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At this time the college has suspended new signups, due to internal issues and staff turnover, however, we are discussing changes to the program that would make it even better and allow it to continue. They have allowed anyone already in the program to finish which takes us into 2019 We would consider a new affiliation with any other interested school, we are talking with stronger schools that could support this program. dp

Hey all, We are not happy with the customer service of the on-line program we are currently using (to say the least). Can you post what programs you have used and the ones that you like and why? Please don't ask which one we are using, at this time i'm not ready to bust them out. I will do some reviews at a later date tho. This has been very frustrating for over a year now and we are looking for a more professional program. dp Wow, that was fast, if you would rather pm me that's fine too, i already got two answers. I'll put them all together when our research is done so we can help others too. Thanks

Ok folks, here ya go, over 400 shots from this year's Expo... sorry about the duplicates.. not enough time to go thru them all. https://www.flickr.com/photos/129343443@N02/albums/72157677922429184 Great to see so many of you... wasn't the same w/o Goldy & Mike.... just saying. dp

Here are some photos from today: https://www.facebook.com/pg/ColoradoHeliops/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1466190146733782 Sorry if you don't do Facebook, working on my flicker account. If the link doesn't work just go to our fb page. dp

Hi all, Our team will be at the Heli-Expo Job Fair in Dallas next week, looking for a couple of new team members. We also have been asked by other companies to pass on the best resumes to them (tour companies). If you can stop by please do, if not, you can send a resume to: dp@coloradoheliops.com We are looking for a contract specialist to help us secure more utility work.. Specifically; natural gas pipeline inspection (we own a Boreal Laser system with dual HD video), animal counts, power line inspection and forestry work. The perfect candidate will have experience securing, writing, and following-up on all of the above. We have a very lucrative commission schedule and you can work from where ever you live. Mid time CFII We are looking for a couple of mid time CFIIs over the next few months. The perfect candidate will have 500+ hours, at least 200 hours of dual given. We fly R22s, R44s and Schweizer 300c so time in type is a must. High altitude time, and, FITS/SBT facilitator is a huge plus. If you want to try and meet at the expo send me an email and we’ll try to fit it in. http://heliexpo.rotor.org/index.php/events/hai-helicopter-industry-career-fair/ Tue., Mar. 7, 2017 • 10:30 am – 5:00 pm • Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center • Ballroom C1/C2 Hope to see you there! dp

This is from the program director at the college we work with: I have immediate openings for 2-3 post-private Veteran helicopter students at Colorado Heli-Ops / Morgan Community College for the January semester. If you are currently on a wait list at another school or know someone who is or are otherwise interested, please contact me. Email: martin.achtermann@morgancc.edu. If you have separated in the last 3 years you do not have to be a resident of Colorado but otherwise residency considerations will apply. Colorado is a WUE state. http://www.coloradoheliops.com/vaprograms/ Or, you can call Martin at Colorado Heli-Ops-Ops, his office is in our hangar. 303.466.HELI (4354) dp

CHO is hosting this event next month (10th thru the 13th) and for the first time the team is inviting guests to sit in on the second day. There are some amazing people in this group and it's a great time to see what we do and meet some of the members and speakers. Some of the organizations that will be represented: FAA, NTSB, Robinson Helicopter, Air Bus, Air Methods, FRASCA, Bristow Academy, NEMSPA, Heliweb Magazine, MD Helicopters, MITRE, ERAU, Bell, Sikorsky, Rotor & Wing, Hillsboro, ALEA, Helitrak, NZ CAA, Sundance, Augusta Westland, CAMTS, and more.. Greg Feith is just one of the speakers. I hope some of you can be there. If you are interested get in touch with me quick so we can get you approved by the Chairs to attend. The seating is limited. Mike is also teaching two classes the following two days (12th & 13th), it would be a great time to update your resume with a Facilitators course. Press: Colorado Heli-Ops is hosting a Face to Face (F2F) meeting of the US Helicopter Safety Team (USHST) Joint Helicopter Safety Implementation Team (JHSIT) Training Working Group (TWG) and USHST Executive Committee (ExCom) next month in Colorado on Wed 10 and Thu 11 August 2016. The TWG meets monthly via web conference and twice a year F2F to focus on their safety initiatives. For the first time, the group is opening up a portion of the meeting on Thu 11 Aug in the afternoon from 1300, to welcome a select few observers who may be interested in learning what the TWG does to help improve aviation safety and meet the team. Open to local interested aviators, the observers will be able to apply for one of the limited seats to sit in on the meeting, to see what goes on and how the team addresses their projects. After the meeting there will be a one hour interactive session where the observers can ask questions of the group. This will be followed by an hour of networking with the group, with appetizers and beverages provided. Attending this event is free, but seats are limited. On the two days following the JHSIT meeting, Mike Franz of the JHSIT working group, will present his renowned FITS/SBT (Scenario Based Training) Facilitator course and his Clarification and Enhancement Course. His popular FITS/SBT course has produced over 200 facilitators, and counting. There is a fee for each course, with the exception of FAA employees or Designated Pilot Examiners. If you are interested in participating in the JHSIT meeting observation or Mike Franz' courses, please contact Dennis Pierce at info@coloradoheliops.com, or call him at Colorado Heli-Ops at 303.466.4354.

