Rotary Wing Show: Recent Episodes
Mick Cullen
The flying you will get to hear about in this episode is a reminder about the difference your helicopter skillset can make to people that are in harms way, and that there is nothing quite like these machines. It also earnt those involved distinguished flying crosses. In September 2020, the California National Guard rescued nearly …
Continue reading "RWS 113 – 2020 Creek Fire California Rescues w/ US National Guard"
The post RWS 113 – 2020 Creek Fire California Rescues w/ US National Guard appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
Kylle Fenton is an Air Crew Officer (ACO) involved in air rescue and ambulance operations supporting NSW, Australia communities. He is more accustomed to being the one to bring the resources, rescue and safety to others in “the worst day of their life”. In this episode Kylle tells a gripping story of when he and his family needed that rescue support returned during the flooding of the Township of Eugowra in Nov 2022.
This episode is being pushed out the door half cooked so that you can hear it sooner. Please forgive any short comings in the polish.
Before Kylle was part of the HEMS world he had years of experience as a Blackhawk loadmaster in the Australian Army with time in special operations and as a loadmaster instructor. We discuss this career path and the many, many tasks that a loadmaster can find themselves doing.
Important – please look at the link below to the GoFundMe page for the Fenton family discussed in the podcast episode.
The township of Eugowra NSW has suffered a very major and overwhelming flood catastrophe earlier this week. pic.twitter.com/cprEaWDccZ
— Toll Ambulance Rescue (@tollambulance) November 16, 2022
Podcast: Subscribe in iTunes | Play in new window | Download
Links from this week’s episode:
Support the podcast on Patreon
GoFundMe campaign for Fenton Family and Eugowra Residents <<<
Brisbane Helicopter Drinks 10 Dec, Bracken Ridge Hotel: RSVP https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/aussie-private-helicopter-pilots-group-brisbane-christmas-drinks-tickets-467070359017
What was your biggest takeaway from this episode? Help yourself remember and share it with others by making a comment about it here below.
The post RWS 112 – What Do Army Loadmasters Do and an Amazing Story of Flood Rescue in the Town of Eugowra Nov 2022 with Kylle Fenton appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
James Koens is a Check and Training Aircrew Officer on very expensive rescue/aeromedical helicopters. He also finds time to be a helicopter charter pilot, Army Reserve aircrewman, volunteer rural firefighter and a podcast host.
This episode is being pushed out the door half cooked so that you can hear it sooner. Please forgive any short comings in the polish.
In this episode James talks about some of the challenges of operating complex missions in the world of helicopter rescue and ambulance services. We then change track and discuss what James has learnt from ferrying small helicopters across remote parts of Australia.
Important – please look at the link below to the GoFundMe page for the Fenton family discussed in the podcast episode.
4300Kms, 30hrs, 16 fuel stops, a Robinson R22, and a whole lot of nothingness – From James’ LinkedIn post comment
Podcast: Subscribe in iTunes | Play in new window | Download
Links from this week’s episode:
Support the podcast on Patreon
GoFundMe campaign for Fenton Family and Eugowra Residents <<<
Brisbane Helicopter Drinks 10 Dec, Bracken Ridge Hotel: RSVP https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/aussie-private-helicopter-pilots-group-brisbane-christmas-drinks-tickets-467070359017
What was your biggest takeaway from this episode? Help yourself remember and share it with others by making a comment about it here below.
The post RWS 111 – Rescue Helicopter Crew Duties to 4300km R22 Ferry Through Remote Australia w/ James Koens appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
Have you applied the idea of situational awareness to weather before? Knowing what the weather was doing, what the weather is now and what it will be in the future. With access to the right weather products and knowing more about how they are developed you can level up your pre-flight weather assessment. Weather is …
Continue reading "RWS 110 – Better Weather Situational Awareness with Matt Johnson"
The post RWS 110 – Better Weather Situational Awareness with Matt Johnson appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
You have probably seen the video clip on social media multiple times – a OH-58 comes into land and as it touches down the blades contact another helicopter ground running beside it. Both aircraft are destroyed in spectacular manner but luckily there is no loss of life. In this episode we give a lot more …
Continue reading "RWS 109 – Going Beyond the Social Media Clip – Pasadena PD Accident (2012) with Dan Parsons"
The post RWS 109 – Going Beyond the Social Media Clip – Pasadena PD Accident (2012) with Dan Parsons appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
As aircrew we spend a huge amount of time training for different circumstances and emergencies. Dealing with a burning flare in your cockpit fired from a wingman’s aircraft is not one of these circumstances!! Add in the complications of being a few thousand feet in the air, over hostile controlled land and in a sealed …
Continue reading "RWS 108 – Sharing an Apache Cockpit with a Burning Flare with Clive Richardson"
The post RWS 108 – Sharing an Apache Cockpit with a Burning Flare with Clive Richardson appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
Halfway through 2021, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) put out a call for assistance for information from the aviation community. What they are looking for is feedback or more information about any ground handling incidents on Robinson type helicopters, especially focused on the aft tail cone bulkhead or tail rotor gearbox areas If you …
Continue reading "RWS 107 – ATSB Request for Information with Robert Chopin"
The post RWS 107 – ATSB Request for Information with Robert Chopin appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
Cattle are big business in Australia. Rough round numbers has us at 25 million head of cattle and the industry employs somewhere around 200,000 people. Australia is the 3rd largest beef exporter in the world. The cattle industry also contributes a sizable chunk of the annual helicopter hours flown in Australia. One set of figures I …
Continue reading "RWS 106 – Mustering with Sam Chisholm"
The post RWS 106 – Mustering with Sam Chisholm appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
Chatter in the cabin starts to die down, you have reduced power and started to bleed back the airspeed. Outside your world is starting to shrink as the conditions start to deteriorate. You lean forward in your seat to try and see a little further ahead. The VSI is showing a descent as you keep …
Continue reading "RWS 105 – Enroute Decision Point with Miles Dunagan"
The post RWS 105 – Enroute Decision Point with Miles Dunagan appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
How would you like to have been holding a steady hover and taking off and landing at 3 hours of helicopter flight time? Chris Ryan couldn’t afford helicopter lessons so he built himself a simulator to practice at home. His instructor was so impressed at his progress that he encouraged Chris to turn the simulator …
