RP: What is your greatest career accomplishment to date?
Helicopter Institute partnered with Embry- Riddle University to run their rotorcraft training program several years back. During the start-up for that program, I moved to Prescott, Arizona, and got my first exposure to real fleet management. Though not perfect, getting to say I ran a five-aircraft maintenance shop on my own and experienced success is one of my greatest personal accomplishments. That being said, Helicopter Institute represents five different manufacturers and several models of aircraft between each. Standing up the Prescott campus was my greatest personal accomplishment, but it pales in comparison to the pride I feel for the Helicopter Institute maintenance team that keeps our at-home fleet of more than 20 helicopters flying every day.
RP: Have you ever had an “oh, crap” moment involving helicopters? Can you summarize what happened?
My “oh, crap” moment came just before my involvement in rotorcraft. The first job I had worked in aviation was on
an experimental plane called an RV- 6. My mentor had given me the task of removing a wheel from the airplane. He gave me the appropriate references and inspected every step of my work along the way. But when it came time to remove the wheel from the plane, I removed the wrong bolts and nearly hurt myself extremely badly. Long story short, I learned that reading something is not enough. You must understand and comprehend the information in front of you to perform maintenance safely. The difference between reading instructions and
understanding the machine and
task at hand could very well be a life- or-death ordeal in aviation. You have a responsibility as a maintainer to fully immerse yourself in the aircraft or components you are responsible for.
RP: If you could give only one piece of advice to new pilots, mechanics, or support personnel, what would it be?
This industry is broken down into two words: reputation and networking. The helicopter industry is extremely small. Always be honest and don’t do something that damages your reputation with those
around you. If you take accountability for your actions and do your job to the best of your ability, your reputation through networking will take you anywhere you’d like to go.
RP: In your view, what is the greatest challenge for the helicopter industry at this moment in time?
The number of experienced helicopter professionals leaving the workforce is alarming. We’re all aware of the pilot shortage and mechanic shortage,
but
flooding the industry with inexperienced people can lead to a reduction in safety as many of the lessons handed down by generations are lost. Providing this new generation of maintainers, pilots, and ground personnel with not only adequate, but rather excellent training has to be our top priority, and I am proud to say that the Helicopter Institute has made its mission to provide that top-class training to anyone who walks through our doors.
Do you know someone who would be a good subject for Meet a Rotor Pro? Email your suggestion to the editor-in-chief:
lyn.burks@rotorpro.com
rotorpro.com
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