"Is that college gonna lease one of your helicopters, put their name on it and then keep the veterans covered 100% for private?" NO. We developed this program before the limitations were placed on the VA program, (due to some schools literally raping the VA). We decided more than a year ago to have the pilots in training pay for their private (the way the GI bill was initially set up). This makes sure they have 'skin in the game', and really want this career.. the whole program and students within will benefit from this stance. We also believe the VA will see that some are taking advantage of loop holes still, and will fix that in the future. We do not want to fail in this venture, and have to tell veterans that they have to find another school to train at. We want to set an example as other credible schools have decided to do. We also do not want to ruin this awesome program for the ones that have earned it. dp

Hey All, the College our VA Program is with is hiring a Program Director. If you or someone you know is interested please go to the link below and apply. Thanks, dp Press Release Morgan Community College in Colorado and Colorado Heli-Ops have developed a comprehensive associate degree helicopter pilot program. The program will offer great opportunities to anyone wanting to become a career pilot, including veterans wishing to use their Post 9/11, Chapter 33 & 31 GI Bill benefits. Morgan Community College is looking to fill a Program Director position to work as liaison between the Flight School and College. The new director will have an office at Colorado Heli-Ops' facility in Broomfield, working closely with the team there, with occasional travel to Bennett and Fort Morgan. Pay is great, and benefits better. If you are interested in being part of one of the best teams in the industry, go to the link below for more information. http://www.morgancc.edu/about-mcc/jobs/director-aviation-technology/

Astro, I have to admit that i was 'one of those guys'... i was hired to recover an R22 from the ocean off of Waikiki in '93. On the way out to the site i learned that two of my friends had been flying it. I had just started my training in a different R22 in Honolulu. Needless to say, i quit flying R22s that day and bad-mouthed them for years. Truth is, i didn't have a clue what i was talking about, i only had five hours in them and didn't really understand what had happened (might have had something to do with two people and scuba gear for each in the helo). Anyway, years later i looked harder, and realized that i had been wrong. Just saying. I agree with your assessment above, i LOVE flying the Robbies. dp

There are currently three places to train in Colorado. Two fly 300cs; Front Range Helicopters in Ft. Collins and Colorado Heli-Ops in Broomfield. I'm not sure about Ft Range but we do not rent helos except to our current pilots in training. Suncrest Aviation in Grand Junction has Robinsons and MAY have an Enstrom, i think they did in the past, not sure about now. I would highly recommend if you plan to fly an Enstrom, that you look into the AD that came out last year, make sure the ship you fly has had the inspection done on the main rotor system. Rob is a great guy and good instructor, not sure if he's still teaching tho. I don't believe there are any Enstroms for training still on the front range, but Jack would know. Not sure about Falcon renting their birds. They work out of Longmont airport. I know how you feel about Robinsons, i felt the same way until i started flying/operating them eight years ago, we now have five of them. They are awesome aircraft in every way, i recommend that you take a closer look. They are the number one selling helicopter in the world for good reasons. dp

Hey All, I am looking for some help selecting the best Part 141 on line program to keep track of all of the records necessary. I am hoping there are some of you using the products currently available and/or someone looking to beta test some new stuff. If you don't want to post your opinions here please use the email below to touch base. Thanks for you help, dp dp@coloradoheliops.com

Hey all, The Expo was good for us, it’s always great to see old friends and make new ones. We were so busy I didn’t get much time on the floor, have to figure out how to plan that better. There were much fewer helicopters, which was a bummer. There were also less people but some said those that were there were serious about business so I guess that’s a good thing. When I was on the floor the crowd was much less intense so it was easier to get around. It was great to see the folks at the get together, the restaurant was a cool place and the people awesome.. food was good too. Louisville is a very cool city and the locals were extremely nice. I had some of the best food as well. Our safety meetings and presentations went well, people are finally getting the message and things are coming together. We are working with our insurance broker (who was at the Expo and on the panel for our presentation), and USHST members to develop an outline of safety initiatives that would provide discounts on operators’ insurance costs. This is the Holy Grail folks, now that insurance providers are seeing the value of SMS and other safety programs, hopefully more operators will be incentivized to follow suite. It was so nice to hear everybody calling students ‘pilots in training’, and I think Mike Franz’s name came up about 50 times. I also got an opportunity to explain the difference between FITS SBT and scenario interjection. There were a lot of lights going on in the audience when they realized that FITS SBT is a comprehensive program, developed by the FAA, not simply adding a scenario to a flight. Here is a link to the NTSB blog, this was written by the CoChair about the Expo: https://safetycompass.wordpress.com/tag/vice-chairman-bella-dinh-zarr/ I finally got some of the photos posted on my flicker acct. These are also on our fb page if that is easier for you. https://www.flickr.com/photos/129343443@N02/albums/72157665635492795/with/25317206340/ Aloha, dp

Hey All, The show was good for us, lots of business and safety stuff. It was great seeing everyone at the get together, and meeting up with old friends. There are some photos on our fb page, i'll try to get them posted here for those that don't go there. Some say it wasn't the best place for the show, to us, it seemed good. There weren't as many helicopters on the floor which was a bummer, but, it wasn't overly crowded. Also, the folks that were there seemed more serious and focused on the industry instead of other stuff. The locals were very nice and the bourbon was even better... :-) dp

He All, See you tonight around 6:30. Looking forward to see everybody. I finally get to spend some time on the floor today as well. dp