Continue reading "RWS 104 – Virtual Reality Simulators 2021 Revisit with Chris Ryan"
The post RWS 104 – Virtual Reality Simulators 2021 Revisit with Chris Ryan appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
Before this episode if you told me that there was more than an hour conversation that you could get out of talking about the governor in Robinson type helicopters I would have been dubious. I was wrong! Today we have back on the show pilot and engineer Richard Mornington-Sanford. Richard Mornington-Sanford was an engineer in …
Continue reading "RWS 103 – Robinson Governor Operation with Richard Mornington-Sanford"
The post RWS 103 – Robinson Governor Operation with Richard Mornington-Sanford appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
If the images and text on the page of your aerodynamic textbook are starting to blur together then it might be time to take a break and try to ingest the information using another format. Jacob from the YouTube channel Helicopter Lessons in 10 Minutes or Less is an Apache instructor and standards officer who …
Continue reading "RWS 102 – Helicopter Lessons in 10 Minutes or Less with Jacob"
The post RWS 102 – Helicopter Lessons in 10 Minutes or Less with Jacob appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
Helicopters make fantastic photo subjects! There is still something special about flying that captures the human spirit and the intrinsic movement and energy in a helicopter especially so. Mark Watterson has been photographing helicopters professionally since 2014. He shares some tips for how best to work with aerial photographers for a great product. Mark has …
Continue reading "RWS 101 – Air to Air Photography with Mark Watterson"
The post RWS 101 – Air to Air Photography with Mark Watterson appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
Two US National Guard pilots are developing a new training tool to reduce the risk of and improve the fidelity of reduced visual environment training. IIMC, dust landings and white outs have all been the causes of both training mishaps and real world accidents and deaths. We talk about what it missing in the current …
Continue reading "RWS 100 – Degraded Visibility Training with Tyson Phillips and Andre Lavallee"
The post RWS 100 – Degraded Visibility Training with Tyson Phillips and Andre Lavallee appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
It is not unusual for helicopter pilots to take a winding route to before they end up with a career in the cockpit. Tryggvi worked as a baggage handler, in flight operations and as a quality auditor before taking on a flying job. Now he is flying for the Icelandic Coast Guard on missions as …
Continue reading "RWS 99 – Helicopter Flying in Iceland with Tryggvi Helgason"
The post RWS 99 – Helicopter Flying in Iceland with Tryggvi Helgason appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
Before a helicopter approaches to an oil rig there are checks and safety procedures to be followed on the rig in preparation – the deck is cleared, cranes are moved out of the way and gas venting is stopped. When the landing rig is misidentified and an approach flown to the wrong landing deck the …
Continue reading "RWS 98 – Wrong Deck Landings and Approach Detection with Jon Davis"
The post RWS 98 – Wrong Deck Landings and Approach Detection with Jon Davis appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
Jerry Grayson returns to the Rotary Wing Show with an update on his next adventure following a packed career in the cockpit as a SAR and film pilot. Now-a-days he keeps his feet on the ground but leverages his experience in the operation of drones – and he thinks it might be a good time …
Continue reading "RWS 97 – A Possible Helicopter Career Plan B with Jerry Grayson"
The post RWS 97 – A Possible Helicopter Career Plan B with Jerry Grayson appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
Richard (Rick) Howell started spinning spanners on aircraft in 1960 as a QANTAS apprentice. Since then he has flown all through Australia and PNG including a 29 year run as a pilot for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Rick and his twin brother John both started in aviation at the same time which presented a number …
Continue reading "RWS 96 – What I’ve Been Doing for the Last 60 Years with Richard Howell"
The post RWS 96 – What I’ve Been Doing for the Last 60 Years with Richard Howell appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
Working in the helicopter media part of the industry Elan Head gets to talk to a wide range of people and over time has had the opportunity to take the controls of a wide range of helicopters. This gives her a unique vantage point to talk about the many roles that helicopters perform and some …
Continue reading "RWS 95 – Adventures in Helicopter Media with Elan Head"
The post RWS 95 – Adventures in Helicopter Media with Elan Head appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
Electronic news gathering or ENG is the term that those in the helicopter news corner of the industry use to capture their operations. As a platform to provide real time on-scene video at short notice over a city nothing so far beats a helicopter. As consumers of news media we have become pretty accustomed …
Continue reading "RWS 94 – News Helicopter Ops Over Los Angeles with Larry Welk"
The post RWS 94 – News Helicopter Ops Over Los Angeles with Larry Welk appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
Most piston engine pilots will be at least passingly familiar with the theory behind the formation of carburettor icing. However most textbooks lean towards the operation of the carburettor in a fixed wing mounted engine. Helicopter engines, predominately the Robinson helicopter types but applicable to others as well, have their own unique challenges when it …
Continue reading "RWS 93 – Carburettor Icing in Helicopters with Richard Mornington-Sanford"
The post RWS 93 – Carburettor Icing in Helicopters with Richard Mornington-Sanford appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
As versatile as helicopters are there are still tight places where they just can’t land to get people in or out. For overwater flights, rescue teams and some utility operations that means using a hoist or under-slung line to reach someone. A hoist fitted helicopter is not always avaliable. Hence we have the considerations that …
Continue reading "RWS 92 – Human External Cargo Helicopter Ops with Jeff Yarnold"
The post RWS 92 – Human External Cargo Helicopter Ops with Jeff Yarnold appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
The general line thrown out there is that most helicopter pilots try to spend their careers staying away from wires – the guys and girls flying in the powerline industry get right up close as part of their job. David McColl is a powerline pilot in the US and has built up experience in a …
Continue reading "RWS 91 – Helicopter Powerline Operations with David McColl"
The post RWS 91 – Helicopter Powerline Operations with David McColl appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
The pace of consumer electronics development far outstrips that of aviation equipment and helicopter installed functionality. Electronic Flight Bags are becoming a fixture in cockpits throughout the industry. For about AUD$799 in 2020 you can bring a range of features with you into any legacy aircraft that would have previously either been impossible or would …
Continue reading "RWS 90 – Electronic Flight Bags (EFBs) with Andrew Boniface"
