BOOK/ MANUAL CONTENTS

   BOOK/MANUAL CONTENTS

Notice: This book was not written only as a Manual for this Course.

It stands on its own as a permanently useful reference source.
It's a bold venture into the heart of the helicopter pilot profession.   It's also meant to be somewhat entertaining.

(Comments concerning this Book/Manual are added in green print)
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TITLE: "Helicopter Flying For Fun and Profit" This title means "Enjoy Your Work and Prosper"

FRONT COVER TEXT
"Discover fun, profit and opportunity in helicopters. This book fills the gap between imagination and
reality. Here is both an introductory and advanced text book for new pilots and experienced pilots In addition to serious discussion, it teaches with deeply emotional and humorous true short stories. The author's flying background is summarized on page 14."

Dedication on page 3:   "This book is dedicated to the loving memory of my wife Doreen who passed away in February 2006. Chapter twelve was written to preserve and relive one of our very special shared helicopter adventures."

WHY THIS BOOK?
     This preliminary chapter points the information-seeker to the realities of good preparation toward becoming a superior pilot - one who is always in demand, and who is an asset within the helicopter industry. It describes the head-space most desirable for those who aspire to live and work as a helicopter pilot. Dedication, integrity, character, loyalty and a keen sense of responsibility toward family, employer, passengers, equipment, client's work, and the industry are stressed. This book confronts newcomers and experienced pilots alike with real-world on-the-job tough flight and ground operations decisions.
    QUOTE: page 9   "If after reading this book you are still enthusiastic about helicopters, you are probably well suited for the work.

PART I   (page 11)

Chapter 1. HELICOPTERS - THE FUNNEST THING
Helicopters float on a self-made cushion of air in three dimensional airspace. The pilot is in full control of maneuvering - much like a hummingbird. I imagine the feeling as somewhat akin to an astronaut in a space capsule. Read about helicopter flight design that reveals why they are so safe - that's fun to know too. Helicopters are the ultimate freedom machine, no doubt about it.
p.12 "Hummingbirds can do no maneuver that cannot be duplicated by a helicopter."

Chapter 2. A PROFITABLE CAREER
     Important Note: Rapid development in the helicopter industry necessarily means not much can be definitively described that will not soon be modified. The book was published in 2009, written 2007-2008, and has been revised and expanded. It's now in the 4th Printing.
   A distinct advantage of helicopter piloting is the much better pay than airplane flying to be expected early in this career. (At least this has been the Canadian experience). With dedication it can take only 5-7 months to get a helicopter commercial licence at a training cost of $50,000 - $60,000. Realize this is minimum qualification with maximum effort.
    Some helicopter pilots fly for one company year round. Some choose to fly only for about three to five months during summer and do some other line of work in the off season. Some travel around the world and fly in different countries. Foreign work generally pays better than domestic work, but has it's obvious disadvantages.
One of my former students earns over $100,000 a year with 200+ days off. Of course he's been flying for many years now. Incomes vary widely. It's easy to make contact with an off-season pilot. He (she) will be happy to sit down with you over coffee and discuss your plans about a helicopter career.

Chapter 3. PILOTS IN A WORLD OF OPPORTUNITY
     Twenty-eight types of helicopter work are listed in the book. This author has been involved with all but five of them.  As pilots retire the demand for replacement grows. This has been a fast-growing industry. Helicopters remain the key to opening new frontiers in exploration and development of the world's rich resources. Complexity continues to demand more and better helicopter support.  New and revolutionary helicopter designs are rolling off production lines. They require pilots.
Generally speaking, helicopter pilots move up the ladder to bigger and more complex aircraft, and bigger pay, much faster than pilots in the fixed wing field. This can be an especially important consideration for anyone starting out a little later in life.
New pilots should search out all the additional qualifications they can possibly afford. Job competition can be very keen. A Certificate of Proficiency from this course is a particular kind of qualification operators are looking for. The Course mentions other ways to seriously enhance employ-ability, such as any kind of background experience or training that might possibly be of use to an employer. An airplane pilot licence is a good asset. Some helicopter companies have their own airplane for crew changes and parts shuffle - been there, done that.
   p.22 "Helicopters will remain the key to opening new frontiers...."

PART II (page 27)

Chapter 4. A VIEW FROM TWELVE TRUE SHORT STORIES
    These true helicopter flying short stories (Chapters 5 through 16 - one third of the book) have been carefully chosen to reflect the types of situations that can arise in a pilot's normal course of work.
Although the principles apply still today, this level of drama is by no means to be expected in every day work. These experiences are meant to add a measure of realism. They include poor pilot choices that are recognizable and discussed. They pretty much reflect the nature of pilot challenges.
Each account ends with a list of some of the many LESSONS TO BE LEARNED.
NOTE:  Additional benefit will result from discussing these stories with experienced pilots. Each tale could provide at least one coffee break worth of meaningful conversation, and perhaps a few laughs as well. These true stories include both the good and not-so-good. They are not meant to be "how-to" instruction, although much can be learned from exposure to this real world.

