A Pro? How Do You Know?

[Spike]

A question for the OG’s……

With regards to skill, knowledge, attitude and judgment, what is the epitome of an experienced professional helicopter pilot? Simply put, what have you seen that sets them apart?

This question is not meant for speculation or a "belief" but rather what has actually been witnessed or practiced.......

[eagle5]

I didn't know he was the high time experienced pilot I was going to be flying with because he wasn't a braggart, or showoff!

[apacheguy]

Someone who tells his boss (or a General Officer) they can't fly that day, no matter how important the boss thinks the mission is, due to bad weather or the strong possibility of bad weather developing.

 

As I used to tell the grunts in Iraq, it's far better to be on the ground wishing you were flying than to be flying and wish you were on the ground.

[Flying Pig]

A pilot who is genuinely happy to see someone else succeed because they are content with where there are. Someone who knows how to have fun when flying while still having the judgment to not be stupid.

 

I used to fly with a guy who would scare the crap out of people when he would take them flying. Somehow that was his attempt to display how amazing he was. Compared to a guy who allow people to enjoy their time and come back saying "Thank you, that was very nice."

 

Someone who is always the go-to guy for a mission other people may not be comfortable enough doing, like high mountain operations.

 

I worked with a partner who retired with 27,000hrs. Even his last year of flying it wasn't uncommon to see him sitting at his desk reading the Rotorcraft Flying Handbook or just crunching some numbers in the POH

[Spike]

Maybe I should be more, specific…….

For the pilots who have years on the job and have seen it all. If your company/organization hires a new guy, how do you evaluate his level of skill, knowledge, attitude and judgment? Whether you fly with him or not, how do you “size” him or her up? What qualities would you consider that would make you comfortable to allow this pilot to take your family for an, on-the-job, flight?...........

[aeroscout]

A pilot who uses luck like a savings account, and skill and smoothness like a checking account.

[adam32]

Flight suit, helmet, chrome aviators.

[Flying Pig]

Maybe I should be more, specific…….

 

For the pilots who have years on the job and have seen it all. If your company/organization hires a new guy, how do you evaluate his level of skill, knowledge, attitude and judgment? Whether you fly with him or not, how do you “size” him or her up? What qualities would you consider that would make you comfortable to allow this pilot to take your family for an, on-the-job, flight?...........

Remember when you met me? That is pretty much the standard...

Edited June 30, 2014 by Flying Pig

[Wally]

A question for the OG’s……

 

With regards to skill, knowledge, attitude and judgment, what is the epitome of an experienced professional helicopter pilot? Simply put, what have you seen that sets them apart?

 

This question is not meant for speculation or a "belief" but rather what has actually been witnessed or practiced.......

 

Easy, smooth control touch is impressive, but I've flown with pilots who constantly performed carrier landings (controlled crashes) but were safer than German houses: and I've flown with some really smooth idiots... So simple control skill isn't enough.

 

Atitude, knowledge and cautious judgement:

Willing to learn, adapt and develop, with an intent to be better every time.

Knows and respects the airframe and abides by the rules and limits;

Prepares for the proposed operations, physically and mentally, and knowledgeably plans for optimum and alternates. If a pilot can't explain this clearly with facts and rationally...

[aussiecop]

Proven knowledge and performance mixed with a good dose of humility and willingness to see others succeed and bypass them in skills, experience and success. I may not be an OG, but from someone who has had a few mentors in their life that without even trying oozed all of those qualities without even trying, its a no brainer. Everyone who has commented so far has put a piece of the pie together with what is a good example trait.

 

We all joke about "how do you know a pilot in a bar - just wait, he'll tell you". But in the meany hundreds of pilots I have met, the most well respected are usually the quietest ones who prefer the back of the room than the front, but when called up to speak, will speak from knowledge and experience in the hope that anyone after them that hears what they have to say may never make a mistake that they made, or suffer a pitfall that they warn about. Some people say it, but people that actually mean it are the ones you want to be around.

 

My first flight instructor was a kid of 20 something who was a nervous nancy who I was learning nothing from when he was grab at the controls every 2 seconds out of fear. I started training at 33, so I had a good understanding that he was probably not going to work out for me. I asked the school for a new instructor and was given the owner, who was pretty cocky and talked down to me a lot, despite being pretty knowledgeable. I asked for another and got a 10k plus instructor who never even told me how many hours he had, but the first time we got in the aircraft, he asked me if I thought I could fly (at about 20 hours) I said yes, he said show me.

