Sacrificing safety to build hours

[MokiDugway]

Hello all. I'm trying to remain as anonymous as I can in case my employer is on here. I've been a CFI for 5 years now at a pretty slow flight school. Over the years I have had serious concerns about my safety and little confidence in the maintenance of the ships I fly. These concerns run the gamut from flying photo missions low level at low airspeed over heavy populated downtown areas,having squawks ignored if I don't put my foot down and keep hounding maintenance and then having the owner of the school second guess my squawks and tell maintenance to not work on it, being pressured to fly ships that have maintenance issues, chewing my ass if I cancel a flight due to a maintenance issue that is deemed minor, etc...

 

My first day on the job I wrote up a squawk in the maintenance log and was told not to do that because it would unnecessarily ground the ship. I was instructed to not write any squawks in the log and instead text them to maintenance and my boss.

 

I flight trained at this school and have kept in touch with all of my previous instructor's. One of them told me the other day that he was surprised that he made it out of there alive. All of them have experienced what I have, and we have all done it because we needed the hours.

 

Over the past month I experienced two maintenance issues in flight that I was lucky to have walked away from. A couple of days ago I was chastised for canceling a flight due to a main rotor track and balance issue with heavy cyclic shaking.

 

I recently decided that enough is enough and I quit. I do not have another job lined up so I am nervous about my prospects. Luckily I have 1250 PIC, so I'm hoping I can find something. I am concerned that the gap in employment will be frowned upon by prospective employers.

 

I feel very good about my decision, but the whole experience has soured me toward the helicopter world and I'm doubting whether I want to be a part of it anymore. Is there hope? Has anyone had a similar experience? Did I just screw my career? Does anyone have advice? Thank you in advance to anyone willing to offer their input.

[Little Bird]

The longer I've been in this industry (and it's only 10 years) the less likely I am to tolerate crap from employers regarding safety. Of my 5 companies, only 1 never ever questioned a pilot when they declined a flight for mx, wx or another safety issue. However in the beginning, I had some moments of doubt and uncertainty; mechs pushing you, the Owner second guessing you etc. The squawk issue you mention, at least for me, has been common as employers do want to make really sure that their ship isn't down for something unnecessary. IMO if you have solid references from old colleagues, a good work ethic and attitude and with your hours being over 1000 PIC you will find something, hopefully sooner rather than later, and look back on this as a learning experience and something to build on. Good luck, be strong and while it's perhaps easier to write than do when it's a paying job, don't compromise your ethics.

[Fred0311]

I'd say you'll be OK. I recently quit a job over safety because I frequently found my self saying "This is stupid..." I've done Tuna Boats and another job with some questionable mx (yes I'm talking about you I know you're reading this). Of course no one can condone it but working for less than ideal operators realistically is a part of time building, which is really a problem because the time builder doesn't have the experience to really know what is safe and what isn't. I became friends with some experienced pilots I trusted and I could call to ask their opinion on if something was tolerable or if I needed to walk away (sorry for harrassing you Bob and Rob). It worked well for me but if your gut is telling you something is wrong walk away, no flight time is worth your life. The good news is although there isnt a "pilot shortage" from my perspective the job market is doing very well and I haven't had any problem finding work. With your experience instructing you shouldn't have a problem finding an instruction job to hold you over until you get that turbine job.

Edited August 28, 2017 by Fred0311

[avbug]

Never take a job that you're unwilling to walk away from on the spot.

 

You trained there, and flew there as an instructor for five years, with safety concerns, before walking away?

 

Sounds like you made the correct decision, for you, but the lesson here may be to not wait so long next time. You may not have five or six years to make a choice.

[r22butters]

Every stupid decision I've ever made as a pilot has been in the desperate pursuit of "building hours"! I can't imagine what dumb-assed things I'd be willing to talk myself into in pursuit of "paying the mortgage"!?

 

All of them have experienced what I have, and we have all done it because we needed the hours.

The scariest thing is that this isn't the first post like this I have read,...man you guys must REALLY love flying!?

[DizzyD]

Strongly agree with the other comments. Lots of flavors of this BS and lots of marginal operators throughout aviation that "talk the talk" about safety but put the almighty dollar first. Sometimes it's operator greed, sometimes it's ignorance, and sometimes it's the only way they keep the lights on. But it's always a bad idea to try to save money if it requires jeopardizing your safety or certificate. Been around the game long enough to see too many good pilots ruin lives and careers this way.

 

IMHO write yourself a memo--right now while every detail is fresh--detail why you had no choice but to walk away.

 

If ever this employer tries to suck you back in--READ IT!

If ever you second guess your decision to leave--READ IT!

If ever asked by future employers to explain a gap in employment--sanitize it, emphasize your commitment to safety and SHARE IT!

[500E]

Dead is fairly final, if it as bad as you say Why are you still there & putting yourself & others at risk + your next of kin.

When the legal beagles get to, it's not only the owners but you\ your estate\family will be sucked in.

[500F]

Avbug,

A very true statement.

I knew a guy who flew for 30 years in this industry and was always bouncing around looking for better pay, he got an offer he couldn't refuse and took a job at a company with poor reputation for MX, A few months later he was dead, in a maintenance related accident.

 

Dont wait 5 years next time.

Dont wait 5 weeks next time.

[Hotdogs]

A couple of days ago I was chastised for canceling a flight due to a main rotor track and balance issue with heavy cyclic shaking.

 

 

This is probably the most concerning comment. I understand when people down birds for stupid things. I.e. Inoperative systems that have backups and are not essential to safety of flight or cosmetic things that do not impact flight control inputs or flight worthiness. However, this comment would have most certainly brought a face to face meeting followed by a very one way conversation if the corrective action did not meet an acceptable safety margin.

 

I know military aviators have pathways for rectifying maintenance or safety issues...what is the proper pathway for a civilian pilot? Notifying the FAA? Notifying Board members or Insurance companies? I'm talking in extreme cases here, but there has to be a way to get people's attention. Besides just quiting and letting some one else deal with it.

[WolftalonID]

You need to get out and go network. When your there ask to see the ships. It wont take you long to see some places actually maintain their fleet.

 

Learn to look, interview them, choose wisely, never work for a guy who wont maintain the ship.

 

I have trained at, worked for three companies so far all of them maintaining their equipment above and beyond well.

 

I have interviewed at and flown at a dozen more locations, several of them I would not step back into for a job if offered one. If you dont like what they do to their ships, walk away.