Coffee With Kenny Podcast: Recent Episodes
Kenneth A Keller
Podcast produced by Kenny Keller the creator of Helicopter Online Ground School and author of the Amazon No. 1 Best Seller Helicopter Check Ride.
Daniel found H.O.G.S on youtube back in 2016 and immediately wanted to sign up. He was in grad school and had no money for the program. But, he knew he couldn't miss the opportunity to get the training he needed, so he sold his guitar on craigslist and purchased the lifetime membership. He has a background in sales, marketing, business management and operations. He loves aviation and is standing by to take your call and help you plan out your training with HOGS, and your future in aviation!
Contact us at https://www.HelicopterGround.com. You can also text or call us at 574-767-1797
293 There is no right way - Coffee With Kenny
Day 293 Coffee with Kenny! Special edition CWK today. Bottom line, when it comes to helicopter training and the route that you take, it comes down to what is best for you! Everyone has an opinion and the way that they think is the "right" way to go about the path, but ultimately it is up to you and what fits with your lifestyle at the moment. Your family and your personal well being and your finances should be number one.
292 "any particular helicopter that’s in a higher demand for pilots?"
Welcome to day 292 Coffee with Kenny! Today I have a great question! From a member currently training in an R-22 and asks if I knew of any particular helicopter that is in demand more than another. First off, Robinson Helicopters are the most popular helicopters in demand, weather you love them or hate them. You do need to research this a little bit, because there are good reasons to get flight time in different aircraft! It will help make you more marketable when the time comes!
291 Fixed Wing time, would you think that would help?
Day 291 Coffee with Kenny! This might be the fastest Coffee with Kenny yet, but today I will be answering a question from a ground school member Logan, he is going to a Part 141 flight school funded by the GI bill. He asks, when companies are hiring, will they except fixed wing hours as well as rotor hours? I say absolutely Logan, it is all good and if you are wanting to do it, and you can afford it, go for it, it may very well help in the career that you are going for!
288 The Path to Professional Helicopter Pilot!
Welcome to day 288 Coffee with Kenny! We have an awesome question today from a young lady in high school. She lives in Ohio and still goes to school, but wants to know what steps she needs to take in order to get her career going, and what if any college she needs. So to start answering, I will state that a lot of jobs in the helicopter field do not require any degree, however, I would say some kind of aviation degree or specific degree depending on what kind of pilot that you want to be.
286 Learning To Hover - can be Scary Stuff!
Day 286 Coffee with Kenny! Today we are going to take a look at the new studio that we turned around for our Halloween sale! Then we will take a look at scary helicopter hovers! When you first start out, this is normal and you are going to over control and that is just natural starting out. So you are going to be all over the place! Don't get scared and don't stress over it, it just takes time and looks really bad, but it is how you learn, stick with it, and pretty soon, you will get there!
285 Helicopter Aerobatics, unless specifically trained, DON'T!
Welcome to day 285 Coffee with Kenny! Today I wanted to talk about the fact that most Helicopter Aerobatics being done is illegal and not done by trained pilots in approved aircraft. So don't be fooled by the YouTube videos you see, it is not what we are trained to do. If you are trained for this, and fly an approved aircraft, great, good for you, aerobatics are cool! But not if you're doing it to show off and are not trained. Stay safe everyone! Slow, Smooth, Methodical movements!
284 AUTOROTATION: Throttle Chop or Smooth Roll Off?
Welcome to day 284 Coffee with Kenny! Today is a quick one on this Saturday! Answering a question from a member asking about surprise throttle chops and asks about autorotations and auto power on/power off. Of course, first I will say, it depends on the aircraft you are flying and the procedures in the POH. With that being said, there may be times where you need to veer from what the manufacturer says. I'll explain in the following video.
283 From The Examiner: Applicants Confused On Tail Rotor Failure/Malfunction..
From the examiner..he asked me to make a video on the confusion of tail rotor failure and malfunction. This is what he is seeing students struggle with. They are getting confused between these topics. So, let's go over these slow and simple today. Always refer to your manufacturers POH of course, those procedures should always be followed.
282 Helicopter Landing - 200 ft per minute or less, or your Fired!
Day 282 Coffee with Kenny! Today is a follow up from yesterday with Taz Christman's presentation. I wanted to follow up today on what you do to keep you out of these situations and problems. This is a general safe rule and for those that want to stay conservative and stay safe and keep out of dangerous situations.
281 Guimbal Cabri G2 Intro Flight - The Student Has Become The Teacher..
Welcome to day 281 Coffee with Kenny! We are with a great guy and personal friend today whom got his ratings with us, Chris Houser! A HOGS guest instructor and student turned teacher himself in the Guimbal Cabri at Sweet Aviation in Fort Wayne, IN! We have a cool video for you today and Chris explains some about the aircraft and how it differs from others.
I am ready to get some more time in the Guimbal myself after one hour in it today! If you want to transition make sure you're getting some dual time and instructor time! Thanks for your support, leave your comments below!
280 Helicopter Pilot, Overcome Your Obstacle, Chase The Dream!
Check out the smile on this guy! He is another proof that you can make your dreams of becoming a pilot reality! He overcame his weight obstacles to make it happen! This is important for all of you no matter what your struggle is! You just have to keep going and get at it! Chris sent in a photo and testimonial that I will share with you today. He hopes to inspire others with is story and accomplishment!
How awesome is that! We appreciate you sharing with us Chris! Thank you, amazing proof that you can do it! Leave us your questions and comments below!