 

By the time I was in the pattern, he was feet on the floor and hands in his lap. Being a rookie and never having seen that before, I asked him what he was doing. His response was to softly reply "if your going to kill us, I'll step in, until then, fly the aircraft". The same guy still flies and teaches when he wants to today and actually saved the life of the 20 something kid when he made a stupid mistake while he was in the other seat and then froze. Whenever someone in aviation asks me for any advice, I try and think about the way he would have shared the same advice. I'd say if several years later I still think of him often, then he'd definitely fit the bill of Spikes original question.

[avbug]

It's said that the professional uses superior judgement in order to avoid needing to use superior skill.

 

A professional should operate, behave, and appear to others as a standard for which they can seek. Conservative in dress, language, and behavior, a professional concentrates on the job and should be able to perform that job with ease. The outcome of a flight should never cause great concern or doubt.

 

A professional listens. This seems one of the hardest things of all for some to understand. It might be that passenger, or lineman or fueler, the one with seemingly the least knowledge or standing, that points out the one thing that may save your life: it's the ability to listen and evaluate that makes for longevity in the field.

 

A professional places safety of the operation, of the aircraft, of the passengers and cargo, and the reputation of the company above self and above pride or ego. The professional is not afraid to say "no." That ability may be the single greatest hallmark of good judgement. The professional carefully abides regulation and policy and procedure; if it can be done safely, he or she does it, even when it's not his or her "way."

 

A professional takes the mission seriously. Not just being in the vicinity of the news, but setting up for a great shot. Not just going to the fire, but effectiveness, remembering that the mission is to support troops on the ground. Not just getting to the patient or getting the patient to the hospital, but remembering that it's about much more than speed; it's about offering a higher level of care. At the same time, the professional concerns himself with the safety of the flight, and lets the professionals in back deal with the patient. They make patient calls, he makes safety calls. The two don't mix.

 

The professional watches his or her language, whether it's profanity or politics. The professional is mindful that others look up to him, and acts accordingly. The professional takes care to stay clean in appearance, current on the job, and to focus on what's assigned, rather than outside business.

 

Anybody can get paid to fly an aircraft; it doesn't really make them a professional.

[cryesis]

Every professional I've encountered always had a level of calmness about them

[aeroscout]

That was a good post by avbug. I must commend that.

I just wish that in addition to what avbug mentioned he would include not lying about colleagues, and not berating and being derogatory with those you might have some disagreement with.

[avbug]

That was a good post by avbug. I must commend that.

I just wish that in addition to what avbug mentioned he would include not lying about colleagues, and not berating and being derogatory with those you might have some disagreement with.

 

Is this something you encounter much?

 

The question asked is what attributes are found in the professional. I suppose one could identify numerous things not found in the professional, but what's not there, establishing the negative, really doesn't address the core of the matter; what is found in the professional.

 

No doubt we all know aviators who are less than stellar as pilots, as people, and certainly as moral bastions. I've met more than a few pilots who are alcoholics. I've met a few who flew drugs, were habitual thieves. Such is life. In the face of such dealings, you can only account for your own. Merely because another doesn't act the consummate professional does nothing to prevent you from doing so, and that of itself is a defining trait of the pro.

[fleman202]

I think a professional is someone who would not hide behind a username on online forums.

 

As many of you stated already, a professional is someone who is trustworthy, honest, polite, considerate of others and generally more humble and less cocky.

 

After reading another post this morning (questions for ag pilots) I felt like I had something to add this this post. The way a lot of people act on this forum is the polar opposite of professional. It doesn't matter if your right or wrong, there is a professional way to conduct yourself online.

 

My two cents,

 

Fred

[aeroscout]

 

Is this something you encounter much?

 

The question asked is what attributes are found in the professional. I suppose one could identify numerous things not found in the professional, but what's not there, establishing the negative, really doesn't address the core of the matter; what is found in the professional.

 

No doubt we all know aviators who are less than stellar as pilots, as people, and certainly as moral bastions. I've met more than a few pilots who are alcoholics. I've met a few who flew drugs, were habitual thieves. Such is life. In the face of such dealings, you can only account for your own. Merely because another doesn't act the consummate professional does nothing to prevent you from doing so, and that of itself is a defining trait of the pro.

You're asking me if I encounter good posts from you much ? No, I don't. But when I do I try to commend them, like I did with yours.

Are you playing some kind of game with what is or isn't there?

I'll make it simpler for you.

