Category Archives: Flying Stories
Would they ever have guessed?…conclusion
Landing number…who knows, how many with many more to come. My passengers are delighted by their short rides and although its the same circuit and the same comments “Ad nauseam”, I smile and tell my disembarking passengers that they are … Continue reading →
Would they ever have guessed?
One of the helicopter companies I worked for in the ’70’s was a struggling Ma & Pa outfit that had started with a dream and not enough capitol. I was a low time pilot, with son number one just one … Continue reading →
How hard could it be?…answered.
Gray, murky, drizzly and just above freezing. April weather in Revelstoke B.C. where the drizzle falls as snow somewhere above us in the higher mountains. This is Heli skiing country where the snow stays till late May. Happy skiers on … Continue reading →
Posted in Contract helicopter pilot, Flying Stories, Helicopter Pilot, Random rantings
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Tagged Helicopter logging
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A Helicopter made worse….conclusion
I never told this to the CASB . The Canadian Air Safety Board. If I had of told the investigators the whole story it would have explained a lot. It would have, if not exonerated me, at least, placed blame … Continue reading →
Posted in Flying Stories, helicopter firefighting, Helicopter Pilot
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Tagged helicopter firefighting
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Same tribe, different town
Buffalo Narrows. The shithead capitol of Northern Saskatchewan. The clean morning light couldn’t put a happier face on this litter strewn, rag bag of a mostly Indian town. Garbage, ravens and an ATV- sans-muffler, to get my morning started. “Rick, … Continue reading →
A Helicopter Made Worse
Spring time in Northern Saskatchewan. Unless you are a fly-in-fishing sort of person you most likely know very little about this Canadian Province. It is known as one of the prairie provinces based on the 30% that is actually prairie. … Continue reading →
Posted in Contract helicopter pilot, Flying Stories, helicopter firefighting, Helicopter Pilot
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Tagged Helicopter flying
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Plan “B”
I had left my comfort zone several miles back in the dark. What had began as a mission with acceptable risks had rapidly changed into something worse.The original flight plan was to fly the shore line route along Lake Ponchartrain … Continue reading →
Posted in Flying Stories, Helicopter Pilot, Helicopters on Katrina
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Tagged Helicopters on Katrina
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Training- Recurrent,real and simulated
I crossed over a few miles back. The man in the Canadian Customs uniform was about the same age as my second oldest son ,maybe 28 or 29. So,he asked, are you training or being trained? Perhaps my obvious age … Continue reading →
Landing on boats
I have written previously of some of the stupid student tricks we pulled while self training at Skyrotors, where I some how managed to become a commercial helicopter pilot. Landing on moving trains and transport trucks was pretty dumb, but … Continue reading →
Posted in Contract helicopter pilot, Flying Stories, Helicopter Pilot
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Tagged Helicopter flying
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2 Comments
Career Paths
What makes a person jump from a perfectly good airplane? If you skydive you know the answer. The question is of course, an attempt at humor on the part of a person who would never likely understand your reasons to … Continue reading →
Helicopter Pilot, will travel 