Chapter 5. RESCUE TRIAL AT 17,500        (9 pages)
Page 37   "Hundreds of square miles of glaciers and snowfields morphed into eerie, shimmering mirages."
37   "The aircraft now felt light on the skids. It definitely wanted to fly."
39   "...as though....rotary wing flight had entered a new era, and I was privileged to be part of it."

Chapter 6 THE FRIENDLY DOG ATTACK       (4 pages)
Page 41 "I must face this furious attacker." "There would be searing pain, and blood everywhere."
42 "I felt something cold and wet on the back of my neck. That would be a nose, I thought."
43 "So much for two men controlling seven dogs."

Chapter 7 THE SEARCH FOR ANDY MOISEY        (5 pages)
  Page 47   "He assured me that he knew the area like 'the back of my hand."
  47   "We were now able to confirm our position as completely lost."

  Chapter 8 THE MARGINAL MEDEVAC        (5 pages)
   Page 51   "Since this was the "Land of the Midnight Sun", it wasn't exactly night - but then it wasn't exactly day either." "......reduced light, smoke, fog and long shadows can manufacture wild optical illusions ..........."
53 "They were ready with white coats and gurney."

Chapter 9 GRIZZLY ATTACK - NIGHT RESCUE       (5 pages)
  Page 58 "By now it was really dark."
"Am I going to turn a bad situation into a tragedy?"
"It was still daylight at 14,000 feet."

Chapter 10 THE SEAT BELT CAPER       (6 pages)
Page 63 "Flying began early this day with fireline patrol through dawn fog, blended with lingering......
"My body wanted to sleep, but Smokey wanted to fly."
64 "It turned out I was looking for my seat belt."

Chapter 11  SMOKING CATSKINNERS       (6 pages)
Page 70 "The water appeared to be about three inches from sweeping them away. Great chunks of ice.."
71 "No evidence remained of the drama that had taken place only seconds earlier."

Chapter 12    THE BLOND TORQUE GAUGE (12 pages) (Book dedication story - see page 3)
  Page 75 "Conclusion: Without properly placed engine gauges this job cannot be flown."
78 "Sweetheart, would you mind replacing my torque gauge tomorrow?"
80 "The pole must slide into the hole the first time - every time."
82 "someone asked Doreen, 'Did you do any planting on the long weekend?"
"Yeah," she said, "Twenty-five telephone poles."

Chapter 13 FLYING FIREWOOD       (5 pages)
    Page 86   "Today's assignment was to set up a diamond drill ...1,000 feet above the camp...."
87   "One of the students cut a "hanger."
88   "... a tree falling toward the helicopter - right on centerline."

Chapter 14 THE TWO FOR ONE RESCUE       (13 pages)
Page 93   "Sure enough, it's an airplane, upside down on an open stretch of creek bed."
96   "The big question centers around the Jet Ranger's ability to even lift such a load ...."
100 "My heart sinks as the load starts settling toward the ground."

Chapter 15 HASTE MAKES WASTE       (3 pages)
Page 103 "In fact, if I really hurried, I might nearly be on time ...."
104 "In my haste, I missed grabbing the top hand-hold."
105 "Sitting on the stitches was a reminder that haste can make enough waste to last a lifetime."

Chapter 16 THE WORST TRAGEDY       (4 pages)
Page 108 "... would actually enter bear caves to take measurements, ... on the still snoozing bears."
108 "... the aircraft climbed into unbelievably violent turbulence."
109 "Al was my friend."

PART III   (p.112)

Chapter 17 PILOT TRAINING     (9 pages)
Learning to fly helicopters back then (1962) ~ What employers are looking for in new pilots ~ Importance of forward-looking instruction ~ Every detail of your training applies ~ What your school will be teaching ~ Getting the most from your training ~ Choosing a flight school ~ Skills and qualifications to strive for.
p.136. It's not so much that some flight schools are better than others, but that cost limits training to the 100 hours required minimum training to pass flight test requirements for licencing. The odd student will require a few extra hours to reach that minimum skill standard to pass the flight test. No two students develop an identical level of competence. Much the same cost constraints apply to employers with their flight prep training of newly hired pilots. Dr.Tony Kern addresses the subject of minimum standards in his
18 minute address on COURSE page 2.

