Bliss .....
 

One of our contributors (StevieTerrier) describes what he finds the most satisfying aspect of his work as: Is this your idea of what flying a helicopter for a living is all about?

If not .....

* What's your idea of fun in a helicopter

* Straight and level on autopilot at 5000', or something a little more challenging?

* Looking at the flying you've done in your career to date, what have you found to be the most rewarding/interesting/satisfying aspects of the job?



If security considerations allow, it would be great to get some input from mil pilots.

I'm still new to the playing field, everything I'm learning now is fun for me at this point. So I'll take the questions towards my mil time and ops I've done and hope to in the future. Of course I'll trade with Steve to build up T-Bine time hehe ... :)

I find low level to be really fun, whether hovering or flying at cruise, just being down where you can see stuff.

Precision hovering / confined area landings are what I consider a challenge, being able to get it into a location, safely and getting out as well. I hope to get more experience in that reguard as I want to eventually do EMS work.

Some hoisting situations I've been in have given me a fright, when you're on the hhoist you are expendable if something happens to the heli, worst thing I've had is while coming back up they got a chip light on #2, luckily they kept composure and we moved to a clearing and set me down, then moved further away and set down, they could have just hit cable cut and dunked me ...

Right now I'm pleased if my CFI says that the maneuver I performed would meet commercial/CFI standards, meaning I really can learn this stuff! :)


------------------
Marc

[This message has been edited by RW-1 (edited 31 May 2001).]

* What do you find the most rewarding/interesting/satisfying aspect of the job?

I found precision longline to be the most rewarding thing I've ever done. There was always a great feeling at the end of the day to see what you had built, be it a tower, bridge, diamond drill, or what have you.

In addition, it just HAS to be the most interesting thing in the world to learn about so many different industries. One job you're moving heavy equipment for a mining outfit, then you're putting an antenna on a tower for a phone company, working with Hydro crews on a broken power line, catching poachers on a salmon river for Fisheries, flying gold bars from a remote mine for Brinks, banding geese or darting caribou for the Wildlife Dept, Polar Bear surveys in the Arctic, fighting a forest fire, moving UN crews from a desert base in Somalia......how many industries could be that interesting?

The other part of the business that I loved was the places we got to see and work in. My career has brought me all across Canada, including the High Arctic (my personal favorite as most beautiful place on the planet), Asia, Africa, and the US.

What better way to see these places than by actually working with a helicopter? Sure, the Jet Jockeys get to see all the hotels and airports, but they don't SEE the country like we do. For example, during my stint in Cambodia, I visited virtually every village in the country and flew over every square foot. Tell me another career where you can do that?

And still we bitch and complain.....at least I do :rolleyes:

[This message has been edited by CTD (edited 31 May 2001).]

I read an interesting article in Smithsonian Air and Space a few months ago about helo pilots who flew power line repair jobs.

They hover next to the power line and "ground" the helo to the power line being worked on (making it electrically neutral), and maneuver a repair technician (on a platform between the skids) next to the power line (or tower) that needs repair. Then they have to hold a hover right next to the power line until the repair is completed.

BTW, the repair technician has to wear special clothing because of the intensity of the electric field he is working in. And yes, the cost justification for this type of work is that you don't have to shut down the power grid while the work is being performed.

Does anyone here do this kind of flying? It has absolutely no appeal for me.

------------------
Safe flying to you...

[This message has been edited by Flight Safety (edited 31 May 2001).]

My former employer, CHL, does a similar thing in Canada but not with a platform. They use an integrated tool system where the aircraft has a tool attachment on one side (basically a giant hook) and a counterweight on the other. They call it Helinas. The attachment hooks on to a man-carrier, a tool basket, or a trolley. The TwinStar hovers next to the appropriate basket or tool and slides in to hook up, then carries the load up to the powerline where it places the load on the wire.

Very slick system, and the guys who fly it are serious pros.

Belize, Puma, Radalt set to 50ft and if the light went out at 140kts, we were too high! (but there was only one power cable in Belize!!!). I don't do it anymore - really.....

Yes oldbeefs, but that was day/VMC n'est ce pas? Surely the best/most demanding/most-fun-with-your trousers-on in a military helo has GOT to be on goggles.