The post RWS 90 – Electronic Flight Bags (EFBs) with Andrew Boniface appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
We first looked at night aerial firefighting in episode 65 when the capability had just finished the first trials in Australia. Now with two more fire seasons of experience fighting fires at night, Richard Butterworth is back to give an update on the continuing road map and what as been achieved so far. Richard Butterworth …
Continue reading "RWS 89 – Night Aerial Firefighting 2020 Update with Richard Butterworth"
The post RWS 89 – Night Aerial Firefighting 2020 Update with Richard Butterworth appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
Today’s topic is First Solo flights. If you are a student getting ready for your first helicopter solo this is the episode that you want to hear.If you are an instructor sending students solo then you will also definitely want to listen to this one. For everyone else there are some good risk management considerations …
Continue reading "RWS 88 – First Solo Flights with Peter Holstein"
The post RWS 88 – First Solo Flights with Peter Holstein appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
We spend a lot of time training for emergencies in the air but how much do you know about what happens next or what kicks into gear if you go missing? Luke Brandley is an ex-Huey pilot now working as a Senior Search and Rescue Officer with the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA). He and …
Continue reading "RWS 87 – Search and Rescue at AMSA with Luke Brandley"
The post RWS 87 – Search and Rescue at AMSA with Luke Brandley appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
Even if you are not an avid movie goer it is still very likely that you have seen some of Fred North’s work. Fred has been involved in many of the largest Hollywood Blockbusters in recent times either flying helicopter stunts or providing the aerial filming platform. There is a lot that goes into setting …
Continue reading "RWS 86 – Going for Height and Film Flying with Fred North"
The post RWS 86 – Going for Height and Film Flying with Fred North appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
In the market for a helicopter or just want to know some of the ins and outs of the process? Stephen Boyce has been working in helicopter sales since 2011 and flying them since 1994. Helicopters are high cost purchases and almost always a case of buyer beware. Should you buy new or used? How …
Continue reading "RWS 85 – Buying a Helicopter with Stephen Boyce"
The post RWS 85 – Buying a Helicopter with Stephen Boyce appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
Forward Looking Infra-red (FLIR) systems have been around for a while and used in a search or surveillance function normally by an operator with a control panel. A small number of aircraft are now incorporating FLIR as a pilot vision tool, tracked to the pilots head, as another way of seeing at night or through …
Continue reading "RWS 84 – Pilotage FLIR with Tony ‘Squid’ Norton"
The post RWS 84 – Pilotage FLIR with Tony ‘Squid’ Norton appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
Ditching a rapidly yawing helicopter into the open ocean is one of those experiences most of us would happily pass on. Jim Palmquist and his crew onboard a SH2 Sea Sprite survived just such an event during his time as an aircraft carrier search and rescue pilot. The Kaman Sea Sprite is a unique helicopter …
Continue reading "RWS 83 – SH2 Sea Sprite with Jim Palmquist"
The post RWS 83 – SH2 Sea Sprite with Jim Palmquist appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
If your perfect day sounds like flying a glider in the morning, testing the HV curve in a Kiowa at lunch and then jumping in a Swedish jet interceptor in the afternoon then Tony ‘Squid’ Norton can tell you what it’s like! Tony is currently the senior aviation instructor and and standards pilot for …
Continue reading "RWS 82 – Test Flying and Lessons Learnt with Tony ‘Squid’ Norton"
The post RWS 82 – Test Flying and Lessons Learnt with Tony ‘Squid’ Norton appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
A few years can make a big difference and that is the case now in Jan 2020 for the helicopter pilot hiring market in the USA. For the first time in a while the minimum hours/experience for job adverts are starting to decrease and operators are looking for new hires. Jared Friend is the General …
Continue reading "RWS 81 – Helicopter Job Market USA (2020), Visas and FAA License Conversion with Jared Friend"
The post RWS 81 – Helicopter Job Market USA (2020), Visas and FAA License Conversion with Jared Friend appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
There are differing and some very academic definitions for what culture is. I like – “the way we do things around here”. This is a chat about organisational culture and how it impacts on aviation and specifically helicopter operations. Natalee Johnston spent most of her time in the Royal Australian Navy as a Sea King …
Continue reading "RWS 80 – Influencing a Positive Aviation Culture with Natalee Johnston"
The post RWS 80 – Influencing a Positive Aviation Culture with Natalee Johnston appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
Have you ever taken your eyes inside the cockpit to check a notification or had your preflight inspection interrupted by a phone call? Distractions of all kinds are increasingly a problem for aircrew and they are starting to show up in safety stats. Picture for a moment – you are aircrew on a helicopter pre-1995 …
Continue reading "RWS 79 – Tackling Helicopter Aircrew Distractions with Kimberly Hutchings"
The post RWS 79 – Tackling Helicopter Aircrew Distractions with Kimberly Hutchings appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
For many military aviators their careers at some point end up being a case of ‘up’ or ‘out’ – either promoted to more non-flying roles or transitioning out into the civil industry. Landing that first non-military position can sometimes be hard as you establish yourself again and reorient to the new environment and civil market. …
Continue reading "RWS 78 – Military to Civilian Transition for Helicopter Pilots with Tarryn Ryan"
The post RWS 78 – Military to Civilian Transition for Helicopter Pilots with Tarryn Ryan appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
Hoist operations open up a wide range of additional roles for helicopters. They allow us to get people and equipment into and out of locations which would otherwise be inaccessible or too dangerous to land. Rob Munday and David Callen from SR3 Rescue Concepts help talk us through some of the considerations. The helicopter industry is …
Continue reading "RWS 77 – Helicopter Hoist Operations with Rob Munday and David Callen"
The post RWS 77 – Helicopter Hoist Operations with Rob Munday and David Callen appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
A bit of change of format for this episode of the Podcast. I’m re-sharing a recording made for the flight school website where I instruct. This one is all about some of the financial assistance that the Australian Government provides that can also be used towards the gaining of a commercial helicopter licence. * This …
Continue reading "RWS 76 – Funding Helicopter Training Using VET Student Loans (Australia Only)"
The post RWS 76 – Funding Helicopter Training Using VET Student Loans (Australia Only) appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