I wish you would have added that a professional is honest ie that he doesn't lie about his colleagues.

I wish you would have added that a professional is apologetic when caught lying about a contemporary.

I wish you would have added that a professional pilot is an edifier, who looks for ways to build other pilots up, instead of taking every opportunity to tear them down, berate, and be derogatory.

Now, have I played your game to your standards ?

[Spike]

Good replies….. Thank you…..

 

I wanted to be careful with the term “professional” as I didn’t want the thread to be based on professionalism discussion cuz lord knows there’ve been more than a few words written on that topic. In any case, even since the “pro” term came out, some good dialog has been generated and I thank you for that…

 

The definition of a professional is highly subjective and such; I was more interested in the “objective” signs of knowledge, skill and judgment. As already pointed out, one can be a complete idiot and have an acceptable level of knowledge, skill and judgment while on the other hand, a pilot can be viewed as the utmost professional and lack the minimum acceptable level of knowledge, skill and judgment and hence the conundrum…….

 

The one quality I’d like to add is forethought. IMO, all of the other qualities can be manipulated, hidden, falsified or ignored. Forethought brings the ability to forecast an outcome of an event before it happens. This ability comes from years of experience and usually cemented in reality. This includes the overall assessment of individuals……

 

In aviation, history has a purpose. We say, we learn from other peoples mistakes but yet in today’s era of political correctness, allow mistakes to happen and re-title them as a “learning experience” based in the “just culture”. Sometimes this can be the case but, more and more I see otherwise and IMO, it’s due to a humongous lack of basic knowledge, skill, judgment and most importantly forethought. When someone points the finger and says “someday, that guy is going to produce a problem”, someone should be listening……

 

Lastly, posting anonymously on an internet forum has zero relevance to one’s level of professionalism……

Edited July 3, 2014 by Spike

[aeroscout]

^Good stuff Spike !

[Guest pokey]

let me start off by bragging. I have been on this forum for many years, OK bragging done now. I have seen many of your posts, there are many true professionals on here, it is easily seen by the way they conduct themselves, their knowledge on various subjects, the way they treat others, and the respect they have for the profession and their fellow pilots/mechanics. I could name names,... but you know who you are, and the ones that don't know?----well they are professional (you know whats) & the sad part is? the ones that don't know, probably never will.

[aeroscout]

^Good stuff pokey.

I don't know who I am...sometimes.

[akscott60]

After almost two decades of flying civilian and military, fixed wing and rotary aircraft, one thing made me feel like a pro.

 

I bought my first pair of Ray Ban Aviators a couple weeks ago

[Joe_P148]

Plain and simple, humility and professionalism...

[palmfish]

After almost two decades of flying civilian and military, fixed wing and rotary aircraft, one thing made me feel like a pro.

 

I bought my first pair of Ray Ban Aviators a couple weeks ago

I sat on and crushed my first pair of Aviators. After that I switched to $20 Randolph's.

[Diesel5187]

On the topic of sunglasses, I got these super light weight (aviator style) Maui Jims', I personally love the polarized lens and how light they are.

 

I really can't go anywhere without them, I feel like I need them not just to protect my eyes, but to see just that little bit clearer.

 

http://www.mauijim.com/shop/en/us/mens-sunglasses/sugar-beach

[Francis Meyrick]

For what it's worth, probably not-a-lot...

 

1) I admire calm. It's something I strive towards, but don't always achieve. (Irish temper...)

 

2) I admire empathy. Quiet compassion. Soft spoken, immensely strong guys who respect others' feelings.. It's something I strive towards, but don't always achieve.

 

3) I look for that quiet, innate caution. Coupled with handling dexterity, that is a huge ingredient of the professional pilot. Conservative in his ways. Humble. Modest. Soft spoken.

 

4) Respectful for the Skies. "Flying is a privilege, and not a right."

 

5) Somewhere along the road, you will, if you stay long enough in this game, encounter tragedy. Friends. Suddenly dead. Wholly unnecessarily. Human error. THAT is a penetrating experience. It changes you. I've been on some long searches, and you are never the same after that. Seeing the astonished, frozen expression, on a dead fellow pilot's face, and lifting him out of his smashed cockpit, changes you as well.

 

A professional pilot loves to fly, loves life, and loves the sky. For what it's worth, he passes on his feeble knowledge. But he knows, he doesn't know it all. Not by a long shot.

 

He flies gently, with a soft touch.

Edited August 13, 2014 by Francis Meyrick