The pilot was a little nervous about not flying anything for a couple of years and suggested that we go out in an AS 350 (we call all 350's Astars in Canada, but I know it varies around the world) so he could at least get some practice in... off we went. Everything went well over the next two and a half hours so I decided to show the pilot some emergency procedures in the 350. Why I did this in an aircraft he wouldn't be flying for a few years should be chalked up to ego I guess, because there is no rational explanation that I can come up with (and I've tried, believe me). I showed him tailrotor failures and hydraulic failures and governor failures, etc., etc. Then, at minimum fuel, I decided to show him an autorotation and head back to the hangar. The one thing I really dislike about the 350 for emergency procedure training is the lack of a twistgrip throttle, and the equally annoying lack of an idle detent. It is so awkward and ungainly having to let go of the cyclic, lean to the right and bring the throttle back to idle while the other pilot controls the entry into autorotation. In this case I told him that I would bring the throttle back so all he needed to do was, "smoothly lower the collective, keep it straight with pedal and start to bring the airspeed back". What could be simpler?
Part of the problem was that he had only ever flown an R-22. I had never flown one so I had no idea what to expect of a pilot who had only ever entered autorotation in one type of (reportedly) extremely skittish helicopter.
I leaned to the right and looked at the Ng gauge (procedure being to back the throttle lever out of the gate and then "jerk" it back until it hits the thumb you have placed as a rudimentary detent. Then you make fine adjustments until the Ng is set at 70%). As I brought the throttle back my world turned upside down... literally. The pilot on the right, as soon as he felt the first twitch in the airframe, bottomed the collective, pulled the cyclic all the way back and entered FULL RIGHT pedal.
I was thrown so hard up against my door that I thought I had broken something. It certainly didn't help that my nose was now occupying the place that my left ear had been for the last thirty something years! As I tried to pry myself off of the door and deal with the blaring low-rotor horn, I looked through the roof window and, to my surprise, I was looking at the runway center line! I don't know how far over I was, but I managed to roll us back the other way, put in full LEFT pedal and dove to recover airspeed... at this time I hear the other pilot say, "you have control", in a surprisingly calm voice. Our rotor RPM had decayed to well below the green arc for power-off but our airspeed hit about 80 knots as it was time to flare. The horn had just stopped sounding when I pulled the collective and landed on the intersection of two runways, gentle as a feather with a heart rate well over 200 bpm!
Those are my two most exciting flights but I can think of many minor excitements over the years... one of the reasons I really love this business!
HV
Type of Flying:
General charter work. For the last several years mostly seismic and fire fighting.
Type of Aircraft(s):
At this time almost exclusively Bell 212.
Location:
Canada, The United States, Asia, the Middle East and Spain.
Previous Jobs:
I wasn't sure if this applied to other work outside of the industry or jobs held within aviation, so, in a nutshell:
I have been a commercial fisherman, a welder, a heavy equipment operator, a bouncer, an apprentice carpenter (if I'd been an Indian Chief I could be the Village People!) and have experienced myriad other short-term and part-time occupations.
Within the aviation industry I have been a floorsweeper/bathroom cleaner/lawncutter/apprentice a.m.e., a pilot, a check pilot, a chief pilot, a base manager, a safety officer, an operations manager and a primero barbecue chef!
Military/Non-Military:
Well, I've never been in the military but I considered joining the reserves. However, a friend who was in the military asked me what was going to happen in basic training when I was sound asleep at 3:00 a.m. and some 20 year old punk woke me up by throwing my mattress out in the rain and mud and told me to go out and get it... I decided the military probably wasn't for me... at least at my current age and experience level.
Duration of Career:
I started in aviation just over 15 years ago but have been flying full time for just over 10.
Hours Flown:
Approximately 6000.
Most Exciting Flight:
I thought long and hard about this one and I can't decide between two very exciting flights so I decided to include both of them... hopefully this doesn't annoy anyone.
Adrenal Gland Test #1:
Like many similar stories I have heard, there was nothing that I could interpret as being amiss on the day in question. I had already been flying for several hours and was just levelling off at about 400 feet when things took a decided turn for the worse.
