Emergencies Guide

[JDHelicopterPilot]

How often do you get to practice emergency procedures in an employment situation? I don't suppose working for an ENG or EMS or tour operator you can ask your employer if you can go up and practice some stuck pedals or autos. I imagine they might frown on using their heli for practice. So, how do you stay current on your emergency procedures? I suppose you could go rent an R22 or something, but unless you fly an R22 for employment, that would a waste.

As a CFI or a student, that is what you do on a daily basis. Practice or teach emergency procedures. But, once you find yourself long-lining or GOM how do you stay current?

 

Thanks,

 

 

Well, most employers(part 135 even part 91) only do the required training. Which is every 12 calender months. At my present employer I was told we would have our 135 ride as usual every 12 calender months but another company ride in between. I haven't seen this happen yet but would like it to. We can't do practice EPs really in the helicopter. I would like to see training every 6 months. I don't think that will happen. It would have to be a FAR requirement before companies fork over the $$$ to do the training.

 

To really answer your question how we stay current on EP's, it's like this. We are current so long as we do our annual 135 checkride. If we are proficient or not is another thing. This is a big issue pilots have vs. their employers. Many would like more training, even more so for single pilot IFR operations. However, the employers don't want to put up the $$.

 

JD

[Mikemv]

Has everyone thought about why we do recurrent traing? Of course it is so we know what to do in an emergency situation! But there is a more important aspect of doing recurrent training. There is a time line during an emergency. The elements of the time line do not change. The shortening of the time line is why we do recurrent training. The elements of the time line are: Fear, Confusion, Verification Response.

 

Fear - the normal human feeling when we realize something is wrong

Confusion - that period where we are trying to figure out what is wrong

Verification -the time that it takes to know what is wrong

Response- the control input after the 3 previous elements are accomplished

 

Time Line without recurrent training (-F-CCCCCC-VVVV-R-)

Time Line with recurrent training (-F-CC-V-R-)

 

If employers/owner operators understood this they would be proponents of more recurrent training for their pilots knowing it would protect them, their aircraft and liabilities.

 

Example: I operated a Bell 407 for 10 years during which I went thru recurrent training every six months in a 135 Program and annual Bell Refresher Training. Then sold the 407 and went to EC120B Initial Pilot Transition in September of 2006. Was scheduled for EC120 Refresher in February of 2007 and my employer asked why I was going to school again so soon? When I told her that I had approx. 600 touch down autos in the 407 and 8 in the NEW aircraft she understood and said "Good Idea" to go again!

 

Pilots themselves may not be able to do all of this training for various reasons but they can do their own recurrent ground school reviews, sit with a more experienced pilot/CFI and discuss emergency proceedures. Assess yourselves right now about currency and do something to improve it!!!!!

 

Best to all, Mike

Edited February 15, 2009 by Mikemv

[JDHelicopterPilot]

Mike, it is good to see you can get to the factory courses and do training every 6 months on your own dime. Most pilots can't afford that, myself included. I am just trying to come up with the money to get my ATP. This is a sticky point with pilots and companies. Pilots want more flight training in intervals but companies don't want to pay for it and pilots can't afford to do it. Of course I review on the ground, EP's, Ops Specs, GOM and FARs but it's nothing like doing the real thing in the helicopter.

 

JD

[Mikemv]

JD, I hope it did not sound like I have paid for all of the training I have received. I am just fortunate that my employer/insurance company required this and was employer costs of operation! I controlled the initial & annual 135 part(required) as DO, CP and Company Instructor. Was smart enough to alternate this around the Bell Schools so it worked out as every 6 months. Now I am only doing annual recurrent at Factory School as 135 is no more. I have been most fortunate in the amount of training provided to me either military or civilian and that is why I make some of the long posts here to pass some of the knowledge/experience gained to ALL.

[JDHelicopterPilot]

That is cool Mike that you were able to do that and not have to pay out of pocket. I wish more companies would do that. At the least do factory school annualy and a company ride/training refresher inbetween.

[BOATFIXERGUY]

How often do you get to practice emergency procedures in an employment situation? I don't suppose working for an ENG or EMS or tour operator you can ask your employer if you can go up and practice some stuck pedals or autos. I imagine they might frown on using their heli for practice. So, how do you stay current on your emergency procedures? I suppose you could go rent an R22 or something, but unless you fly an R22 for employment, that would a waste.

As a CFI or a student, that is what you do on a daily basis. Practice or teach emergency procedures. But, once you find yourself long-lining or GOM how do you stay current?

 

Thanks,

 

I wish it was more often in the GOM. We only get to do emergency ops six month after hire date, then once a year unless you're doing a maintenance ops check on your aircraft. Besides that, it's pretty much a couple thousand toadstool landings a year, and all straight and level stuff.

[klmmarine]

Hmm, I never would have thought. I wonder what the owner would think if they knew... Maybe they do know... What about the rest of the crew, I guess if every time I (as a non-pilot) went to work with the pilot, I knew I was going to experience some practice autos I would get used to it.

 

I unfortunately took over recently for a pilot that had spent the last two years scaring the people that fly in our ENG ship with innaccuracies and lies about how dangerous the helicopter was. (either to pump up his image or just keep them from asking him to do anything challenging) As a result I have spent the last three months flying 3-6 hours M-F and trying to dispell these worries.

 

My thought on the crew in the aircraft, is that they NEED to experience autorotations, and EPs so that one they can have the confidence that their pilot will get them out of a bad situation, and so that they don't panic in an actual emergency. So I try to do at least a couple in every flight LTE, Autorotations, etc... at first my reporter/camera operator was a little skittish of these, but he is learning to appreciate, and even enjoy/critique my performance.

[JDHelicopterPilot]

Must be nice to be able to do that. Most of us can't do things like that in our aircraft. Our employers would ship us to Mars.

 

JD

[klmmarine]

JD- you hit the nail on the head. While a lot of operators will claim unnecessary cost, my boss understands (and welcomes) the need for continuing training.

 

Unfortunately until the operators understand the need for recurrent training, we have to do the best we can.....