Low Time Pilot Reading List
 

Hey all, I was wondering if anyone had any good resources- studies, papers, books, crash reports, that would be good for a low timer to read up on. I have a smidge of operational experience, and am wanting to find more about the numerous blind spots/ gaps I have in the small amount of flying Ive done.

Good place to start
 

I find accident reports are a great resource and a sobering reminder. UK ones can be found here and filtered by type.

https://www.gov.uk/aaib-reports?airc...ion-rotorcraft

Fatal traps for helicopter pilots by Greg Whyte
and of course ya can’t not read Chickenhawk by Robert Mason 😊

Start with the "Classics".....

"Fate Is The Hunter" by Ernest Gann along with other books. I submit that in order to be an Aviator one must know Gann!

Richard Bach with his "Stranger To The Ground" and several other Books
Saint-Exupéry...... "Wind,Sand, and Stars" and other offerings

Francis Chichester....."Solo To Sydney", "Ride On The Wind", "Alone Over The Tasman Sea"

There are many different lists of such writers and books one can draw from.

Low Level Hell (Hugh Mills)
Chickenhawk (Robert Mason)
Snake Pilot (Randy Zahn)
Apache (Ed Macy)
Flying the Knife Edge (Russel Thomson) STOL Fixed wing flying in Papua New Guinea, very interesting stuff
Flilght for Life (Gerold Biner)
Heart of the Storm (Edward Fleming)
Alan Bristow Helicopter Pioneer (Biography)

I'd add Dustoff, Michael Novosel to your list. The first four are behind me in the book case.

watching air crash investigations on youtube/tv. Most of them are about airplanes but many have a root cause that can be transferred to helicopters: stress, FTL, communication, commercial pressure, weather etc.

Thanks! The UK reports will be a good one to look over, I would imagine you guys have a much more busy airspace

Read that many, many years ago. Just bought a copy to read again. :ok:​​​​​​​

There is one intersting episode covering a Puma that ditched after the TR was damaged by lightening. (If I remember correctly)

jjhof - I think you should start with Shawn Coyle's excellent book 'Cyclic and Collective' and then try to find copies of Ray Prouty's books.

If you are looking to go the professional route, you won't find a better reference than 'Professional Helicopter Pilot Studies' from capt.gs authored by Paco who is on here frequently.:ok:

These are excellent at reminding you how fragile and fallible the art of piloting is. The main takeaways from reading decades of accident reports include;

1. There is never a circumstance where you really "have" to fly.
2. Accidents don't care how many hours or how much experience you have. On the day, stupid mistakes and unprofessionalism kill us all.
3. If you are not flying in a professional environment (i.e. regular check rides and simulators) make sure you fly with an instructor from time to time. We all develop bad habits.
4. Once in the air, if the weather changes, it never gets better, it only gets worse.

My first chief pilot was a old timer who had been flying twice as long as I was alive, #4 reminds me of something he would always say; "if you're thinking of landing because of weather, you should have been on the ground 15 minutes ago"

Yes there was - G-TIGK, January 1995. Unfortunately the program is full of artistic license and terrible animations, but at least includes interviews with Ced and Lionel (crew), which is not possible with most episodes!