to career pilot. There’s still a long way to go in my career, and I look forward to helping many more pilots achieve their dreams.
RPMN: Have you ever had an “Oh, crap” moment in a helicopter? Can you summarize what happened?
As a career flight instructor there have certainly been many of
assignment
RPMN: If you could give only one piece of advice to a new helicopter pilot or mechanic, what would it be?
Be humble. Whether those! Before that
though, on my very first commercial
drying cherries in the California desert at night, I got myself into an LTE situation by executing a right
pedal
turn too rapidly at the end of a tree row and suddenly running out of left pedal. Luckily I had cleared the edge of the cherry trees and was able to lower the collective to sacrifice a little altitude.
The simple
reduction in torque allowed me to regain tail rotor control almost immediately, but it definitely taught me a lesson I won’t soon forget! Although initially nerve-racking, it’s become a teaching moment that I try to pass on to students as often as I can.
Recruiting the next generation of pilots. Helicopter flight training isn’t getting any cheaper, and the next generation
of military pilots
may not be well suited to flying light, nonautomated aircraft. While fixed-wing careers continue to be more attainable and attractive, we all have a challenge on our hands to engage and recruit the
number of pilots the
helicopter industry will need in the coming decades.
it’s learning to hover or interviewing for your first job, it’s a progression, and it may not go the way you want the first time. Take every opportunity to learn from your mistakes and apply them to your next opportunity.
RPMN: In your view, what is the greatest challenge for the helicopter industry now?
Do you know someone who would be a good subject for Meet a Rotorcraft Pro? Email your suggestion to the editor-in-chief:
lyn.burks@rotorcraftpro.com
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