Two minutes previously I had been hovering a Bell 206 over the churning waters of a river in North-central Canada, showing my three passengers some well-preserved aboriginal cliff paintings purported to be many hundreds of years old. After everyone had taken pictures, I lightly said, "we'd better get going before the engine quits!", to the accompaniment of nervous laughter.
Just as I pushed the cyclic forward to level off, there was a sound very much like the sound a benchgrinder makes when you force a piece of metal into the wheel hard enough that it starts to slow down. Having never heard such a sound from an aircraft before, I glanced at the front seat passenger to gauge his reaction. He was looking at me very intently and seemed about to ask some questions but, before anybody said anything, there was a sound that must be very similar to what a 10 gauge shotgun fired in the backseat would sound like. The explosion was followed by the panel lighting up like a Christmas tree, all kinds of whistles and horns (I was asked by the accident investigator to list the exact succession of panel indications and aural warnings... something that I found to be absolutely impossible... with the exception of the engine chip light that I definitely noticed illuminating just as we went in the trees), and a very violent shaking. I lowered the collective to recover the, already much decayed, rotor RPM and looked for a spot to land. The area was completely treed except for a grassy area adjacent to a small creek just aft of 9:00 on the port side of the machine. The wind was off my 4:00 position and as I cranked the machine through 180 degrees, I guess I let the airspeed decline excessively because the nose turned about 45 degrees to the left, more or less into the wind... at this point I discovered that the tailrotor pedals had no effect whatsoever. Not really having time to sort out what was going on, I dumped the nose and gained back considerable airspeed (at the cost of altitude), which also caused the nose to straighten out more or less in the direction of travel... until we flared. The spot I hoped to make was never even close, but luckily I hit a spot that was very thinly treed and had room for the aircraft. As I flared the machine turned 90 degrees from the direction of travel and I found myself alternating between my exit door and the windscreen to judge how things were going... not well, I thought at the time. We topped about 12-15 trees with the blades as we came into our spot, and when the trees appeared to stop moving I levelled the aircraft until the trunks were exactly vertical (it was actually kind of handy having all those trees around) and pulled the collective with all my might. The machine pancaked into the ground but it didn't move one inch in any direction from where it landed... which was a good thing considering the sideways motion we would have had in a run-on landing. The skids broke off and the transmission isolation mount broke, but the machine sort of looked like it was parked there... and there wasn't a scratch on anyone. After the landing I went right back to the engine cowlings to investigate the cause of the afternoon's work stoppage and discovered that my hands were shaking so bad I could barely work the latches. It may sound strange to someone that's never had a mechanical failure, but I was overjoyed to see a huge gaping hole in the turbine case through which the #1 wheel had decided to leave the aircraft. I was doubly thrilled to notice that the tailrotor driveshaft had been cut by the departing debris, and the holes in the engine pan showed that the tailrotor push-pull tube which runs beneath had also been severed, as if by an axe. I could actually see the ground beneath the helicopter through the engine pan, because the entrance/exit wounds grew larger with every layer that the turbine wheel debris passed through on its exodus.
The passengers were very cool about everything. A company 206 came to pick us up and these guys wanted to finish the day's tasks! So I stayed with the wreck and the other pilot flew them around for a couple of hours and then they came back and got me.
Adrenal Gland Test #2:
This is a much shorter story, and would never have happened if I hadn't been on some other planet on the day in question.
I had been tasked with establishing a level of currency with a couple of low-time pilots at a northern base in Canada. These guys hadn't really flown much in one or two years since getting their licences and we were trying to get them up to speed for the upcoming season. One of the guys had only ever flown an R-22 and was receiving a 206 endorsement at the same time. Unfortunately we didn't have a 206 available for training so the plan was changed so that the 206 endorsement would be handled at the head office. The pilot was a little nervous about not flying anything for a couple of years and suggested that we go out in an AS 350 (we call all 350's Astars in Canada, but I know it varies around the world) so he could at least get some practice in... off we went. Everything went well over the next two and a half hours so I decided to show the pilot some emergency procedures in the 350. Why I did this in an aircraft he wouldn't be flying for a few years should be chalked up to ego I guess, because there is no rational explanation that I can come up with (and I've tried, believe me). I showed him tailrotor failures and hydraulic failures and governor failures, etc., etc. Then, at minimum fuel, I decided to show him an autorotation and head back to the hangar. The one thing I really dislike about the 350 for emergency procedure training is the lack of a twistgrip throttle, and the equally annoying lack of an idle detent. It is so awkward and ungainly having to let go of the cyclic, lean to the right and bring the throttle back to idle while the other pilot controls the entry into autorotation. In this case I told him that I would bring the throttle back so all he needed to do was, "smoothly lower the collective, keep it straight with pedal and start to bring the airspeed back". What could be simpler?