279 - Pilot Has Less Than 3 Minutes To Live - Inadvertent IMC
Day 279 Coffee with Kenny. Today we are covering a very important topic! I urge you to watch this video with me today, as it could save your life or the life of someone else! We have expert pilots covering this topic today from an FAA safety webinar that we did. Could you get out of IIMC if it happened to you? This is great information!
Please leave us your experiences on this topic below and any questions relating to the video!
278 Private Pilot Ground Questions - where to start?!
Day 278 Coffee with Kenny! Today I am home on a Saturday and just going to take the time to answer some questions that have been coming in. Many students get overwhelmed and don't really know where to start in the aviation field. I recommend starting with the Private Pilot. Hands down that is where I think you should start! Get started there and get going with some flight time, and then go from there if you want your instrument, commercial, or CFI.
Everybody learns in a different way, many ask how long it will take, that's whey we try to keep our videos short, you have progress tracking, go at your own pace, pay monthly, it really just depends where you're at in life and how much time you have to devote to training.
277 - What should be in the Helicopter Safety Briefing?
Day 277 Coffee with Kenny! This is from our presentation from Heliports, I will put that link down below the video so you can watch the whole thing. It is jam packed with great information! So today I am just going to go over a standard set of things that should be being discussed in a helicopter safety briefing. You must have this communication! You must cover these really important topics with your students and as the PIC and soak up as much as you can!
276 Logging Flight Time - Hobbs Time - Pencil Whipping and more...
Day 276 Coffee with Kenny! Today we are going to answer some members questions about logging flight time and Hobbs time ect. This student cares about being honest in his logging and questions the Hobbs meter. Most of us go by engine start, and I think that is acceptable. Some say when the rotors start to when the rotors stop. Something else you need to think about is how many times you're on the ground.
275 "adamant to get this thing airborne no matter what" - Coffee With Kenny!
Day 275 Coffee with Kenny! First I'd like to start out by introducing some of our guest instructors that are up on our HOGS Wall of Fame! They have all helped in some training presentation videos! They are all a very important part of our training and most started out getting their ratings with us!
On to the accident review today, I'll show you the video and point out some things that we can learn from. There are questionable things happening in this video before the rotor blades even begin! Then after the aircraft is started, you can see oil and smoke coming out of it, which at that point would have been my cue to shut it down! Then on to the ground resonance! Let's watch together and please leave your questions and comments below!
273 - Helicopter Landing (set downs) For Those That Struggle
Coffee with Kenny day 273! Helicopter set downs is the topic today! I have a cool video for you today inspired by a member who is having trouble with helicopter set downs, that last one or two feet. This is very common and people struggle with this, I know I did. So I'll go over that air cushion that is 6-8 inches above the ground. You've got to push that nice and gentle! I have a couple really good illustrations for you, a square can be a really good focal point for you.
272 Helicopter Pilot Struck in head by Rotor Blade
Continuing with our helicopter accident review today, why it is so important to follow safety procedures. The pilot in the video today was lucky to not have been killed by the rotor blades, and unfortunately there are videos out there where people do lose their lives by not following safety procedures. We can always learn by watching these kinds of videos, there are a lot bad things that can happen.
271 Training at Class G vs Class D?
Day 271 Coffee with Kenny! Great question today about Class G vs Class D from Sean who is taking our Instrument course. I think honestly that you should fly both. It's ok to get comfortabe at one airport, with one instructor and one aircraft, but I think that breaking that up and flying with different instructors, in different airspace, with different aircraft is really good. The more good quality training that you have, the better pilot you will be!
270 Rotors Collide Destroying Two Police Helicopters - Coffee With Kenny
What do you think happens when two helicopters get to close together? I'll show you a video and put the link below for the whole video. The pilot that was landing said that she was focusing on her box where she normally lands and didn't realize that the helicopter on the ground was not in his box. That is why I always preach, slow, smooth, methodical movements. It looked pretty good until she went to set it down. Thanks for reviewing these accidents with me, I love the educational purpose of it!
269 - Helicopter Stuck Pedal - Coffee With Kenny
Starting off day 269 with Heather finishing off another row on the HOGS Wall of Fame! Today I'm critiquing a video where a helicopter pilot had a stuck pedal in an Enstom. I thing he did a great job and got the aircraft on the ground, and he was safe. I thought why not share this one where he got it on the ground safely in continuing helicopter accident review. Stuck pedal can be kind of a difficult one, so if you haven't reviewed that topic in awhile, it might be a good time to do that.
268 Robinson R-44 Accident Helicopter Rides - Coffee With Kenny
We are going to go right into this video, continuing with our learning and education from helicopter accident review. This video looks pretty chaotic from the start with people everywhere around the aircraft, and the take off was rushed. Just a mess before the accident even happens. Then I have a video of the proper slow, smooth methodical way of doing it from our guest instructor Chris Houser.
267 - Robinson R-44 Crash Hangar Door - Coffee With Kenny
Day 267 Coffee with Kenny! We all make mistakes, we are all human and not perfect, so with that being said, we always need to be aware of our surroundings! A student that was here staying painted this red line outside of the hangar so we know how close we can get to the hangar doors. He was a great and very helpful guy. So today's video is just about being super careful. I have a little video to show you as well that just goes to show how careful you have to be around the hangar.
265 Night Vision Goggles - First Hate It, Then Love It
Day 265 Coffee with Kenny! We had a member request to make a topic and talk about night vision goggles. I might look a little goofy, but it is true when I was told that at first you're going to hate them, but then you will love them. There is a training course and a set amount of ground hours ect..that you have to do before first flying with them. It is odd at first, but once you get used to it, it is absolutely amazing. I have a little video of myself when I flew EMS. They are wonderful and it is awesome what you can see with the goggles!