As an ex-Kiowa helicopter pilot, survival instructor RAAF fixed wing instructor, jet and 737 pilot Mike Atkinson has had opportunities to experience a range of aviation operations. So what does he do in his spare time? in 1932 two German seaplane pilots found themselves off course and out of supplies in the Kimberley region of northern …
Continue reading "RWS 75 – Adventures and Survival with Mike Atkinson"
The post RWS 75 – Adventures and Survival with Mike Atkinson appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
Pete’s MD500 is in hilly terrain when a passenger’s hoodie departs the cabin and goes straight through the tail rotor. Listen to what happens next in this recording captured by Doug Williams at his house with Pete Gillies. Extra puppy noises included 🙂 In a machine that by design generates significant torque – losing helicopter …
Continue reading "RWS 74 – Pete Gillies Talks About Tail Rotor Failures"
The post RWS 74 – Pete Gillies Talks About Tail Rotor Failures appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
In this interview Doug Williams captures a conversation at his house with Pete Gillies about teaching autorotations. Pete shares a story that highlights the differences, especially in turbine helicopters, between touchdown autorotations with the engine idling and with an engine completely off. Have you ever flown an auto with the engine completely off – be …
Continue reading "RWS 73 – Pete Gillies Talks About Teaching Autorotations"
The post RWS 73 – Pete Gillies Talks About Teaching Autorotations appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
Tiltrotor technology aims to push the envelope on helicopter top speeds while retaining the ability to land and take-off vertically. The Leonardo AW609 will be the first civilian tiltrotor design to undergo FAA certification and brings with it some unique mission profiles. Dan Wells started his flying career on the AH-1 Cobra before transitioning to …
Continue reading "RWS 72 – AW609 Tiltrotor with Dan Wells"
The post RWS 72 – AW609 Tiltrotor with Dan Wells appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
Part 2 of the interview with ex-Australian Army and current Search and Rescue pilot Kevin Humphreys looking at the topic of aircrew mental health. In this episode the focus shifts from Kevin’s military career to his personal experience with mental health challenges, the recovery process and what other aircrew can take away for their own …
Continue reading "RWS 71 – Aircrew Mental Health with Kevin Humphreys – Part 2"
The post RWS 71 – Aircrew Mental Health with Kevin Humphreys – Part 2 appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
Kevin Humphreys is a veteran of a number of overseas military deployments on Blackhawk and Chinook, currently a check and training pilot on AW139 helicopters and an ambassador for a number of mental health charities. He joins us in the interview today to share some of his flying experiences and his personal story of struggling …
Continue reading "RWS 70 – Aircrew Mental Health with Kevin Humphreys – Part 1"
The post RWS 70 – Aircrew Mental Health with Kevin Humphreys – Part 1 appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
Learn about multiengine helicopter operations in this episode. A great primer for those that have only flown single engine machines and hopefully a useful refresher others. Putting this together has been a great refresher for me personally as it is just over 10 years since I last flew anything with a second engine. Thankfully though …
Continue reading "RWS 69 – Multi-Engine Helicopter Considerations with Jim Vince"
The post RWS 69 – Multi-Engine Helicopter Considerations with Jim Vince appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
World Helicopter Day 2018 is this Sunday! Wishing everyone in the industry a fantastic day for it as we celebrate what we do and the machines we love. A big thank you to Mike Young from aircrewinterview.tv for being kind enough to allow the syndication of this interview with RAF pilot Paul Kennard. The audio …
Continue reading "RWS 68 – 2018 World Helicopter Day and Flying the Chinook with Paul Kennard"
The post RWS 68 – 2018 World Helicopter Day and Flying the Chinook with Paul Kennard appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
6834 nautical miles south west of London in the South Atlantic some amazing helicopter stories were being lived out during the Falklands War. Many of these were even unknown to the other aircrew flying in the same operational area. Harry Benson was there as a 21 yr old pilot and many years later has interviewed …
Continue reading "RWS 67 – Falklands War from a Wessex Cockpit with Harry Benson"
The post RWS 67 – Falklands War from a Wessex Cockpit with Harry Benson appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
A podcast that I get a lot of value from is the Jocko Podcast which deals in leadership, mindsets, ju jitsu, military history and has nothing to do with helicopters… or does it. In this episode I chat with Adrian Park a former Australian army helicopter pilot and now EMS pilot who has a special …
Continue reading "RWS 66 – Extreme Ownership Book Review with Adrian Park"
The post RWS 66 – Extreme Ownership Book Review with Adrian Park appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
Helicopters are amazing assets to have working in a bush firefighting role. Every year around the world they contribute to lives saved and property damage avoided. Now for the first time in Australia we are starting to see the move into night time firebombing operations. Richard Butterworth is head of training at Kestrel Aviation based …
Continue reading "RWS 65 – Night Aerial Firefighting with Richard Butterworth"
The post RWS 65 – Night Aerial Firefighting with Richard Butterworth appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
Imagine you are sitting in an apache cockpit during a refueling operation. Suddenly the world outside, in every direction you look, is one giant fireball. You can feel the heat cooking through through the windshield. What do you do next? That is the situation that today’s guest Boyd ‘Skip’ Tackett found himself in. He received …
Continue reading "RWS 64 – Lessons from an AH-64 Apache Refuel Fire with Skip Tackett"
The post RWS 64 – Lessons from an AH-64 Apache Refuel Fire with Skip Tackett appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
“On 9th and 10th of January 2011, heavy rainfall caused flash flooding to occur across parts of Queensland resulting in widespread damage to property and 35 fatalities. Grantham, Lockyer Valley and Toowoomba were severely impacted. Due to landslides caused by flooding, and water blocking the Warrego highway, the Lockyer Valley became isolated; police and emergency …
Continue reading "RWS 63 – 2011 Brisbane Floods & Lifesaving Helicopter Rescues"
The post RWS 63 – 2011 Brisbane Floods & Lifesaving Helicopter Rescues appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
Nestled in the north west corner of the US, just north of Seattle is Snohomish County and the operating base of their Helicopter Rescue Team. The HRT conducts approximately 80 rescues a year, predominantly mountain rescues of hikers. Two of their team, Chris Moriarty and Bill Quistorf, took the time out for a chat about …
Continue reading "RWS 62 – Snohomish County Helicopter Rescue Team"
The post RWS 62 – Snohomish County Helicopter Rescue Team appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
Virtual reality hardware and software have crossed a threshold where their use in supporting helicopter training and currency/recency provides an amazing experience. In this episode we break down what you can expect and what you will need to get started. Hopefully you will never look at computer helicopter flight simulators the same after listening to …
