Meet a otor
Pro John Harris RPMN: What is your current position?
I currently fly a UH-1H “Super Huey” as a civilian NVG fire/search & rescue pilot/ CFII for the Kern County Fire Department. We operate as single pilot, 24/7, with a fire captain in the left seat for water dropping. For rescues, the captain joins two other firefighter EMT paramedics in the back, to perform hoist recoveries.
RPMN: Tell me about your first flight or experience with helicopters.
My first flight was in an OH-23C (Hiller UH-12C) in March 1970, to see if I wanted to become a helicopter mechanic.
RPMN: How did you get your start in helicopters?
I was an 18-year-old private in the Army Reserve, bored with my role as a truck driver.
began “unofficially” teaching me how to fly. After nine months as a weekend- warrior mechanic, I departed to attend WOFT.
RPMN: Where did you get your start professionally?
After flight training I returned to my Reserve unit, but found there was minimal flying. I discovered that accumulating hours that way would be slow, so I volunteered for deployment to Vietnam. I was activated and sent to Vietnam as the last mobilized reservist. Once there, I became a UH- 1H Huey aircraft commander, performing a whole range of missions. Afterwards, I remained on active duty for several years, becoming an instructor
pilot in
both Hueys and Cobras. I left after logging 1,500 hours, which then seemed to be the magic number needed to begin a commercial career.
I read that a small aviation
detachment with just three helicopters was forming and needed volunteers. I inquired, was given that first flight which I loved, and was told that I could also apply for Warrant Officer Flight Training (WOFT), which I immediately did.
RPMN: When and how did you choose to fly or work on helicopters? Or did they choose you?
After training, I began working on our vintage Hiller and two OH-13E (Bell 47D) helicopters. Both had wooden main rotor blades! I simultaneously began flying with the pilots, all Vietnam veterans, who
RPMN: If you were not in the helicopter industry, what else would you see yourself doing?
I actually embarked upon a second career for the U.S. government, during which I supported overseas contingency operations that often benefitted from my pilot background. However, I always remained current in helicopters by either flying rented Robinson R22s or flying as a military Reserve pilot, which I did for over 40 years.
RPMN: What do you enjoy doing on your days off?
I enjoy traveling with my wife, and of course flying. I was fortunate that I started renting Hughes 269Bs for fun, way back while I was still an active Army pilot. Such rental activity would eventually lead to my first commercial pilot job. I also act as an unpaid volunteer pilot of an AH-1F Cobra, restored by the non-profit Army Aviation Heritage Foundation (AAHF). We offer FAA-approved demonstration rides in the Cobra.
RPMN: What is your greatest career accomplishment to date?
The safe conduct of an offshore hoist rescue of three persons, while employed as a UH-1H fire/search & rescue pilot for the Santa Barbara County Fire Department. On Aug. 27, 2010, I was already off duty late that afternoon when my pager went off with an urgent rescue. It was reported that three individuals were being swept out to sea in kayaks by a powerful offshore “Sundowner” wind. Then they abandoned their kayaks in a futile attempt to swim back to shore.
Normally any such offshore rescues would be performed by the U.S. Coast Guard, but they were too far away at LAX to respond in sufficient time. With my crew in back, we immediately deployed and soon located the victims, who were all so exhausted that two of them could not even raise their hands out of the water to waive. Fortunately all three hoists were successful, and once onboard, one of the patients even exclaimed loudly in the cargo compartment to our incredible
12
May/June 2021
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