264 - Ground Resonance - Ejected and Survived, I Never Gave Up
In 2004 I was ejected from a helicopter from Ground Resonance. I've talked about it before, but I just want to review this topic again today in continuing our helicopter accident reviews. Ground Resonance is so violent. My accident was bad. It was put in my head to never give up when I was in the police force, and that training helped in my accident. So I have some videos to review with you today so we can talk about this topic and hopefully learn from it.
263 - Helicopter Wire Strikes - Coffee With Kenny
Day 263 Coffee with Kenny! Helicopter Wire Strikes today! If you can visit before you land I would suggest that. Wherever you know you're going to land, say it's an airport, if you can drive there so you can personally see where the wires are, I would recommend that. These videos are great to review for educational and learning purposes.
Wires are hard to see, and there are many reasons why a pilot may not see a wire. So always be aware and drive to your landing destination first if you can. Leave your questions and comments below!
261 Fatal Accident 4 Souls On Board Flying in to IMC
Continuing today in accident review. This today is a serious topic where 4 souls were on board and lost their lives. We know people lose there lives going IMC. I wanted to show you how blue the skies were and you have to understand the weather and everything that goes into making the go no go decision. I think there may have been some opportunities where the pilot could have landed. This video is hard to watch and will give you chills, very heartbreaking.
260 Loss Of Tail Rotor Effectiveness LTE Accidents Helicopter
We are going to do some more accident reviews today following up from yesterday. LTE accidnets or Loss of Tail Rotor Effectiveness. Again, I want to start out by saying I don't review these videos to make fun or anything like that. I want to make a point that it is for education and learning. It is also not only dangerous to us, but dangerous to anyone that might be around us!
259 Let's Review Dynamic Rollover Accidents
Day 259 Coffee with Kenny! Today I want to review some of these videos that are on YouTube to maybe see if we can learn a bit about them. Not to make fun at all but to see what maybe happened to learn. Some of these you are wondering what happened and what were they thinking? Dynamic Rollover is real, it happens and you need to be aware of it and review it regularly weather you are just starting out or an experienced pilot!
258 Helicopter Ownership - the cost: EXPENSIVE
Day 258 Coffee with Kenny! Today I will be short and to the point about a ground school member who asked about helicopter ownership. He asked if it would cut some costs if he trained in a helicopter that he bought and then hired his own private CFI. It is extremely expensive to own and maintain your own helicopter, so this option doesn't even make sense. Its is not cost effective in my opinion. I would make sure you do your research and call your insurance company. I think you will very quickly find out that there is a substantial amount of money needed yearly.
So, I think under most circumstances, you are better off renting. If you have the money and aren't worried about it, then ok. Leave us your comments below!
257 - CRAZY Helicopter Landing - Coffee With Kenny
Coffee with Kenny day 257! I want to talk about Crazy Helicopter Dolly Landing! Is he going to make it? I will show you the video and we will see. In all reality, the video isn't that crazy. It's just titled crazy. So watch the video with me and lets talk about it! I like the fact that when he gets a little wobbly he realizes to take a break and go around. It's not so crazy for a dolly landing.
256 HOGS New Production Studio
Coffee with Kenny Day 256! I wanted to just show you around so you can see what we have been up to here at the HOGS studio. You have all seen the HOGS new Hangar and how we are going through and getting organized. Heather has been working on the HOGS Wall of Fame, it's looking awesome! But we have a nice open area to work with now with trusses up, keeps the wires up off the floor and lights hung.
We will be able to provide you all with better quality videos and more live videos as well. So we are very excited to provide that for you! Thanks so much for your support!
255 Private Pilot Helicopter Brand New!
Day 255 Coffee with Kenny! Welcome! A nice little testimonial video to share with you today from HOGS member and brand new pilot Ryan! So awesome, way to go! Glad the HOGS community could help! Thanks so much for sending it in! You're going up on the Wall of Fame!
Ryan is a Professional Pilot member, so he isn't stopping at his Private rating! When you purchase that offer it includes the Private, Commercial and CFI all in one! Leave your comments and questions below!
254 - The ups and downs, the highs and lows!
Coffee with Kenny, welcome to day 254. Today is just going to be laid back, I just want to talk a little bit about my book and all the ups and downs and highs and lows and all the struggles we go through to fulfill our dreams and become helicopter pilots. The connections we make along the way are pure gold! I've been lucky to meet some really awesome people.
I share my story to those of you who haven't heard it yet, about my losses and failures and how we can overcome them! We get past our trials and work hard and be the best we can be!
253 FAA Written Test can delay the Flight Training process!
The FAA written test! Today we'll talk about some tips to think about while you're doing your research. You don't want to get stuck on the written test, it can delay your process! Depending on your circumstances, the sooner that you get that knocked out, the better! Listen as to why it took me 80 hours to get my Private! There are so many ways along the way of your journey to get behind, don't let it be the written test!
252 Private Pilot Helicopter: How long does it take?
Day 252 Coffee with Kenny! We're going to talk about how long it takes to achieve your Private Pilot rating, we get this question a lot. Congratulations first goes to Kevin Simpson on his Solo Flight! Very very cool!
How long it takes to achieve your Private Pilot rating really depends on approximately 3 things. Commitment, weather, and maintenance! How committed are you or are you able to be? Where in the country do you live? And how well are you able to maintain? Of course there are other factors as well. Watch the video and let us know your questions in the comments below!
