and now finally..

i am the very proud holder of a group 4 instrument rating. passed my ride yesterday, and i could not be happier. i dont' think i understood that 100hr helicopter pilots don't generally do instrument ratings, so i am just really happy to have gotten through it. was a lot of fun to get back on instruments, and it turned out that it is a skill i don't seem to lose. which was a bonus to say the least.

so yeah. i'm pretty happy.

news.

Sorry I've neglected to post here for so long. Between the weather, wsib jerking me around a bit and some other stuff I hadnt' been able to do any regular flying. But somehow I managed to finally do a ride after flying about .5 in the last month....and I did rather well. In fact, only comment on flight test report was 'excellent ride'. I will give myself a pat on the back for that one. ;)

So yes, commercial helicopter flight test passed. I'm so happy about that. now to just finish the ifr and I'm job hunting. But I feel like a real pilot again, so that's awesome.

Some video's!

One of the students at the flight school took some video's for me today, and did an great job. :) Let him and another student come along for the ride on the confined areas...always helps me to have pax in the back, more like real world for one, and also really good practice for flying heavy. And they get to see stuff they will do later, so it's winwin really. :)

The first one is an 180auto from 500' to ground. The second is just a confined area, not a small one, but still looks cool. :)

Sorry for not keeping this updated.

Everything is going really well, and I even got told I now fly like a real chopper pilot. so I guess he has beaten the fixed wing out of me. :D

Anyway, I'll try to write more soon.

new captain upgrade, notams and turning radius

For some reason I thought of this story the other day. From back early in my medevac career, when I had just returned from simulator training in Orlando and was about to be set loose on the line as captain. This was my captains last day at work with us, he was leaving for the airlines the next day.

We flew our assigned missions, and then returned to base. We still had quite a few hours left in our duty day, so when we called MATC to report our return it wasn't much of a surprise that they had managed to find a bit more work for us to do.

Since I was about to become a full time captain, Captain Big Bars (his nickname, he even called himself that) decided that I would act as captain for this trip. And the first link in the chain is set.

I call FSS to get the wx, and get them to fax it to me with the notams. We had been already flying all around that area previously, so I took a quicker look than I should have.

We depart for XXX.

As we are getting our descent clearance to the small airport (just cleared out of controlled airspace, it was screaming vfr) the controller happens to ask if we have the notam for XXX about the taxiway.

My heart skips a beat. It's my leg to fly, so BB pulls out the paperwork....

The only taxiway off the runway has collapsed, and they have placed a metal plate over it. However, that is limited to a max of 5000lbs.

Oh crap. Double crap. ARGH.

I want to crawl under my seat. I can feel the glare burning a hole in me.

However, the airport is not busy, in fact we are the only aircraft around, and it is a code 4, which means critical so we decide we can land, make calls on the frequency while staying on the runway and load the patient and get out of there quick.

Seems like a good plan, so I land and taxi to the end where the taxiway is.

The ambulance isn't there yet, so we wait with engines running listening to the radio.

Then we hear it. A training aircraft inbound for a touch and go.

Now I have to say it. My thought was to tell them our situation and get them to go elsewhere. I mean, it wasn't like they were landing, and we were picking up a critical patient, seemed logical to me.

But BB decided otherwise. He decides that we are going to get out of the way and go onto the taxiway. We can then turn around, should be tight, but doable.

So I move the throttles and turn left onto the taxiway.

The training aircraft does its touch and go and is gone again.

And we are in a MU2 on a rather narrow taxiway. Really narrow. With a metal plate ahead we cannot cross, and soft, soft ground on either side of this very narrow taxiway.

Again it is decided that we must do something about this now.

This is where things go wrong for the last time.

All but one of our MU2's had props that rotated counterclockwise. So all but one of them have a tighter turning radius while turning left. 104' vs 112'.

And guess which one we had?

I am told to make a left turn. I don't notice the error either.

I start the turn, get the right tire as close to the edge of the pavement as I can. At some point big bars decides I am not doing it right, and takes control. We round the 90deg mark...you can tell we aren't going to make it. But sometimes you hope? I'm not sure why it was not stopped then. But it wasn't. The throttles were pushed further forward.