PS. Did you ever have a yellow mini?

------------------
tee-head

Sorry, Teeteringhead, can't agree there.

Until they make full colour goggles that give you an unrestricted field of view, they won't provide a patch on the visual splendours you see when nipping around among the hills and trees at low level.

I find the two fuzzy green dunny rolls detract greatly from the sense of being 'right there' amongst it all, unfortunately.

As for favourite places, where to start?
Playing around in the snow;

flying over a cliff edge at low level and getting the 'drop off' view as you go over the lip;

shutting down on a coral beach for a couple of hours during a lull in a task;

in PNG with 100 ft on the radalt and 10 000 on the altimeter;

roaring around at low level practising quickstops into pads;

aaahhh....rotary wing.

Mountain Flying. Flying both by feel and instruments. The actual challenge to get to the area that you want to be without getting killed and then hovering/winching and getting out again.

To operate in such a rapidly changing environment - definately the best poling that you can get for a helo. Definately more piloty than pucnh the auto-pilot and go.

Come on guys, let's be serious here.

The best flying for most of us is when we break six figures in a year!

Cheers, OffshoreIgor http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/eek.gif

PS: 212 at 16000' DA on a Volcano Edge has to at least get some mention.

After more than 3000 hours, I really appreciate flying with all modes engaged such as ALT, AIRSPEED, NAV or HDG.

From my experience, the most demanding situations where the night hovering over fishing boats for rescue. It is really a special job, scarring, frightening, impresive. But, while the job was done, it was a huge sense of relief to climb a bit, let say 500 ft and engage the AP back to the station.

My most enjoyable experience lasted 30 minutes, in the front seat of a USM supercobra doing a live rocket strike on scrap italian tanks in decci momanau (spelling). 50' / 120kts / 3G turns!

Nowadays HEMS ops gives me a buzzzzzz.

------------------
Thermal runaway.

Hi teeteringhead. Yellow Mini? Certainly did, Stanley, but I've swopped it for a '69 Bonnie! [email protected]

Guys...
try landing on a small fregat..small helispot.. moving in rough sea's.. no auto hook like the yanks. to pull you safely down, no stabilized horizon bar etc.. just seat of the pants flying in the dark atlantic nights..
pfff those guys above you flying transallantic FL 350 heheh who is flying http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/cool.gif

Guys come on, no really come on! The best is: (take your pick)

1. Low flying 50ft / 140 kts.
2. Low flying at night on NVG, 250 ft / 130 kts
3. Operating of a rolling deck at night.
4. Lifting 8 tonne as a single or tripe usl.
5. Fighter evasion.
6. Proceedural IF (if you must!)

Just a few of the every-day tasks of a Chinook crew.

The Badger

'Variety' is the key to maintain the thrill in flying. As for me now after ten types of Helicopter and eight types of Planks I can say that each had their moments of excitement (and demanding flying). Enjoy all you've got now, but be prepared to move on. The best job is one with alot of variety / chance for change because there is alot to enjoy up there.

Gee, I must be a boring pilot. I seriously need to get some more experience. And I thought wet stretcher winching and autohover was challenging and exciting

After a life time of doing almost everything with helicopters that helicopters do, it is indeed a singular experience to suddenly find yourself able to take off into a 500' ceiling, punch the button at 300' and then stay on autopilot until you're level at 50' over the runway centerline once again. It is such a totally different type of cockpit management and believe me, you won't get bored.

After all these years of flying them, what has become clear to me more than anything else though is this:

The most thrilling thing I have ever done in a helicopter is strap in for the first flight of the day knowing that I will once again get to experience the feeling of being master of the most amazing flying machine ever invented .... and not yey knowing what the flight is going to be like. It's those first two or three minutes that continue to give me the greatest thrill of all.

Cheers

helidrvr
"After a life time of doing almost everything with helicopters that helicopters do ..........."
That makes quite a difference! :)

Any Aussie Wessex drivers remember this-six aircraft formations at night over water (100 feet ASL?),no lights other than cyalume sticks strapped to the oleos and tail. Almost as scary as Mike Lehan's 12 ship calender photo shoots!