250 ...oh, and for your viewers, I am 61 years old. Never too late!
Hey, day 250 CWK! Our member Sam smashed another rating with us! He is an airline pilot who is enjoying getting his rotor ratings! Update as of 11/11/19 Sam also got his Instrument rating! Sam has came to visit us and do video's with us at the hangar a couple times now. We really enjoy having him, he is a lot of fun when he comes up. So how cool is that when he's ready to retire from the airlines he can fly helicopters and do CFI stuff if he wants, it's never too late!
249 71 Year Old Soloing the Cabri G2 and working on Private Pilot!
Check this out! One of our members shared this video with me, it's on YouTube, I will put the link below the video in case you want to watch the whole video. How cool is that though, he's 71 years old and finishing up for his Private Rating. He said it's been a life long dream of his and I just really wanted to share this cool story today.
248 Breathe in and out!
My daughter Gloria just passed her drivers test after failing the first time! As most of you know, I failed my first check ride. The best advice, just breathe! All the tips that we talk about, this one is simple and it works! Don't forget to breathe! Congratulations Gloria!
216 “Recommended time cross country leg and flight?”
Welcome to day 216 Coffee with Kenny! Had another question from Van today. I like this question, he asks when flying cross country, what is the longest recommended stretch? It is going to depend on the pilot, the terrain, the weather, the aircraft, lots of things. For me personally, I like to try to stop about every hour and a half. So for me 5-6 hours of flight time with about 3 legs in between is what works out for me. I'd love to hear what works for you!
Day 247 Coffee with Kenny, 18 Years ago...
Do you remember where you were when you heard what was happening on 9-11? Gives me goose bumps remembering that day. I remember stopping at my dad's house and just watching on tv and just not being able to believe it. It was hard to fathom what was taking place.
It changed the world and makes your problems seem small. Trying to explain to my daughter the magnitude of such a tragic event was hard. So those little things that bother us day to day are nothing compared to that. Please leave your questions and comments below!
246 Brand New Weather Coming Courtesy Nationally Awarded Instructor!
Hello and welcome to day 246 Coffee with Kenny! We have been putting together all new studio equipment and it is looking great, we are loving it! Today I wanted to update you a little bit about our in site training. We are getting an all new weather section inside the site coming soon, taught by our personal friend and 2018 Flight instructor of the year, Dan "Taz" Christman! We are super excited about this, me especially because weather isn't one of my favorite things to teach. Dan loves it!
Day 245 Coffee with Kenny “Just Go Around”
Welcome to day 245 Coffee with Kenny! Out on the boat tonight and what's been on my mind is Go around's, it's been awhile since I've talked about it. That's what we as instructors teach. If something doesn't feel right, just go around! If you're not liking you approach, as the PIC it's your responsibility to go in with a safe landing! If you're a student and you're not feeling the approach, most examiners should appreciate the fact that you're doing it.
I want to see you over time, to make that good decision, there is no shame whatsoever to go around! Bottom line!
Helicopter Online Ground's Free 24 Hour Test Flight!
Are your working on your Private, Commercial, Instrument or CFI helicopter rating? Ar you feeling overwhelmed with everything you need to learn? I know how you feel, and that is why I started Helicopter Online Ground School! I failed my first check ride, and I know what it takes to pass! We have a 24 hour test flight here so there is no being billed for a full 24 hours! You decide whether the training is right for you! Go at your own pace!
Day 243 Keeping your hand on the collective, or not?
From a long time HOGS member today, his email question was about keeping your hand on the collective. Do it, or don't do it? Short answer, yes, I always have my hand on the collective. When you are training, either the instructor or the student should have there hand on the collective. You want and need to feel the controls!
Leave your comments and questions below!
Day 242 CWK Fly the closer aircraft and make that training count!
Welcome to day 242 Coffee with Kenny! Answering a question and giving advice today for Terry that emailed me about which aircraft to train in and if he should train closer to home or train in a different aircraft that is farther away. I say fly the closer one, in his situation is an R44. You're going to save money by staying closer and be less stressed driving farther for the R22, it may be a bit more money per hour but it's still better than the money spent on the road!
241 Which Helicopter is best for Flight Training?
Today I am answering a question from a member who asks if there is a preference in which helicopter a student trains in. I did an interview at Heli Expo with Tim Tucker and I think you'll be surprised with his answer! I'm going to roll that video for you, it was really an honor for me to do this interview. He gives some excellent information and draws from his experience in training, and mentions the most important thing being the school and instructor that you're using.
240 Almost no one Fails the Medical Certificate Exam
Day 240 Coffee with Kenny! We get a lot of questions from pilots just starting out about the Medical Certificate Exam. Just about what generally goes on. I can tell you that almost everyone should pass the exam. It is really a basic medical exam, like a physical. It's normal for everyone to be a little nervous, so maybe lay off the caffeine before going in is what I have been told.
Of course if there is some kind of an issue that he finds, he can help you to fix it and get you on your way. Please leave us your questions and comments below the video!
239 Pinnacle Approach and Landing Coffee With Kenny!
Today I'm going to roll a video for you that Taz and I shot in the Las Vegas desert. I wanted to share it with you because it is a really great video and man did we have an absolute blast making it! So, the perfect pinnacle demonstration demonstrated by 2018 Flight Instructor of the year Dan "Taz" Christman, a great Instructor, friend and all around awesome guy!
