MY 2 CENTS’ WORTH
BUT WE’VE ALWAYS DONE IT THIS WAY
HAS ANYONE EVER SAID TO YOU, “BUT WE’VE ALWAYS DONE IT THIS WAY”? IT’S A COMPLACENCY TRAP THAT ONCE HELD THE POTENTIAL FOR DIRE CONSEQUENCES FOR FIVE OF US EMPLOYED AS HEMS PILOTS
I was new to the organization, standing on the bridge of the king’s yacht with the chief pilot. We were both looking half a mile away through binoculars as he explained the approach to the hospital helipad. in the GPS, which is the wall at the edge of the palace grounds. Once you reach it, you’ll make a left 90-degree dogleg turn, your right while staying well clear of that
“You’ll want to stay between the construction cranes and the stadium until you see those rockets on sticks. See held up on long poles in the center of a roundabout on the other side of another wall.
“The helipad sits just this side of them. To on sticks making a hard-left turn aiming toward the coast while keeping a close eye on the towers and construction cranes
Looking over at him, I lowered my binoculars. “Why don’t we just get
8 August 2015
He shook his head, “Can’t do it. I’ve been told if we ask to practice landing there,
“Nope, that’s just how it is because we’ve always
Because I was new I didn’t want to upset the status quo. My only reply was, “God help us if we’re called to go in there at night in bad weather, having never been let this be the last heard from me on the subject.
A month later, the chief pilot went to the U.K. to check up on our second 214ST that had gone through extensive maintenance. That’s when I asked the No. 2 in charge, Don Williams, if he’d be willing to call the general at J-Base to ask permission to land at the helipad. Don immediately called the general.
enthusiastically. “Why haven’t you called
So much for plotting a coup.
to the helipad at J-Base, grateful for the opportunity to check the best approach routing into and out of the hospital. However, the most important piece of information came when the general asked a shocking question: “You do know that J-Base is the backup hospital for the king
We were stunned. For years the pilots We asked the general, “Where do we take
The following day Don called the hospital administrator at King Fahd who asked, “Why haven’t you requested to land here was he going to say: “I thought you’d think
The day we landed the king’s shiny Bell 214ST helicopter at the hospital, it was excitement. I imagine everyone who was able to leave their posts in the hospital came out to watch this special event: paramedics, nurses, doctors, ambulance crews, etc. When we exited the helicopter, the hospital administrator rushed over welcoming us with a huge smile, open arms, a hearty handshake, and even gave us both a big hug. Everyone was patting each other on the back, handing out business cards, and inspecting the helicopter’s interior. I wouldn’t have been surprised if there had been clowns, cotton candy, and helium balloons.
We practiced landing there at night too. So now all the pilots: Don Williams, Johnny Grantham, Stuart Gatherer, and myself (everyone except the chief pilot who was still in England) was current landing day and night at J-Base and King Fahd Hospital. We could now say with hand
By Randy Mains
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