Continue reading "RWS 61 – Virtual Reality Helicopter Sims with Sérgio Costa"
The post RWS 61 – Virtual Reality Helicopter Sims with Sérgio Costa appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
As helicopter systems, engineering and processes continue to get safer, the human component becomes the focus to further improvements in accident rates. Randy Mains shares his 20 CRM Diamonds in this interview. Randy Mains was 22 years old when he deployed to Vietnam to fly UH-1H Hueys. On return to the US with over 1000 …
Continue reading "RWS 60 – 20 Crew Resource Management Diamonds with Randy Mains"
The post RWS 60 – 20 Crew Resource Management Diamonds with Randy Mains appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
The elevation of the Himalayan mountains puts them at the extreme of human and helicopter performance. For climbers it can be a 2 week trek out or a 30 min helicopter flight to safety if they find themselves in trouble. Andrew Gutsell is part of the Alpine Rescue Service run by Air Dynasty that services …
Continue reading "RWS 59 – Himalayan Rescue Ops with Andrew Gutsell"
The post RWS 59 – Himalayan Rescue Ops with Andrew Gutsell appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
Aaron Kenworthy started The Helicopter Page as a way to learn more about the helicopter industry and to provide a place to share information from around the globe. Today we go behind the scenes of the largest helicopter focused Facebook page and perhaps the largest helicopter online platform in the world. With a following of …
Continue reading "RWS 58 – The Helicopter Page with Aaron Kenworthy"
The post RWS 58 – The Helicopter Page with Aaron Kenworthy appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
Peter Wilson is currently making and around the world flight and talks to us about some of the planning and lead up to the trip. More information and photos to follow shortly. Getting this out the door so you listen and follow Peter using his tracker. See links below. Podcast: Subscribe in iTunes | …
Continue reading "RWS 57 – Three Journeys Round with Peter Wilson"
The post RWS 57 – Three Journeys Round with Peter Wilson appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
During 30 years of flying with the Australian Army Matt Barker has got to try his hand at a wide range of roles. He has picked up some tales of close calls and funny incidents along the way. Episode 55 contains the first half of this interview which is also well worth listening too In …
Continue reading "RWS 56 – The Chickenbone Story with Matthew Barker"
The post RWS 56 – The Chickenbone Story with Matthew Barker appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
During 30 years of flying with the Australian Army Matt Barker has got to try his hand at a wide range of roles. He has picked up some tales of close calls and funny incidents along the way. In the 1980’s the RAAF was directed to transfer its helicopters to the Australian Army. This brought …
Continue reading "RWS 55 – Close Calls and Funny Stories with Matthew Barker"
The post RWS 55 – Close Calls and Funny Stories with Matthew Barker appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
Jack Lynch was a ‘Bushranger’ pilot in Vietnam for the Royal Australian Air Force. These were Iroquois UH-1H helicopters fitted out as aerial gunships which provided close air support to Australian troops. Listen to Part 1 of the interview here A pair of low flying Sabre jets over Jack Lynch’s childhood property was the seed …
Continue reading "RWS 54 – Huey Gunships with Jack Lynch Part 2"
The post RWS 54 – Huey Gunships with Jack Lynch Part 2 appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
Jack Lynch was a ‘Bushranger’ pilot in Vietnam for the Royal Australian Air Force. These were Iroquois UH-1H helicopters fitted out as aerial gunships which provided close air support to Australian troops. A pair of low flying Sabre jets over Jack Lynch’s childhood property was the seed for a 50+ year career in and around …
Continue reading "RWS 53 – Huey Gunships with Jack Lynch"
The post RWS 53 – Huey Gunships with Jack Lynch appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
Landing in the urban jungle of inner Sydney is a far cry from dropping off SAS troops in the jungles of Vietnam – Ken Vote has done both in his career as a Navy and EMS helicopter pilot. >> Listen to Part 1 of this interview here << Ken started his helicopter career …
Continue reading "RWS 52 – Interview with Ken Vote Part 2"
The post RWS 52 – Interview with Ken Vote Part 2 appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
Landing in the urban jungle of inner Sydney is a far cry from dropping off SAS troops in the jungles of Vietnam – Ken Vote has done both in his career as a Navy and EMS helicopter pilot. Ken started his helicopter career with the Australian Navy, spent time in Vietnam, instructed in the military …
Continue reading "RWS 51 – Australian Navy, Vietnam and EMS with Ken Vote"
The post RWS 51 – Australian Navy, Vietnam and EMS with Ken Vote appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
The God Machine: From Boomerangs to Blackhawks, The Story of the Helicopter by James R. Chiles delves into the origins of the helicopter and the people that made them into the machines they are today. It has been another long break between episodes but we are back this week with a stroll down memory lane …
Continue reading "RWS 50 – The God Machine with James Chiles (Helicopter History)"
The post RWS 50 – The God Machine with James Chiles (Helicopter History) appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
Dini Petty forged her mother’s signature on a permission form for skydiving lessons when she was 17. By age 22, Dini Petty was flying above Toronto, Canada as the first female traffic helicopter pilot who was also giving traffic reports while flying. Dini was tapped on the shoulder in a Toronto restaurant to fill a …
Continue reading "RWS 49 – Toronto Traffic Helicopter with Dini Petty"
The post RWS 49 – Toronto Traffic Helicopter with Dini Petty appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
This is a recording from a session at the Rotortech 2016 expo on the Sunshine Coast. Vice President of the Australian Helicopter Industry Association (AHIA), Ray Cronin leads a discussion about regulation change and recent progress. This audio is what you can call an extra from our normal interview series that I’m going to slip …
Continue reading "Extra – Impromptu Session at Rotortech 2016 About AHIA and Regulation Progress"
The post Extra – Impromptu Session at Rotortech 2016 About AHIA and Regulation Progress appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
Glen White has been providing recurrency and initial training to helicopter pilots around the world through his company Eurosafety since 2004. He is a strong proponent of the benefit of full touchdown autorotations in training. Glen first learnt to fly in France in a Bell 47 before picking up roles in flight training, tours based …
Continue reading "RWS 48 – The Case For Full Down Autos with Glen White"
The post RWS 48 – The Case For Full Down Autos with Glen White appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
This is Episode 47 of The Rotary Wing Show and our main interview today is Dick Smith, the first person to fly a helicopter solo around the world plus a bunch of other aviation first and records. For Australians, Dick Smith is someone that doesn’t need too much of an introduction. He is very active …