Part of the problem was that he had only ever flown an R-22. I had never flown one so I had no idea what to expect of a pilot who had only ever entered autorotation in one type of (reportedly) extremely skittish helicopter.
I leaned to the right and looked at the Ng gauge (procedure being to back the throttle lever out of the gate and then "jerk" it back until it hits the thumb you have placed as a rudimentary detent. Then you make fine adjustments until the Ng is set at 70%). As I brought the throttle back my world turned upside down... literally. The pilot on the right, as soon as he felt the first twitch in the airframe, bottomed the collective, pulled the cyclic all the way back and entered FULL RIGHT pedal.
I was thrown so hard up against my door that I thought I had broken something. It certainly didn't help that my nose was now occupying the place that my left ear had been for the last thirty something years! As I tried to pry myself off of the door and deal with the blaring low-rotor horn, I looked through the roof window and, to my surprise, I was looking at the runway center line! I don't know how far over I was, but I managed to roll us back the other way, put in full LEFT pedal and dove to recover airspeed... at this time I hear the other pilot say, "you have control", in a surprisingly calm voice. Our rotor RPM had decayed to well below the green arc for power-off but our airspeed hit about 80 knots as it was time to flare. The horn had just stopped sounding when I pulled the collective and landed on the intersection of two runways, gentle as a feather with a heart rate well over 200 bpm!
Those are my two most exciting flights but I can think of many minor excitements over the years... one of the reasons I really love this business!
HV
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: With my head in the clouds
Posts: 73
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Here's mine:
What type of flying work do you do?
Offshore / North Sea
What types(s) do you fly?
S76
Where?
Holland
Previous jobs?
Not aviation
Previous types?
R22,R44
Military / ex-Military? (Which? What types?)
Civil
How long have you been flying?
5 years
Hours?
500+
DJG
What type of flying work do you do?
Offshore / North Sea
What types(s) do you fly?
S76
Where?
Holland
Previous jobs?
Not aviation
Previous types?
R22,R44
Military / ex-Military? (Which? What types?)
Civil
How long have you been flying?
5 years
Hours?
500+
DJG
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: West Palm Beach, Florida
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
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What type of flying?
Instruction
What types?
SK-76/SK-92
Where?
South Florida
Previous jobs?
22 yrs military/Offshore GOM
Other types?
TH55-UH1-OH-58-CH-47's (all models)-L1/L3-SK-76A/A+/A++/B/C
Military / Non Military?
Mostly Test Flying
How long flying?
since 1974
Hours?
5000
Most memorable flight?
Landing at the U.S. Capital in the "Double Headed Dumptruck"
Instruction
What types?
SK-76/SK-92
Where?
South Florida
Previous jobs?
22 yrs military/Offshore GOM
Other types?
TH55-UH1-OH-58-CH-47's (all models)-L1/L3-SK-76A/A+/A++/B/C
Military / Non Military?
Mostly Test Flying
How long flying?
since 1974
Hours?
5000
Most memorable flight?
Landing at the U.S. Capital in the "Double Headed Dumptruck"
Join Date: May 2005
Location: London
Posts: 101
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What type of flying?
Student
What types?
R-22
Where?
Redhill
Previous jobs?
Currently electrical engineer, going to be pilot.
Other types?
Military / Non Military?
How long flying?
nearly 2 weeks
Hours?
14
Most memorable flight?
The first one, it was only last week.
H.
Student
What types?
R-22
Where?
Redhill
Previous jobs?
Currently electrical engineer, going to be pilot.
Other types?
Military / Non Military?
How long flying?
nearly 2 weeks
Hours?
14
Most memorable flight?
The first one, it was only last week.
H.
What type of flying work do you do?
Instructing / General Charter
What types(s) do you fly?
R22 / R44 / B206 / AS350
Where?
In the sky...
Previous jobs?
Paper Round
Previous types?
