UPDRAFTS
UPDRAFTS
VAI BRIEFS 12 California Town Halls Address Pilot Shortage
13 VAI Working Groups Are Now Industry Advisory Councils
16 EUROPEAN ROTORS Goes to Amsterdam
18 POWER UP Magazine Photo Contest Open for Entries
19 VAI Aerial Work Safety Conference: The Place to Be
VAI MEMBER BENEFIT OF THE MONTH 15 2025 VAI Scholarship Program
5 DOS AND DON'TS 20 Compliance with SOPs
IN THE SPOTLIGHT 22 Senior Master Sgt. Rob Dimel, Civil Air Patrol, Texas Wing Command
VERTICAL AVIATION CALENDAR 25 Upcoming Events
VAI BRIEFS
California Town Halls Address Pilot Shortage
REFILLING THE VERTICAL AVIATION WORKFORCE pipeline remains a top priority for VAI. That’s why the associ- ation, in conjunction with the Southern California Rotorcraft Association (SoCal Rotors), is holding a series of town halls designed to help new and potential helicopter pilots prepare for careers in vertical flight. The inaugural event in the series, “The Fire Pilots: The
Pathway to Becoming a Fire Pilot and Adventures Along the Way,” was held Jun. 29, 2024, in Los Angeles. Panelists
included current aerial firefighting pilots who explained their duties and the best way to follow in their foot- steps. Between 35 and 40 people attended the event. VAI Western US Regional
Representative Chuck Street led the town hall, whose panelists were Paul Gottwig, Los Angeles County Fire Department Air Operations (LACFDAO) and VAI board member; Mike Sagely, LACFDAO and 2024 VAI Salute to Excellence Pilot of the Year; Ethan Jensen, LACFDAO; and Josh Murphy, Orange County (California) Fire Authority. The panelists emphasized the value
of building flight time, encouraging audience members to gain experience in various sectors, such as utility opera- tions, mountain flying, overwater oper- ations, and longline and sling-load work. They also discussed the importance of developing night-vision goggles skills through operations such as medical transport. The four pilots advised attendees to
be ready to move around the country to diversify their experience and quali- fications for a range of fire service jobs. The group also recommended keeping detailed logbooks and stressed the importance of teamwork. Most helicopter flights in Southern
California involve public service mis- sions, and this town hall—as will future events—was a valuable resource for those interested in serving the public through aviation. “We have identified over 40 types of missions performed by helicopters and
From left: VAI Western US Regional
Representative Chuck Street joins pilots Josh Murphy, Paul Gottwig, Mike Sagely, and Ethan Jensen at the inaugural VAI/SoCal Rotors pilot career development town hall, Jun. 29, 2024, in Los Angeles, California. (Don Kelsen Photo)
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POWER UP SEP 2024
UPDRAFTS
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