Continue reading "RWS 47 – First Around the World Solo and Australian Regulations with Dick Smith"
The post RWS 47 – First Around the World Solo and Australian Regulations with Dick Smith appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
The Vietnam war has been called the helicopter war. They were used as troop carriers, gunships, medevac, heavy lift, observation and aerial trucks. Chickenhawk author Robert Mason shares some of his memories of flying the Huey in this episode. They fundamentally changed the way that war was fought. Probably nothing is more iconic from that …
Continue reading "RWS 46 – Chickenhawk with Robert Mason"
The post RWS 46 – Chickenhawk with Robert Mason appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
In 1965 Rosemary Arnold became the first Australian female helicopter pilot, the first female helicopter pilot in the southern hemisphere and Whirly Girl No.99 In this episode listen in as Rosemary tells the story of her 50yr+ career in aviation. You can find Part 1 of this episode here. In Part Two we continue to …
Continue reading "RWS 45 – Rosemary Arnold – First Australian Female Helicopter Pilot – Part 2"
The post RWS 45 – Rosemary Arnold – First Australian Female Helicopter Pilot – Part 2 appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
In 1965 Rosemary Arnold became the first Australian female helicopter pilot, the first female helicopter pilot in the southern hemisphere and Whirly Girl No.99 In this episode listen in as Rosemary tells the story of her 50yr+ career in aviation. It is a career full of firsts – as well as the above, Rosemary was …
Continue reading "RWS 44 – Rosemary Arnold – First Australian Female Helicopter Pilot – Part 1"
The post RWS 44 – Rosemary Arnold – First Australian Female Helicopter Pilot – Part 1 appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
Our guest today is Larry Thimmesch, Vice President Bell 525 Relentless Sales. Larry has been involved with the 525 for the last 5 years from the program’s very earliest days. The 525 is Bell Helicopter’s largest helicopter to date and weighs in at 20,000lbs or 9000kg. It has been created off a completely clean sheet …
Continue reading "RWS 43 – Bell 525 Relentless with Larry Thimmesch"
The post RWS 43 – Bell 525 Relentless with Larry Thimmesch appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
Spidertracks is a New Zealand company that produces a real time tracking solution for general aviation allowing owners and operators to know exactly where their aircraft are and to greatly increase the speed of rescue if something should go wrong. Dave Blackwell is the CEO of Spidertracks. In this episode he talks about the technology …
Continue reading "RWS 42 – Spidertracks Real-Time Tracking with Dave Blackwell"
The post RWS 42 – Spidertracks Real-Time Tracking with Dave Blackwell appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
The difference between an expensive falling brick and a helicopter is rotor RPM. Pete Gillies talks about the importance of aft cyclic in autorotation entry to conserve rotor RPM in this episode. Depending on where you did your training this might come across as ‘yeah, of course, doesn’t everyone do this’. If that’s you then …
Continue reading "RWS 41 – ‘Cyclic Back’ in an Autorotation Entry with Pete Gillies"
The post RWS 41 – ‘Cyclic Back’ in an Autorotation Entry with Pete Gillies appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
The Guimbal Cabri G2 helicopter has a lot going for it. One of the type’s biggest fans is Joey Arena of Texas Rotorwing Academy. Joey operates two Cabris with another two on order. The Guimbal Cabri G2 is a two-seat light piston-engined helicopter designed by Bruno Guimbal, a former Eurocopter engineer. The aircraft are built …
Continue reading "RWS 40 – Cabri G2 Introduction with Joey Arena"
The post RWS 40 – Cabri G2 Introduction with Joey Arena appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
Imagine the flying experience, tips and tricks that you would pick up in a helicopter career spanning 5 decades. Pete Gillies has just retired from full time work in the industry and in this episode he talks about his first experiences of learning to fly a helicopter in the 1960s and passing his commercial helicopter …
Continue reading "RWS 39 – Pete Gillies Talks About Learning to Fly Helicopters"
The post RWS 39 – Pete Gillies Talks About Learning to Fly Helicopters appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
Billed as the largest Helicopter Airshow in the US (possibly the world?), Rotors ‘n Ribs is in its 5th year running at Goshen Airport, Indiana. In this episode we chat with event president Randy Sharkey about what he and his team of directors have in store for attendees. Randy is the Chief Pilot at Indiana …
Continue reading "RWS 38 – Rotors ‘n Ribs Fly-In with Randy Sharkey"
The post RWS 38 – Rotors ‘n Ribs Fly-In with Randy Sharkey appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
Look online for information about helicopter operations in the tuna industry and it won’t be long before you see mention of Moggy’s Tuna Manual. Author of the manual Francis ‘Moggy’ Meyrick is our guest in this episode of the Rotary Wing Show. Francis is Irish born and had a number of years helicopter flying experience …
Continue reading "RWS 37 – Tuna Helicopter Flying with Francis ‘Moggy’ Meyrick"
The post RWS 37 – Tuna Helicopter Flying with Francis ‘Moggy’ Meyrick appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
John is the UK military’s chief instructor in Land, Sea and Extreme Environment Survival. In this episode he talks about the priorities of survival should you find yourself forced to land in a remote location. How much attention do you pay to what you wear or carry on you when you go flying? For some …
Continue reading "RWS 36 – Survival and Rescue with John Hudson"
The post RWS 36 – Survival and Rescue with John Hudson appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
In terms of wealth probably nothing says you’ve made it more than owning a superyacht – unless of course its owning a superyacht with helicopter landing facilities. In this episode we find out about the section of the helicopter industry that operates off these exclusive vessels. Gareth Ross from Superyacht Aviation served 26 years in …
Continue reading "RWS 35 – Superyacht Helicopter Operations with Gareth Ross"
The post RWS 35 – Superyacht Helicopter Operations with Gareth Ross appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
Flying long range assault missions at extremely low altitudes on NVGs with a cabin full of special forces soldiers is all in a days work for the men and women of the 160th Special Operations Regiment. Mike Durant was a Blackhawk element flight lead with the ‘Night Stalkers’ and in this interview talks about his …
Continue reading "RWS 34 – Special Operations Aviation with Mike Durant"
The post RWS 34 – Special Operations Aviation with Mike Durant appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
As a private pilot Paddy Wills wanted to find new and interesting places to fly to and explore. This involved asking around, researching locations, trawling forums and poking around on Google Earth. He thought there must be a better way so he went and created one. Helipaddy is a mobile app for helicopter pilots that …
Continue reading "RWS 33 – Helipaddy with Paddy Wills"
The post RWS 33 – Helipaddy with Paddy Wills appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