238 So you want to learn to fly Helicopters!
It all started many years ago seeing a movie at this theater that influenced my dream of wanting to become a helicopter pilot! I new I wanted to be a policeman too, and from there it went on! I even ended up living beside the theater that started it all! Pretty Cool! I want to hear your stories and dreams and what you got you started!
( My only engine failure in 20 years ) Advanced Preflight After Maintenance
Welcome to day 237 Coffee with Kenny! Advance Preflight from the FAA. A significant study has determined that if pilots took more time to do a thorough preflight before take off after maintenance. It can prevent fatalities in Helicopter crashes! Avoid distractions during preflight as well and before and after maintenance.
Even if you are new to this or a seasoned pilot, or an expert mechanic, you can get busy and miss or skip a step! I highly recommend you read this PDF I will put below!
236 The Importance of FAILURE!
Today I am just kind of going to rattle a little bit, I've talked about failure before and the things that I have failed at. It's important to talk about because there has to be failure in our lives to succeed. It shapes the rest of your life. It makes you better in the aspect of what you failed in. So don't be to hard on yourself when you fail the first time in things in life, stay patient and confident that success will happen!
Helicopter EMS Pilot Jobs Required Recent Flight Experience..
Day 235 Coffee with Kenny! Awesome question today from a gentleman coming out of the military who wants to go for an EMS career. How much experience and hours are required? It does depend on what company you apply to, they have different hour and timeline requirements. Bottom line, my answer is..get flying! The more time you can get under your belt, the better! Get in as many hours as you can, and stay as current as you can! Maybe take a part time CFI gig!
234 "Dreams, Accomplishments, Blood, Sweat and Tears"
Day 234 Coffee with Kenny! I got this thing a viewer said when I didn't respond promptly. He said "oh you must be to busy hanging pictures". So of course we weren't sure how to respond to that but we are extremely proud of our Wall of Fame. These photos that we hang are more than a photo. They are people's blood sweat and tears! It represents the struggles and sacrifices that they make to make their helicopter pilot dreams come true!
That is why we take pride in hanging your pictures up! Since this video first posted, the person sent us a really nice email letting us know he didn't mean it that way and he actually wrote a sincere testimonial about HOGS, so we appreciated that!
233 E6B Flight Computer "heard you rarely use it after the private pilot test?"
Day 233! Too funny, the time is 2:33 as well lol! Getting ready to post two more pictures on the HOGS wall of fame, it is filling up and the studio is coming together, so members send us your rating pictures! Getting to today's topic, a member asks about flight computers whiz wheels and if it is worth it. My take on flight computers is that in the end, is the examiner going to have you use it on the test. I never spent the money on the fancy electronic ones, I like old school. Basically use what you want, what works best for you!
232 Why do Flight Instructors limit Student actions during solo?
Day 232 Coffee with Kenny! Great question today from a HOGS member who has been training at a flight school and getting close to his rating. He wants to get his CFI's to sign an endorsement to be able to fly solo back and forth to his own aircraft. So, while I get his frustration, we our taught as CFI's to be very careful with our endorsements.
61.65 - Aeronautical experience for the instrument helicopter rating
Welcome to day 231 Coffee with Kenny! We are going to talk a bit about the Helicopter Instrument Rating today, following up from yesterday's video. I will show you the requirements listed and give you an example of how I did it. Knowing how to use your Far/aim and going through it is key as well. So do your research and yes you can use a simulator as well. We love to hear your questions and comments!
Private Pilot, Instrument next, then on to Commercial! Smart Plan!
Coffee with Kenny day 230! Answering a great question today from member Ryan. He asks about what plan to go about in getting all 3 ratings of Private, Commercial and Instrument. He is planning of flying 5 days a week and getting is Instrument between Private and Commercial. I think that is great, you're building that PIC time and becoming a better pilot! Don't skip that Instrument rating!
We love to hear your experiences and questions! Comment below the video!
Social Media Helicopter Maneuvers, don't confuse skill vs showing off..
Welcome to day 229 Coffee with Kenny! Today I want to talk a little bit about Social Media take offs and unsafe maneuvers in helicopter piloting. These days in the social media video world, you're seeing a lot of fancy unsafe take offs and pilots showing off. You need to understand that this is not a proper helicopter take off, nor is it safe and it is not what we do in the real world. Helicopters are not designed to do those maneuvers. You have to check systems once you pull up!
Commercial Pilot Retirement at 60 65, that's an airline thing...
Welcome to day 227 Coffee with Kenny! Got an email today asking about age limits for Commercial Helicopter Pilots. There are differences in ages for Airline pilots and helicopter pilots! If you have the drive and the dream, go for it! It doesn't matter how old you are as long as you have the passion for flying!
Helicopter Pilot Check Ride Starts Tour Co.
Welcome to day 226 Coffee with Kenny! Congratulations member Rob! Going up on the HOGS wall of Fame! Today I'm reading an email from a member who is 67 years old and got his Commercial Pilot rating and gives a really nice testimonial as well as letting us know that now he will be doing Helicopter Tours in his R44! Living his dream! We absolutely love that! Congrats again and we hope he stops to visit us at the HOGS Hangar!
225 Can I use this for my ground hours? Part 61 and Part 141?
Welcome to day 225 Coffee with Kenny! We get a lot of questions coming in lately about 61 vs part 141 flight schools. You can use our ground school whether you are going to a part 61 or 141 flight school. However, if you're doing a part 141 you still have to use their ground school because they have to follow their regulations. You can still use HOGS to help you get a jump start and to help you along the way and before check ride! I explain some more in the video!