And man...we almost made it.

And then the right main went off the edge. And started to sink. Fast.

Quickly, shut down the engines before the prop hits the ground.

Then quiet. For a second.

Until we had to get out of our half sinking airplane and try to shore it up.

It sank on that side until the tip tank was just about touching the ground.

Our paramedic called the fire department to see if they could help us stabilize it and get it out. He requested that they please do not use lights and sirens.

A few minutes later I heard the sirens...shortly after that I saw the lights. Oh fantastic.

Then the town reporter showed up. Poor big bars was having the worst last day ever. I ordered a pizza and got a ride to go and pick it up. I thought it was for the best..lol.

After many hours, much help from a nearby AMO, and much embarrassment we finally were ready to leave.

And a line of thunderstorms blocked our path, so we could only make another destination before we have to call it a night and get a hotel and make it to the bar for last call.

So lessons learned.
1) Always, always, always check the NOTAMS thoroughly
2) know what airplane you have, and why things like turning radius might come in handy...
3) don't rush. think. Then act. you know, like you are taught. ;)

From bad to good.

So a funny thing happened. A few hours after I posted that I felt great after flying I decided I needed to stretch more...you know, to prevent any injury from that day's flying. Being me, and being stupid, I guess I figured more is better...and after I got up off the floor I was in some sort of bent to the left position, and my back was killing me.

I was in disbelief. Until then it had all been fine.

The next day was no better. Did I do it to myself? Or was it the flying? Oh please, please let me have done this to myself.....

I asked the chiro. "is it possible to over stretch? And hurt yourself?" They didn't seem to think that could be the case. (however...they didn't know me and what I am capable of. Being an idiot and all) That left only one thing. The flying.

As the days passed I got more and more panicked. I mean, when you are staring the real end of your career in the face...well, you don't know what that is like until it happens. It sucks. Talk about feeling trapped.

I started to think of why it happened, if it was in fact the flying. I was in the r22. They are one size fits all. Due to the position of the pedals and the cyclic I have to sit with a slightly bent forward posture. Bent towards my bad side. I don't have this problem in the jet ranger as you are able to adjust the pedals. Then I figured that if I put something behind me that should push me just forward enough to prevent the lean forward.

But still the back hurt. I kept going to the chiro. It was feeling better...but not all better.

Finally yesterday I figured I needed to find out if it was in fact over. So off I went. And they had a big foam piece I could put behind me. And we did an hour of auto's. And they went pretty well. Other than the adjustments required due to my new sitting position. My elbow is much further back in the hover now, new muscles to train. ;)

And once it was over, I was fine. And I drove home. And I was still fine. And now it's the next day, and I feel great. But I have NOT stretched like I did that previous time. I am pretty sure that the pain was caused more by what I did, than the flying. Though I think the flying had left my back tired enough to allow what happened to happen.

So I think I can take a deep breath. Because I've been holding it for over a week. I just could not imagine doing anything other than flying, and the prospect of that was just horrible.

I'm glad I can put it out of my mind now. And work on getting myself to 100%. Not quite there yet, but it's possible. I just have to be more careful and aware of what I am doing at all times. I think I tried not to because that would have been admitting that I might never be the same. Well, I guess I'm going to have to accept that fact. I will never be the same person as before I got hurt. But I can still be a hard working pilot capable of doing most things. Just not the ones that I probably should have known better than to be doing in the first place. Ah hindsight. ;) A horrible result of me trying to be just like the guys. But my body paid the price. I hope I have learned my lesson.

And some more crash info.

Can be found HERE.

Men killed in chopper crash "much more than employees" — UPDATED with new interview
Posted By PJ WILSON The Nugget
Updated 3 hours ago


There were no flight data recorders on a helicopter that crashed near Elk Lake Friday, although National Transportation Safety Board investigators believe they can retrieve information from other components on the ill-fated flight.

Ken Webster, regional senior investigator with the TSB, operating out of Richmond Hill, Ont., said Monday the helicopter was not required to have a flight data recorder.

