had very specific goals. One wanted to fly for the FBI and he does, one wanted to fly for the Coast Guard and she did, one wanted to do firefighting and he did. The last one wanted to become an instructor and she is doing just that at another college. During that time, I was awarded the Michigan Aeronautics Commission Award of Excellence, the Detroit FSDO CFI of the Year, and was named the Great Lakes Region Aviation Safety Counselor of the Year. I was appointed FAA Accident Prevention Counselor (now FAASTeam) in 1994 and I am still current with that, helping to mitigate enforcement actions with counseling.
RPMN: Have you ever had an “oh, crap” moment in a helicopter? Can you summarize what happened?
Anyone who has flown with a student or flown over 12,000 hours has had more than one such moment. Back in the ‘90s, I was out with a student just departing the airport for pattern work when a plane inbound reported ice at 2,000 feet. We were at 500 feet, so I asked the student, “What should we do?” The student replied we should return. Good choice, I thought. He made his turn back to the airport while I called the tower, only he did a climbing turn right into the ice at about 800 feet. We iced up immediately. Had to open the vent and crab the helicopter to see and land in the closest field where it stayed for four hours. Not fun. We didn’t have the tools then that we have now, and the flight service station had given no warning of ice.
RPMN: If you could give only one piece of advice to a new helicopter pilot, what would it be?
Take your time and learn in all four seasons. Stay the course and be patient, as it doesn’t happen overnight. Getting all your ratings in less than 10 months does not make you proficient or professional.
RPMN: In your view, what is the greatest challenge for the helicopter industry at this moment in time?
Well the most obvious current challenge is the COVID-19 pandemic. It is going to take its toll on a lot of small operators. If COVID was not around, I think the greatest challenge is the failure of the FAA to take control of airspace in favor of operators. Too many communities are allowed to prohibit flights and flight paths due to noise or just the sentiment of “we just don’t like helicopters.” The FAA was charged with controlling the airspace so that NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) couldn’t happen, but more and more it seems that the FAA is rolling over to avoid confrontation. The WINGS program is one of the few programs where the FAA is proactive. I just wish they would do more to be proactive rather than reactive.
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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