Day 223 what is cheapest is not the right focus for flight training!
Hello, welcome to day 223 Coffee with Kenny. A lot of questions coming in lately are asking what's going to be the cheapest? What's the cheapest option? My answer is that sometimes going for the cheapest route isn't always going to be your best option. Yes, I know we all have financial struggles and looking for ways to save money, but sometimes you get what you pay for. You have to focus on the quality of your instructors, school, aircraft you'll be flying and such.
222 How much does instructor make from flight school charges?
We are doing some rearranging in the studio here, getting the new HOGS Wall of Fame rebuilt and some new studio equipment coming that will be even more professional with lighting and some cool new updated videos for the site as well.
Great question I'm covering today that someone just asked, he is taking out loans to become a helicopter pilot. He questioned how much CFI charge per hour and asked if all the money goes to the instructor or what percentage goes to him and the school. So, I'll explain it a little bit today.
Day 221 Foreign Students need a Part 141 school for Flight Training
Day 221 Coffee with Kenny! We have a pretty common question today, great question, great topic for the video today. From foreign student that wants to get their helicopter rating in the US. They ask about being concerned about paperwork, needing a Visa and anything else they need. First off, you will need to contact a part 141 flight school. They can help you make the arrangements to come here for flight training. That being said, you CAN still use our ground school training online.
220 FFA Probe Helicopter EMS Pilot that fell asleep during flight..
Day 220 Coffee with Kenny, I am tired as F#@% today! Still trying to adjust from the time difference of being in California. So I thought it would be fitting to do a video on fatigue today. I just want to talk honestly about it a little bit. This applies to all of us. If you're just starting out, if you've been flying half your life, if you're EMS and whatever rating you have, we have to try our best to make sure we get the proper amount of sleep. We have to be on our toes even more if we are fatigued.
Nightmare Helicopter Check Ride with DPE Examiner Yelling at applicant!
Welcome to day 219 Coffee with Kenny! Let's have some fun! I love teaching and giving tips on my channel but we need to laugh too. I thought someone was messing with me, but after re reading this email I think this person is legitimate. So, I am going to read it and we'll go from there lol. He needs his commercial rating so he can go the direction he wants. His question is relating to medical issues with passengers as well as issues with the DPE. Stick around for what this guy went through lol.
Leave us your questions and experiences!
218 HELL NO! Private Pilot Member don’t you dare give up!
Day 218 Coffee with Kenny! Great question today from a member. He was just told by an instructor that maybe he should just give up. I say bulls$! I will read his email and tell you what I think about this and the struggles we go through and some of my own experiences. Never give up on your dream, don't you dare! You do not quit! Take my advice and go from there, but never give up!
215 How to get Helicopter Online Ground School Gear!
Hello! Welcome to day 215 Coffee with Kenny! Many of you have been asking how you can order your own HOGS gear so I thought I'd do a video to let you know. We have a site called hogshoodies.com that you can order from, and also you can click on the links below any of our YouTube videos. You will see the icon and it will take you there. Thanks so much for your support and interest!
214 “Helicopter Pilots keeping up with changes and updates ?”
Day 214 Coffee with Kenny! Great question today from one of our ground school members Van! Thanks for your support Van! He asks what the best way to keep up with what's going on in the helicopter world and what's new. My number one piece of advice that I use is the FAA website. You can sign up for webinars and read up on what is new or if there are any changes to anything in the industry. There are tons of magazines and newsletters out there, but I think the FAA has been the best for information.
Great question, as pilots, it is our job to keep up with what is going on!
213 “How do EMS pilots calculate fuel”
Day 213 Coffee with Kenny! Covering a great question today from Sam about how EMS pilots and how they calculate fuel. EMS helicopters are loaded down with equipment, staff, and such so we always know we have a standard amount of fuel and when you get the call, they have the patients weight so we know what to expect. So we know if we need to switch to a weight and balance. You have to burn off fuel or take some equipment off, something to balance out.
Day 212 “where to begin?”
Got a question from Josh today asking about forming out a path on getting his helicopter rating and about military. He is a complete beginner and wants advice on where to begin. I highly recommend that you do your research and talk to a recruiter. If you really want to join the military, that would be the way to go to get your rating. There are some differences so look at military and civilian routes.
You can start with the Helicopter Handbook and I'd recommend going out and getting your free introduction helicopter flight.
Passengers and Cargo questions answered!
Day 211 Coffee with Kenny! Again from California today, using this amazing background because how many times am I going to be able to do that?! On to the topic today..Question came in about giving rides, and tours and rides and cargo and dropping people off and a part 91 and 135. So I'll go into that just briefly so you can do your research from there.
Leave your comments down below, we love your experiences!
"I don't want to just pass, I want to Kill CFI and CFII" Day 209!
Day 209 Coffee with Kenny! Question today from Chris involving Instrument training. He's a lifelong learner and expresses how the Instrument rating is totally different and asks about HOGS Instrument membership and how to prepare for this, moving on to the CFI and CFII. I'll give my recommendations. I'd use our course and use the ASA manual in combination with our course and the handbook.
HOGS has audio and video cues that you can log into from any device! Anytime! Go at your own pace! Check it out at helicopterground.com!
Day 208 10 Possible Mistakes JFK JR. Made Before Fatal Crash..
With this tragedy comes a learning experience. Going over the top 10 mistakes JFK made according to an AOP article online, and a documentary I watched. All of these points made are their opinions and we can all still take the time to really think about this and each possible mistake listed to better our own choices when flying.
