Re: "Interesting" NY Times Article

[Steve R.]

That's an interesting one. Thanks for sharing.

I'm curious why they can't account for the hours flown. The article
indicates that they don't have data on past hours flown so they can't
speculate whether or not the increase in accidents has anything to do with
an increased number of hours flown as more companies come into the business.
I'm not sure I buy that. They should have maintenance records on these
birds and they have to do certain routine maintenance proceedures based on
hours flown. Why wouldn't these numbers be available?

The last paragraph said that several operators stated that they "do not"
pressure their pilots to take on high risk missions. I hope I'm wrong but I
have a hard time believing that one too!

Fly Safe,
Steve R.


"The OTHER Kevin in San Diego" <skiddz "AT" adelphia "DOT" net> wrote in
message ...
> http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/28/national/28copter.html?ex=1267333200&en=09088a984cf0c3f9&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland

[SHIVER ME TIMBERS]

Interesting indeed.

Up here in Alberta Canada, we have STARS Air Ambulance, operated by
the government ( I presume ). They run a yearly lottery to raise
additional funds, and the lottery always sells out within weeks.

It is highly thought of by the general population and has proven its
worth more times than could be counted.

Based in our two largest cities, Calgary in the South, Edmonton in the
North, they cover a Province whose size is larger than Texas with four
BK-117 twin engine machines.

http://www.stars.ca/what_we_do/fleet.asp

Although there are private air ambulances operating fix wing jets
and turboprops, to the best of my knowledge there are no private
helicopter air ambulances in Alberta, and possibly none in Western
Canada, or all of Canada.

My fellow Canadians can correct me if I am wrong on that.

Well Kevin I don't know if there is a future in the air abulance field
for you...... At a minimun you probably have about 1450 more hours
to go before some of the operators would give you a look.

And getting those 1450 more hours is always the problem.

Interesting to note that the article mentions the looming possibility
of a helicopter pilot shortage.

For anyone interested in helicopters as a flying career the problem
always seems to be the high number or hours required before the
industry will look at you and the lousy pay scale once you have clawed
your way into a seat....... Correct me if I am wrong on those two
points.

[[email protected]]

Steve R. wrote:
> That's an interesting one. Thanks for sharing.
>
> I'm curious why they can't account for the hours flown. The article
> indicates that they don't have data on past hours flown so they can't

> speculate whether or not the increase in accidents has anything to do
with
> an increased number of hours flown as more companies come into the
business.
> I'm not sure I buy that. They should have maintenance records on
these
> birds and they have to do certain routine maintenance proceedures
based on
> hours flown. Why wouldn't these numbers be available?
>
> The last paragraph said that several operators stated that they "do
not"
> pressure their pilots to take on high risk missions. I hope I'm
wrong but I
> have a hard time believing that one too!
>
> Fly Safe,
> Steve R.
>
>
> "The OTHER Kevin in San Diego" <skiddz "AT" adelphia "DOT" net> wrote
in
> message ...
> >
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/28/national/28copter.html?ex=1267333200&en=09088a984cf0c3f9&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland

[SHIVER ME TIMBERS]

> The OTHER Kevin in San Diego wrote:

> Firefighting is where I want to be.
> Preferrably in one of those Erikson SkyCranes...

Kinda makes you wonder where Erikson sees their next generation of
pilots coming from.

I imagine some of their current crop came out of the Viet Nam era and
are possibly approaching the age of retirement.

[Jim Carriere]

Steve R. wrote:
> The last paragraph said that several operators stated that they "do not"
> pressure their pilots to take on high risk missions. I hope I'm wrong but I
> have a hard time believing that one too!

FWIW, I saw a public affairs guy who works for one of the helo
ambulance operators. One of the points in his presentation is that
the go/no-go decision making process emphasizes risk management. The
pilot in command is not told anything about the patient(s) before
he/she makes their decision. IIRC, anyone in the crew is also free
to refuse the mission. All in all it seemed like a sound work
environment.

Of course, as you say, it would be naive to take that at face value.
After all, anything that warrants an airevac will be a serious life
or death matter, that and nobody wants the reputation of being the
proverbial guy who cancels whenever there is one cloud in the sky a
hundred miles away.

[SHIVER ME TIMBERS]

> The OTHER Kevin in San Diego wrote:

> Doing some vertical reference work in one of those would be sweet too.

Well you will be breathing rarified air if you ever get to do any work
in one of those babies.

Many, many, many years ago a guy used to come into where I worked and
chatted.

He told me he had been a fighter pilot in the post war luftwaffe and
had the pictures to prove it.

Don't know how he did it but he managed to go from flying fighters to
flying helicopters.

One day he talked about taking his visiting parents out to the airport
and renting a 206 for a couple of hours.

I thought riiiiiggggghhhhhhtttt.

Well a few days later the chief pilot from the local helicopter firm is
in the store and I asked him if this guy could just come up there and
without flying for a couple of years just rent a 206 and his reply was
yes he could.

He then went on to explain that this guy had flown Sikorsky Skycranes
for a number of years while in the military, and that when he retired
and moved to Canada, somoene had literally come to his door one night
and asked if he'd like to fly one of the first civivlian versions that
had been allowed into the open market.

Needles to say he said yes, and he had the pictures to prove it.

Follow your dreams Kevin, follow your dreams.

[Simon Robbins]

"The OTHER Kevin in San Diego" <skiddz "AT" adelphia "DOT" net> wrote in
message ...
> I had a chat with one of the Erikson factory pilots at Heli Expo and
> asked about qualifications to get into one of those monsters. He said
> 1,000 hours as PIC and then you attend their Part 141 school for the
> type rating. I asked if that 1,000 PIC had any turbine requirements
> and he said it could be all piston time. Sure gave me a focal point
> for my future..

I'd love to do this job: www.temscoair.com for a summer season. 1000 hours
piston experience required and they provide all turbine training. Of
course, the work permit will be my problem and probably prevent me from
having that opportunity, since the J1 Visa I'll be on (doing my training at
HAI in Florida starting September) restricts me to instructing work only
afterwards.

Si