Bernie Walker is a Flight paramedic working with STARS – which is the Shock Trauma Air Rescue Service – an EMS organisation that covers most of Western Canada. Bernie has been with STARS as a flight paramedic for over 16 years now and these days plays a big part in their educational programs. So he …
Continue reading "RWS 32 – Helicopter Flight Paramedics with Bernie Walker"
The post RWS 32 – Helicopter Flight Paramedics with Bernie Walker appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) is the largest general aviation body in the United States. Hover Power is the association’s helicopter themed blog covering a mix of news, stories and advice. In today’s episode we cover a heap of ground as we talk about the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association in the US, …
Continue reading "RWS 31 – AOPA Hover Power Blog with Ian Twombly and Markus Lavenson"
The post RWS 31 – AOPA Hover Power Blog with Ian Twombly and Markus Lavenson appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
With the ink still drying on his A&P licence Jerry landed a job at Robinson Helicopters and went flying on his first day on the job with Frank Robinson in R22 serial number 2. We cover several of the experiences from Jerry’s career in this episode. Jerry Trimble is today’s guest and is the owner …
Continue reading "RWS 30 – Touchdown Autorotation Competition and more with Jerry Trimble"
The post RWS 30 – Touchdown Autorotation Competition and more with Jerry Trimble appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
As a Royal Navy SAR pilot Jerry Grayson was involved in a number of high profile rescue missions along with the crews of the Wessex helicopters he piloted. He has written a book – Rescue Pilot – that captures many of the stories of this part of his career. Jerry decided early on in life …
Continue reading "RWS 29 – Ocean Rescues and a Tail Rotor Failure with Jerry Grayson"
The post RWS 29 – Ocean Rescues and a Tail Rotor Failure with Jerry Grayson appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
From the outback of northern Australia, to the jungles of Vietnam and the mountains of Papua New Guinea and Nepal – plus much of the US, time in the Philippines, Columbia and Russia, David Earley is one well travelled helicopter pilot. Along the way he has held almost every position from line pilot to a …
Continue reading "RWS 28 – Vietnam, Culture and Helicopter Company Management with David Earley"
The post RWS 28 – Vietnam, Culture and Helicopter Company Management with David Earley appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
Helicopters are uniquely suited to the demands of the US Forest Service. John Harris is one of the Service’s inspector pilots and in this episode talks about his career and his current role. Based in Missoula, Montana, John is responsible for checking and qualifying contractor pilots for the US Inter-agency Helicopter Pilot Qualification Card. This …
Continue reading "RWS 26 – US Forest Service Helicopter Ops with John Harris"
The post RWS 26 – US Forest Service Helicopter Ops with John Harris appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
Dr Warren De Haan has been an Aviation vision specialist for 48 years and is considered the world’s leading expert in the field. In this episode we will be talking about vision science, tips on looking after your eyesight, better habits to help you detect obstacles, the effects of aging on sight and considerations for …
Continue reading "RWS 25 – Aviation Vision Science with Warren de Haan"
The post RWS 25 – Aviation Vision Science with Warren de Haan appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
Today’s episode is about a single seat helicopter design being developed in Australia that makes use of a coaxial rotor system. And who better to talk us through the design than Airbus A380 captain Richard Woodward. That’s right, Richard is not only Manager of Flying Operations and Chief Test Pilot at CoaX Helicopters but also …
Continue reading "RWS 24 – CoaX Helicopters with Richard Woodward"
The post RWS 24 – CoaX Helicopters with Richard Woodward appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
To take us through everything you ever wanted to know about helicopter aircrew helmets we are joined today by Mark Jones of Gentex Aircrew Systems. The modern helmet does much more than just provide head protection as you are about to find out. Should you get one? What should you look for in a helmet? …
Continue reading "RWS 23 – Helicopter Helmets with Mark Jones"
The post RWS 23 – Helicopter Helmets with Mark Jones appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
Blackdeath 23 was Robert Mill’s callsign in an Air Cavalry Unit operating the Kiowa Warrior in Iraq. Robert has published his journal as a book of the same name covering his two tours in Iraq and the daily challenges of operating a scout helicopter in that environment. The Bell OH-58D Kiowa Warrior is a light …
Continue reading "RWS 22 – Kiowa Warrior in Iraq with Robert Mills"
The post RWS 22 – Kiowa Warrior in Iraq with Robert Mills appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
A battle truck that cruises at 240kts and can land in your supermarket car park – the V-22 Osprey is one of the more unique aircraft kicking around. Ok, technically its a tiltrotor design but we’ll adopt it as more rotary wing than fixed wing. The Osprey was developed from earlier tilt rotor aircraft …
Continue reading "RWS 21 – V-22 Osprey with Mike McKinney"
The post RWS 21 – V-22 Osprey with Mike McKinney appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
Gordy Cox is the Director of Operations at Redding Air Service and knows a thing or two about helicopter firefighting. A great example of the utility of helicopters is their use in firefighting support. There is more to it than meets the eye though.
[Warning: This is a longer episode, approx 85mins, so you might want to download the file and play locally]
Using underslung buckets or bellytanks helicopters are able to provide water right where it is needed to aid in the fire management of bush and wilderness fires. The ability to use natural water sources close to the area of operations, even if that is a small waterhole or a backyard pool, results in quick turnarounds.
[leadplayer_vid id=”54CEBA4AC393F”]
Helicopters are able to move equipment and people around the fire area quickly and to areas with no other infrastructure. Its this ability to work so closely with ground firefighters that makes them so effective.
[Tweet “Firefighter first, pilot 2nd. The flying has to be second nature. Head is outside 90% of the time.”]
A big part of managing a large fire is the removal of combustible fuel in the path of the fire or around areas that need to be protected such as buildings. Ground techniques such as fire breaks and back burning can be complemented by helicopter carried heli-torches and other incendiaries.
On the flying side it requires a bunch of skill and experience. To deliver as much water as possible the aircraft are operating at high all up weights, often in mountainous terrain, poor visibility and hot conditions. Significant co-ordination is needed between other aircraft, ground personnel and the ability to maintain situational awareness of how things are developing. Being able to talk and listen on several radios at once is a bonus.
In this episode veteran helicopter firefighter Gordy Cox takes us inside the world of aerial firefighting to get an understanding of what is involved.