When you're coming up with a series of bad judgement chains, that is when you take the time to stop and re think your flights.
Day 207 What is included Private Pilot Membership?
Live from California again, staying at a really neat hotel and getting some coffee! Heather is in the office holding down the fort while I'm away, so she's there if you need her!
Today I'm going over some basic things that are included in our most popular membership, the Private Pilot Package. There are 20 different lessons with 120 videos throughout! You can go month to month, or yearly! Cancel at any time! We also have a Professional Pilot Package as well that includes Private, Commercial, Instrument, and CFI and never expires!
Day 206 Arrived California!
Coffee with Kenny day 206 in California! Here at the Golden Gate Bridge! Meeting with California Highway Patrol later this week, exciting things coming up here. My daughter and I are really tired from the trip, so this is a short one, but thanks for staying with us and all of your support!
You MUST have the ability to say NO!
Day 205 Coffee with Kenny! Sometimes you just have to have the ability to say No!
In flying and in other areas of your life, the guru's say the number one word that should be coming out of your mouth.. is no! When it comes to making someone else happy and getting yourself in trouble, you have to do what is right for you and go with your gut. You can't make everyone happy, and you can't say yes all the time. Of course you can and you should, but not when it compromises number one! So contemplate the reasons why you are saying yes first!
204 “Graduating high school, entering professional pilot program”
Day 204 Coffee with Kenny! Question today about a high school student who is graduating and wanting to start going all the way with a helicopter career. I recommend starting with the Private Pilot Monthly first, and just getting familiar with what it's all about, what all it entails and the material to study and learn. You could always upgrade later to the big professional pilot package, so you don't overwhelm yourself. Of course if you know 100% that's what you want then go for it!
Put your questions and comments below! Thanks for your support!
The Helicopter Pilot Connections we make are Pure Gold!
Day 204 Coffee with Kenny! How cool it is to make connections with other pilots in the helicopter world! Mentors and friends! This guy here is the gentleman who saw my video from 2012 where I was just starting HOGS and it was never supposed to be released to the public! He saw the video and still wanted to buy my product before it was even ready. So our first Ground School member, sent me coffee! And a cup! Freakin awesome! 7 years later, my first member is sending me coffee! I love it, I love the connections we make, they are Gold!
I talk about another friend Travis, who went off the streets to CFII in 6 months and is on the cover of my Amazon number one best seller Helicopter Check Ride! Watch the video and leave us your questions and comments below!
Helicopter Pilot Brushing Up With Training (after 2.5 decades not flying)
Welcome to day 202 Coffee with Kenny! Question from former military pilot Scott today, this is a great question for any pilot that has had some time and years between flying. Where to jump back into airspace and education and refreshing your knowledge. Going with Helicopter Online Ground School, I would recommend starting with our Private Pilot membership just to get a good start on refreshing your knowledge, and then you could bump up to the Commercial and on if you want!
"I'm interested in pursuing my helicopter PPL"!
Welcome to day 201 Coffee with Kenny! Question from Allen who is just starting out and had some questions about Helicopter Online Ground School. We are desinged to help you through Private, Commercial, Instrument, and CFI ratings. It's all about your knowledge. You can get a huge head start with us before you even start your flight school! Your knowledge will be on point before you start flying. You probably won't understand all the concepts starting out, but you will have an advantage when starting your school.
Instrument Rating and CFII, get them done early as possible..
Day 200, welcome to Coffee with Kenny! Great question today about someone that just got their CFI, and wondering how soon he should work for his CFII and Instrument, as his instructor suggests he does it as soon as possible. I myself even recommend getting your instrument rating between your Private and Commercial. With the CFII, there just aren't that many in the industry out there, and it would be a very valuable rating to have. Just get that done! You will not regret it!
Basic use of Foreflight on the iPad with Chris Houser today!
Some great information on Coffee with Kenny today from guest instructor Chris Houser. Playing a previous video from HOGS on foreflight and use of the iPad with it. Basic ways to maneuver around! Some good tips if you're getting ready to do your check ride as well. We love your feedback, please leave us your questions and comments below the video!
Thanks for your support! HelicopterGround.com!!
198 struggling to hover at 10.3 hours
Welcome to day 198 Coffee with Kenny! Doing a little sunset video tonight. I'm going to answer a couple of questions today from HOGS members. He wanted some tips on hovering in an R22. So 10 hours in, it's ok that you're struggling, just work on getting that cyclic down and get in the cockpit for some alone time and just get comfortable when not flying with all the controls. As you go along with your hours it is going to get easier and you will get better.
197 Training with paper before iPad and cockpit organization...
Day 197 Coffee with Kenny! I'm traveling today but I wanted to make a video real quick about a question a member emailed me about how is CFI is still training him with paper sectional charts and all the paper before he starts using the iPad. I still think it is a great skill to have and learn those basic skills. I give his instructor a thumbs up for that.
He also wanted some tips on how to organize the cockpit. Use a knee board for one thing, start learning how to fold the charts correctly and it will make things easier. So go out an get some time sitting in the aircraft and practicing!
Do you really use the FOI's after obtaining the CFI?
Great question from a member going for his CFI, he asked about using the FOI's Fundamentals of Instructing. If you value your knowledge and really want to learn it all, then these things will come back to you and it's really cool! When you're out there instructing, the FOI's are useful, and yes you will use them. Fast CWK today, tune in daily! Leave your questions and comments below!
Don’t be Afraid to Divert, Turn Around or Land!
