MY 2 CENTS
ground power unit,” he said, and exited the helicopter. He proceeded to the fixed- base airport operator (FBO), and it was soon after this moment that I regained my knowledge of just who I was examining.
As Mr. Ford exited the FBO and was returning to the helicopter, quite a few people were following and chatting with him. He was kind to them, but tried to get back to the helicopter to get us in the air. After all, this was his checkride. After a few pictures, the small crowd allowed us to continue. I apologized to him as I had not thought about such an occurrence. He was noticeably kind and reflected positively on the moment. “They love aviation, and so do I,” he said.
We departed FXE and proceeded to the Pompano Beach Airpark, which is historically known to be quite busy, and that day was no different. All his maneuvers were well above minimum FAA practical test standards, and we returned to FXE.
At the completion of the exam, we conducted a debrief with his instructor.
I found it truly inspiring to know that Harrison Ford had completed most of his helicopter training in a Robinson R22 and then transitioned into the Bell 206 shortly before his exam. In my mind, he was one of us!
One of my greatest regrets is what came next. He invited my wife and I to dinner that evening. I was excited until I thought about the optics. I didn’t want anyone to think his exam was anything less than professional, so I said thank you and turned down the offer.
The event described occurred on Dec. 6, 1997. I did everything in my power to conduct the exam in a compliant and effective manner. In doing so, I met all my obligations to the FAA and our industry.
What I failed to do was enjoy the moment, go to dinner, and share a once-in-a- lifetime experience with my wife. Being a professional aviator does not mean you can’t enjoy your career. Take it from me, you can do both!
Randy Rowles has been an FAA pilot examiner for 20 years for all helicopter certificates and ratings. He holds an FAA Gold Seal Flight Instructor Certificate, NAFI Master Flight Instructor designation, and was the 2013 recipient of the HAI Flight Instructor of the Year Award. Rowles is currently the owner of the Helicopter Institute. He can be reached at randyrowlesdpe@
gmail.com
rotorpro.com
9
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84