Podcast: Subscribe in iTunes | Play in new window | Download
In this week’s episode:
01:50 Gordy Cox, Director of Operations Redding Air Service
02:11 Based in Salt Lake City, Utah
02:50 Parents in the RAF, Born in Ghana
03:30 1982 RAF in backseat of Nimrods chasing Russian submarines
04:10 Helicopter Adventures for helicopter training and then CFI
05:15 First forestry work dropping hay bales in Robinson R22
06:10 Bunch of hours in Hawaii
07:05 Chief Pilot at Redding Air Services
07:45 Flying in bare feet Hawaii – control touch
09:15 History of helicopter use on fires
10:30 Smoke jumpers
13:30 Standard exclusive use contract daily routine – ‘fire station standby’
17:20 Smoke report actions on and initial attack
20:01 Tools of the trade
22:24 Finding a water source, portable tanks and ‘pumpkins’
25:00 Handling a spot fire
28:20 Campaign fires and helibases
30:30 AirAttack and HelCo, locating dip sites, gates, burnouts
35:50 Helibase accommodation arrangements
38:02 Operations and aviation briefings at the start of the day
39:55 Wrapping building with silver foil, resupply and flying in sprinklers
41:10 Aerial fire starting – plastic sphere device (PSD) and heli-torch
46:10 Fire bucket characteristics and operation, typical bucket weight/machine combos
50:34 Drop methods for different fuel types
52:10 Belly Tanks
54:10 Retardants, gels and foams
59:30 Flying conditions near fires
1:04:30 Getting a start with flying on fires
1:07:45 Aerial highrise fire fighting
1:08:55 Night vision devices and fire fighting at night
1:10:07 Drone use on fires and future applications
1:14:11 Traveling gnomes Timothy and Tabitha in Gordy’s photos
1:18:00 Chris Hadfield’s approach to life
1:19:03 ‘Gordy’ on PPRuNe, Redding Air Service, happy to answer any questions
1:23:06 Sponsors trainmorepilots.com – marketing tip, using the tool snip.ly
Links from this week’s episode:
Gordy is Director of Operations at Redding Air Service
The King Fire in 2014 was one mentioned in the interview.
Chicken Wings Comics Forum
Twitter account for the Gnomes
Gordy Cox flying on a fire in Idaho, 2008 Plastic Sphere Device – Incendiary balls [leadplayer_vid id=”54CEBAE6D9C2A”]
Gordy’s two gnomes Timothy and Tabitha on an adventure to the Pacific for a satellite launch
We got to fly the other day… @Sea_Launch @Eutelsat_SA pic.twitter.com/Nm0fnFRbUk
— Timothy & Tabitha (@Timothy_Tabitha) May 24, 2014
Video footage of the Twin Falls Helitack crews 2013 fire season. Credits: David Frey
[leadplayer_vid id=”54CCB0EF9D2A8″]
Heli-torch operations for backburning – like napalm!
[leadplayer_vid id=”54CCB26D88E57″]
[Tweet “Its almost impossible to put a fire out, what we do is manage it.”]
[Tweet “You get to know everyone on the crew. It really is like a family. Work hard, play hard.”]
Redding Air Service bucket trials in 1957 Picking up ground crew – beats walking out Many thanks to Gordy ‘G-man’ Cox for sharing his fire fighting experience with us. Have a question for Gordy or tips on firefighting with helicopters? Was this episode too long, should it have been two parts? Let us know in the comments.
The post RWS 20 – Aerial Firefighting with Gordy Cox appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
Shawn Coyle is an experienced helicopter test pilot with a passion for helping other pilots learn more about their profession. Whether you walk away from a landing after an helicopter engine failure or not depends on many things but one good predictor is the Height Velocity(H/V) diagram.
The H/V diagram (also known as H/V curve and dead man’s curve) represents combinations of airspeeds and altitudes that have been determined for that helicopter type where it will be difficult or impossible to safely land the helicopter.
But how is the diagram or chart arrived at?
What are the conditions it is tested under?
In this episode of the Rotary Wing Show test pilot Shawn Coyle takes us in great detail through the diagram and the machinations that go into building one. Shawn’s experience ranges from civil and military operational flying to certification flight testing and training experimental test pilots.
An author of several well know helicopter books Shawn also on occasion acts as an expert witness and on crash investigations.
After listening to this episode you will have a much greater understanding of how the H/V diagram is derived, what it means for your flying operations and probably a reluctance to let your hover height drift upwards.
Podcast: Subscribe in iTunes | Play in new window | Download
In this week’s episode:
01:20 Weather extremes on social media streams
01:48 Listener voicemail
03:25 Hello to our Croatian listener!
04:00 Height velocity diagram
05:50 Guest Shawn Coyle bio
06:06 Early start to flying in Air Cadets
06:47 Jet training then sent to helicopters
08:16 Freedom of action as a helicopter pilot
09:20 Test pilot school
11:42 Flying with the Brits
15:10 Writing books on helicopters
18:14 Automatic flight control systems
27:05 What is a height velocity diagram
27:50 Conditions used to record results
29:35 Where do you go to perform tests?
30:45 Other names for the curve and misnomers – ‘dead man’s curve’
32:41 Background of the diagram
33:28 Engine failure rates and lack of data
35:10 3 engine failures for Shawn
36:50 Delayed pilot response built into the height velocity diagram
41:03 Low hover point test technique
42:43 Impact of aging aircraft on curve
44:06 Number of data points required to construct the diagram
45:20 Verification process by certification authority
45:50 Paved level surface for touchdown, no zero touchdown requirement
47:10 What happens if you test on grass….
48:45 The scariest point to test and amount of nose down
50:34 Insurance impact of the height velocity diagram and limitation vs performance consideration
52:20 Low altitude, high speed section of the diagram
53:30 Best advice when you have to operate in shaded area
54:45 Applicability for approaches and arrivals
55:55 Ray Prouty dinner story
57:18 Piece of advice that you would pass on
59:20 2015 plans and travel
1:00:30 Little Book of Autorotations by Shawn Coyle
1:01:50 Sponsors trainmorepilots.com
1:02:10 WorldHelicopterDay.com
Links from this week’s episode:
Shawn’s company Eagle Eye Solutions
Shawn speaks at the CHC 2013 Safety Conference about the certification process
[leadplayer_vid id=”54B62D3BA13F5″]
[Tweet ““Measuring with a micrometer, marking with a chalk line and cutting with a chainsaw””]
[Tweet ““Know exactly what the symptoms are and exactly what you are going to do””]
[Tweet ““Never seen a helicopter say beat me, I love it!! (more than Blackhawk)””]
Have a question for Shawn or topics that you would like him to cover? Let us know in the comments.
The post RWS 19 – Height Velocity Diagram with Shawn Coyle appeared first on The Rotary Wing Show Podcast.