Welcome to day 195 Coffee with Kenny! This is number 7 from the Helicopter Safety Team! We have been covering all of them. I just did a cross country trip where I had to divert. I made the decision to turn back and divert and thank goodness it turned out ok. We didn't wait until it was too late or the situation could have been a lot worse. So, watch the past 6 videos as well from the Helicopter Safety Team topics!
Don’t Succumb to Get-There-Itis – This "disease" is common among pilots!
Welcome to day 194 Coffee with Kenny! Whatever you want to call it, we all want to get home. This is the first I've ever heard it called a disease but I like it because it does fog your concentration and you spend all that time planning the trip and you have all these reasons to just get there, but it may not be the best decision. The Get there itis is real, it's a feeling that just comes, but making a diversion may be the right decision, you don't want to get into that dangerous mode. No flight is worth your life!
Visual Flight Rules in Instrument Conditions Can Lead to Death!
Welcome to day 193 Coffee with Kenny! I've been traveling cross country with my daughter and I thought today would be a good day to talk about this topic in continuing with topics from the Helicopter Safety team. You don't want to get into this situation and not know what to do, having your instrument rating can help in these instances. Also of course not flying in dangerous conditions when you are being pressures.
Stop the Scud Running – Lowering your altitude to avoid clouds or bad weather is dangerous..
Welcome to day 192 Coffee with Kenny! We are on a cross country trip and we've been talking about fatal accidents and how they are on the rise. Scud running..I thought was a good topic for today. Those of you that have done it, know what I'm talking about and know how stupid it is. Stop the get home itis and make good decisions. We have to stop pushing ourselves or letting others push us into bad decisions!
AIRCRAFT ACCIDENTS medication usage a factor in 10 to 13 percent!
Welcome to day 131 Coffee with Kenny! I personally haven't had to deal with this topic often. I don't take any regular medication and if i am taking a medication it's because I must be super sick, and if I'm super sick, I'm not flying. So that is number 3 of the 7 things that the safety team talked about, being on medication and knowing weather you should fly while taking it or not. So, if you are taking meds, reach out to your medical examiner and ask questions!
"Take Time for a Walk Around and for Checklists" Helicopter Safety Team
Welcome to Coffee with Kenny day 190! For all of you that are keeping up on your knowledge and using your checklists, cheers to you! For those of you that are not, this video is for you. Helicopters accidents are on the rise and the Helicopter Safety Team is on it! Sometimes we need a swift kick in the rear! Make sure you are taking the time to do a walk around your aircraft. Pre and Post flight inspections!
I wanted to bring up the point that as human beings, we can start to slack, we just have to remind ourselves to stay in the good habits. Especially when it comes to safety!
Know How Much Fuel You Need or “May” Need!
Welcome to Coffee with Kenny day 189! Discussing Fuel amounts today! Always carry enough fuel! I'm always really surprised at the pilots that don't keep track of their fuel. Use a timer! I use an old school timer, it's just what I like and works for me. I use it every time. So weather you use a watch, a phone timer, whatever, but you cannot and should not rely on just your fuel gauge. Don't overlook this, and you can't trust the gauge. I use the fuel stick every single time as well! You need to know your aircraft, and the more you use these methods, the more you will start to notice how your fuel burns.
HELICOPTER FATAL ACCIDENTS on the rise 2019..
Fatal Accidents, statistics state that they predict in 2019 the fatal helicopter accidents will be on the rise. A friend of mine Rex, stopped by again to see us at the Hangar, and he is an expert on safety and all things helicopters, he does a number of things. We talked about EMS helicopter accidents and how the USHT sees an upgrade in fatal trends. It's awful, and nobody wants to talk about it, but we need to be promoting safety. Helicopters aren't all flashy aircraft and fancy flying.
How often do you do a preflight check in real life?
Welcome to day 187 Coffee with Kenny! Good question today from Ulrich in Germany! Love that we have members from all over the world! How often do you pre flight check in real life was his question. Every time you fly is my answer! Every single time, every single flight! Yes, there are pilots that do not do this. As a beginner pilot, you should get used to doing this, make this a priority habit! Older pilots, you already know this. Hit everything you need to hit, it may take you awhile, but you will get better and quicker with experience!
Are you using a Helicopter Pilot Flight Risk Assessment Matrix?
Welcome to day 186 Coffee with Kenny! Something I don't think I have mentioned before in CWK..the Helicopter Pilot Flight Risk Assessment Matrix. This is a great question that popped up. So today I am covering it. It's a great topic weather you are brand new or a seasoned pilot. Maybe some of the flight schools have it and use it, and maybe some of you pilots have it and use it as well. I would love to hear! So watch the video and leave us your experiences and comments below!
Bell 47 flew in for Day 185 Coffee With Kenny!
Day 185 Coffee with Kenny, Welcome! Our good friend and member Sam flew in to visit us again today, this time in his Bell 47! What a great time, he took me up for a ride and we went to lunch together as well. In today's video we see what Sam has been up to! This Bell 47 has some great history behind it! As a kid, I remember seeing this one! Saw it all the time, and going up today in it was so cool!
"Torque limits, EP’s, etc. remembering for each aircraft you fly?
Welcome to day 185 Coffee with Kenny! Great question from John I want to cover today. Tips and tricks on remembering specifics on each aircraft when you are flying different aircraft daily! Several things that you do have to have memorized of course. Especially when it comes to check ride numbers. Now day to day flying, green, yellow, red, you better know what is going on. So, there is a lot of repeat but when you jump into different aircraft, you have to be prepared and know those numbers.