Chapter 18 YOUR FIRST EMPLOYER     (20 pages)
    The matter of loyalty to your best judgment regarding your employer, his equipment, the client and his equipment, public and private property, and personal and industry reputation ~  Grasping the enormity of the responsibility entrusted to pilots ~ Getting through the Pilot Proficiency Check ~  Much about public relations  ~ Pilot attitude, awareness, willingness, etc ~ Conscientious preparation for a busy flying season including helmet, flight kit content, personal wear, organizing of paperwork, practical aircraft onboard supplies, getting acquainted with your assigned helicopter, aircraft functional checks, points to clarify before leaving home base, making maximum use of your Pilot Trip Log and Field Departure Check, List, and much more.

     ACCIDENTS - A big subject ~ Effects of accidents on the employer (not all these are in the Manual). 1) staff pilot and company reputation, 2) horrendous repair and punitive damage costs 3 ) out-of-service losses, 4) hikes in insurance rates and deductibles, 5) liability law suit risks, 6) investigations with possible operating restrictions, 7) tarnishing the reputation of the helicopter industry, 8) risk of more restrictive Transport Canada regulation of the helicopter industry ~ 27 causes of pilot screw-ups.

  "Be aware that the cost to fix a helicopter is almost beyond imagination
- as is the difficulty to fix a pilot's reputation."

Emphasis on the best use of Canadian government aviation publications, and how to easily access. The Canada Flight Supplement (CFS) ~ The Aviation Safety Letter TP 185E ~ The Flight Information Publication (FLIP).

Chapter 19 WORKING WITH CLIENTS      (11 pages)
       A service industry ~ Job-centered pilot training ~ Huge budgets and time-sensitive objectives are at stake. ~ "Errors erode confidence in a pilot's ability......" ~ "Being late is a gross insult....." ~ "Remember that emergency situations are never scheduled." ~ As a contractor the helicopter crew follows special rules of behavior ~ Camp protocol ~ Being a team player ~ Endearing oneself to the client ~ Conducting pilot duties in a business-like manner ~ Good communication is key ~ The bad weather plan ~  Getting instructions right every time ~ Critical role of the Pilot Trip Log  ~  Specific in-depth guidelines on the Safety Briefing ~  A critical PR matter in refueling ~ Know your conversions ~ Valuing the client's "stuff"  ~ A pilot's worst enemy can be himself, especially with show-off flying ~ Successful flight operations defined. More.........

Chapter 20 MAINTAINING PROFESSIONALISM      (14 pages)
An illustration of what can happen when not careful about being information current   ~   As a minimum, a pilot is responsible for knowing the review material covered in his Pilot Proficiency Check. However, as the holder of a Commercial Pilot Licence, legal responsibility extends to knowing, and adhering to, regulatory and procedural material not covered in the Pilot Proficiency Check ~  About narrow mindedness  ~  A head-space that grows flying skill ~ Talking through a tricky trip  ~ Client-centered pilot PR techniques ~ Guarding pilot emotions ~ About staying "Switched On". More...........

Chapter 21 NORMAL OPERATIONS     (8 pages)
Unit standardization in aviation ~ Becoming "conversion conversant" ~ Refueling is the most common normal operation in helicopter operations ~ Fueling from drums ~ Emergency field refueling ~ Other people's fuel  ~ The critical nature of fuel handling. More..........

Chapter 22 THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF PAPERWORK        (8 pages)
Paperwork is about complete, accurate, legible, and timely communication ~ The manual lists 24+ common causes of poor communication ~ Inaccuracy can be extremely costly ~ The Pilot Trip Log is key when used to full potential. (Nearly 100 different items of information are noted from my saved trip logs - Manual pages 177-178) ~ The manual goes into extensive detail about Flight Reports ~ The often neglected Pilot Log Book is discussed in detail ~ The serious professional pilot will likely collect and maintain a library of reference material. Incidentally, high time pilots do not necessarily produce the best paperwork. More...........

Chapter 23 ORGANIZED FOR LIFE       (8 pages)
     Page 185
"It could be that procrastination is the fruitful mother of disorganization"
(This may be the type of person who will never do today what can be left until tomorrow).

           "A sickly body may not withstand the pressures..." "No spare pilot...when you decide to get sick."

           "The pilot physical exam is at best a mediocre indication of true health."

"Health must never be defined as the absence of disease."

Page 189
"It appears that disorganization is most common in people tending toward depression, negativity, lack of ambition or direction in life, are physically and mentally lethargic, or lack emotional fulfillment."

"In any case, effort in this direction {toward organization} by any of us will be well worthwhile."

  End of Book/Manual