Two men, John Tumchewics, 21, of Yellowknife, and Ethan Boucha, 20, of Kenora, died when the Bell 206B they were flying crashed in a heavily wooded area between Elk Lake and Gowganda.

The men were "much more than employees," according to a spokesman for Essential Helicopters of North Bay, which employed the men and owned the helicopter.

Both were licensed pilots, but according to Webster, they had only received their commercial ratings "recently."

He said he hopes further information on the crash will be available later this week.

The two men were on a flight from North Bay to Kapuskasing when the accident occurred. Investigators have received reports of poor weather in the area at the time of the accident, including overcast skies, low ceilings and a light drizzle, according to witnesses.

"We are working closely with the Transportation Safety Board to try to determine the cause of this accident," Lavern Ross, chief flight instructor with the company, said in a media release.

"The investigation is ongoing and is a long process. We have no further information at this time.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the families as we all struggle to understand this tragedy."

The Bell 206B "hit a (communications) tower and subsequently impacted the ground," said Webster.

Ontario Provincial Police received an emergency call from a berry picker at about 2 p.m. Friday. It took police about 50 minutes to reach the scene.

Elk Lake is 130 kilometres north of North Bay. Gowganda is about 30 kilometres west of Elk Lake.

Just babies. :(

*smile*

Well that was sure fun. :)

Went up in the R22 for an hour, just circuits, hovering and many, many take off's and landings, xwind, tailwind, normal.....

And it went really well. I'm pretty happy about that. I was a bit worried I'd forget how to fly a helicopter altogether.

But boy...am I beat. My right arm will probably feel it tomorrow. It was fairly windy and gusty, so a workout for sure.

Back up Wednesday, have some other stuff to attend to tomorrow. Can't wait. Finally feels like it's time. I must be all better. :D I feel all better. And that's all that counts.

back I go.

Showered and ready to hit the skies again.

I'm pretty excited, though not the night before xmas type of excited..more of a...it's about time...kind. :)

It's a beautiful day, should be fun to take the R22 for a spin. Or not. ;) Twitchy little beast.

I'll let you know how it goes.

Well, I don't think I knew the pilots, pretty much 100% sure I did not, but I do know the company and the machine. It belonged to the first flight school I attended.

Story here.

Transportation board investigating fatal chopper crash
Names of two victims have not been released
Posted By Brandi Cramer
Updated 13 hours ago

Two people died in a helicopter crash in a heavily wooded area between Elk Lake and Gowganda Friday afternoon.

The aircraft, a Bell 206 B, left North Bay en route to Kapuskasing with two people on board.

"In the area of Elk Lake, the aircraft hit a tower and subsequently impacted the ground," said Ken Webster, a regional senior investigator with the Transportation Safety Board of Canada.

The aircraft belonged to Essential Helicopters Flight Training School.

The names of the victims have not yet been released, pending notification of next of kin but Webster did identify them as employees of the North Bay company.

Ontario Provincial Police received an emergency call from a berry picker at about 2 p.m. Friday. It took crews about 50 minutes to arrive at the scene, according to an OPP media release.

"It's a heavily wooded area with a rough bush road," Const. Rock Belanger said Friday evening. "You're in the middle of the bush."

Terry Fiset, the reeve of James Township and a volunteer with the Elk Lake Volunteer Fire Department, responded to the scene Friday providing emergency response services and equipment.

Fiset could not comment other than to say the chief of the department would issue a statement in the coming days.

"Our deepest sympathies go out to the families," he said Saturday afternoon.

Elk Lake is 130 kilometres north of North Bay. Gowganda is about 30 kilometres west of Elk Lake.

"We're still looking into weather conditions," Webster said, adding the investigation, including whether there was any sort of radio communication or safety deficiencies and interviews with the company, will continue this week.

Provincial police crews from Temiskaming and Englehart, as well as the OPP helicopter also responded to the scene.

I won't say that this kind of thing doesn't make me really angry. It's senseless. And rumour has it that it was two very recent grads of the school's program. So really low time pilots. And the weather was shitty that day.

RIP kids. :(