Erm... bicycle.
Military / ex-Military? (Which? What types?)
Civil
How long have you been flying?
6 years
Hours?
1000+
TiP
Instructing / General Charter
What types(s) do you fly?
R22 / R44 / B206 / AS350
Where?
In the sky...
Previous jobs?
Paper Round
Previous types?
Erm... bicycle.
Military / ex-Military? (Which? What types?)
Civil
How long have you been flying?
6 years
Hours?
1000+
TiP
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: australia
Posts: 94
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What type of flying work do you do?
This summer, forestry contract
What types(s) do you fly?
MD500/ B206 / AS350
Where?
Somewhere between the Artic and Antartic
Previous jobs?
Mustering/powerlines/charter/fires/airwork
Previous types?
R22/R44/B47?KH4
Military / ex-Military? (Which? What types?)
Civil
How long have you been flying?
7 years
Hours?
6000 ++++
This summer, forestry contract
What types(s) do you fly?
MD500/ B206 / AS350
Where?
Somewhere between the Artic and Antartic
Previous jobs?
Mustering/powerlines/charter/fires/airwork
Previous types?
R22/R44/B47?KH4
Military / ex-Military? (Which? What types?)
Civil
How long have you been flying?
7 years
Hours?
6000 ++++
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Florida/Sandbox/UK
Posts: 324
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What type of flying work do you do?
Nowadays - Mostly charter/aerial work
What types(s) do you fly?
206/H500/Allouette II/R22
Where?
Florida
Previous jobs?
Brit Mil, Kuwait Airways, Big Florida Flight School
Previous types?
Gazelle, Lynx, Scout, A109, Puma
Military / ex-Military? (Which? What types?)
Ex Mil
How long have you been flying?
25 Years
Hours?
8,000+
Most Memorable Flights:
1. Crashing in slow motion in Kuwait.
2. On a military exercise, solo in a 109, on goggles, low-level over the Irish Sea, flying North to my native Scotland on a beautiful winter's night. I could see the auroraborialis through the goggles all the way there.
Nowadays - Mostly charter/aerial work
What types(s) do you fly?
206/H500/Allouette II/R22
Where?
Florida
Previous jobs?
Brit Mil, Kuwait Airways, Big Florida Flight School
Previous types?
Gazelle, Lynx, Scout, A109, Puma
Military / ex-Military? (Which? What types?)
Ex Mil
How long have you been flying?
25 Years
Hours?
8,000+
Most Memorable Flights:
1. Crashing in slow motion in Kuwait.
2. On a military exercise, solo in a 109, on goggles, low-level over the Irish Sea, flying North to my native Scotland on a beautiful winter's night. I could see the auroraborialis through the goggles all the way there.
There are no limits
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Shrewsbury, England.
Age: 67
Posts: 505
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What type of flying work do you do?
Currently UK Police
What types(s) do you fly?
EC 135 T1
Where?
England
Previous jobs?
Brit Mil, Flying instructor at a very large military flying school in Shropshire, England. UK HEMS and Police, Ascot, Silverstone.
Previous types?
Chipmunk, Gazelle, Lynx, Islander, Firefly, Bo 105, Explorer, AS355, EC 135 T.
Military / ex-Military? (Which? What types?)
Ex Mil - first five types above.
How long have you been flying?
23 Years
Hours?
6,000+
Most Memorable Flights:
They have all been memorable, and some I would not care to remember anyway!
The biggest honour is to be posting this just after a long lost friend (hihover) whom I made contact with through pprune!
Sorry must not get misty eyed!
Currently UK Police
What types(s) do you fly?
EC 135 T1
Where?
England
Previous jobs?
Brit Mil, Flying instructor at a very large military flying school in Shropshire, England. UK HEMS and Police, Ascot, Silverstone.
Previous types?
Chipmunk, Gazelle, Lynx, Islander, Firefly, Bo 105, Explorer, AS355, EC 135 T.
Military / ex-Military? (Which? What types?)
Ex Mil - first five types above.
How long have you been flying?
23 Years
Hours?
6,000+
Most Memorable Flights:
They have all been memorable, and some I would not care to remember anyway!
The biggest honour is to be posting this just after a long lost friend (hihover) whom I made contact with through pprune!
Sorry must not get misty eyed!