HOT Topics

[brettjeepski]

Fellow Pilots and aviators...

I was just accepted as a FAASTeam Safety Rep in my area and will be organizing Seminars. I want your feedback on Seminars that you would like to see the FAA put on and you think would be benefit in helping to make aviation safer.

What topics would you think would be interesting for an audience of Fixed Wingers and Helicopter dudes and dudettes.

What FAA seminars have you been to that you have loved?

Also if anyone knows of any great speakers or sponsors let me know!

I am in the Fort Worth, TX area.

Thanks for your replies in advance.

[Hover225]

A good place to start would be to get in touch with Bill Hopper at Helisat. Bill put on great seminars here in the STL area. I'm sure he could help out a bunch.

[zippiesdrainage]

I think a good topic would be to educate fixed wing pilots and tower employees about what helicopters can and cannot do. Because we don't fly the pattern as much as fixed wing guys do, they sometimes ask us to land direct to a spot (regardless of wind direction or DA) or clear us to air taxi that our path would result in us crossing over parked aircraft. Other times helicopter pilots have to land on landing Ts rather than in circles or helipads and the lack of the circle barrier can create a hazard of someone walking into a tail rotor. These may not seem like much, but it could save a life. I know that I've personally met with a few tower employees and told them some of these facts and they were very happy to have the feedback. Just like how they don't know if we are solo students or if we have 10,000 hours, we don't know if they've ever given landing instructions to a helicopter.

 

Also a seminar to educate the fixed wing guys about the high probability of their wives leaving them for a helicopter pilot may be required as well.

[eagle5]

I've been to a few seminars on the safety basics;

 

Hazards of Continuing VFR into IFR

CFIT

Get-there itis

Wire Hazards

SRM

Night Flying

 

They were all geared towards fix-wingers. It would be nice to go to a lecture on this stuff as seen from a helicopter's point of view, with videos and examples using helicopters!

 

Accident reviews are also interesting and helpful,...again, helicopter ones, I've seen enough from airplanes!

[gary-mike]

Also a seminar to educate the fixed wing guys about the high probability of their wives leaving them for a helicopter pilot may be required as well.

 

HAHA!, maybe not, most women like $$$ and good food, not ramen in a van down by the river.

[RkyMtnHI]

"Brettjeepski

 

I was just accepted as a FAASTeam Safety Rep in my area and will be organizing Seminars. I want your feedback on Seminars that you would like to see the FAA put on and you think would be benefit in helping to make aviation safer.

 

What topics would you think would be interesting for an audience of Fixed Wingers and Helicopter dudes and dudettes."

 

"Zippy

 

I think a good topic would be to educate fixed wing pilots and tower employees about what helicopters can and cannot do. Because we don't fly the pattern as much as fixed wing guys do, they sometimes ask us to land direct to a spot (regardless of wind direction or DA) or clear us to air taxi that our path would result in us crossing over parked aircraft. Other times helicopter pilots have to land on landing Ts rather than in circles or helipads and the lack of the circle barrier can create a hazard of someone walking into a tail rotor. These may not seem like much, but it could save a life. I know that I've personally met with a few tower employees and told them some of these facts and they were very happy to have the feedback. Just like how they don't know if we are solo students or if we have 10,000 hours, we don't know if they've ever given landing instructions to a helicopter."

 

Brett, congrats on the appointment and attitude, the FAASTeam is a great program and you will make a difference! It is also a great way to market the company you work for and add something to your resume that others will find hard to compete with, it might be that one thing that helps you stand out in a crowd. You can help be a part of the safety solution and encourage others to step up in many ways. Good JOB

 

Zip, you are SO right in your comments, SO right. We started right after we opened inviting the folks from our tower to visit Heli-Ops for an hour safety meeting to discuss some of the subjects you brought up. They came in groups of two or three and we learned so much about them and they us. After all of the controllers made their visit, we took some of them along for tour flights in our empty seats. Again, they learned about our side of the 'fence' and we learned how they saw us too. Plus, we got to know them and they us, the difference in communication and understanding was remarkable. For instance, we learned about a spot that no matter the altitude, we disappear from their scopes, we also learned that in some spots on the airport, even tho we were in clear sight from the tower, when we pointed directly at the tower they could NOT see us on the ground. Then we of course were invited to the tower and saw these things for ourselves. The best part of all this is that we all got to know each other personally, and not only did we improve OUR operations, but we improved the understanding of all helo operations at our airport and what ever airport the trainee controllers ended up at (our tower is a training tower).

 

We have also had monthly airspace safety meetings at Heli-Ops for the past five months, there have always been 60 people in attendance but one month there were 137 pilots from our area present (AOPA showed up one night unannounced). :-) Our agenda, from the start, has been collision avoidance and was spurred on by a fixed wing mid-air here at the first of this year, our airspace is very busy and we were looking for a safety solution, and communication seemed like the fastest way to make a difference. We invite operators from local airports to speak about their operations and what they fly and where and how. One night we had all the operators from Boulder airport, five or six speakers, they had never been in the same room at the same time with each other, much less in a room with 100 other pilots from our area. They spoke about paragliders, hang gliders, parachute operations, aerobatic ops, glider ops, fixed wing training at the airport, even a balloon operator was there. It was amazing to get insight from all these folks and spread it out thru our community. The FAA has been in attendance at every one of our meetings, and having a respectful working relationship with those folks is very rewarding. We are even making videos about the presentations and putting them on a website so folks that can't make the meetings can watch the videos and power points. This has been very good for many people flying in our area, we talk about helicopter performance and operations at every meeting, so folks are learning what we can and cannot do.. and, we are making friends and no doubt making a difference.

 

I highly recommend that every one of you do this where ever you are.. everyone wins..

 

btw, this months meeting will be this coming thursday (the 30th), the speakers will be from the Air Force Academy & Doss Aviation in the Springs, and the Airport Manager from Front Range Airport, we start at 7pm and will have pizza and sodas.. of course you all are invited.

 

sincerely,

 

dp

[brettjeepski]

HAHA!, maybe not, most women like $$$ and good food, not ramen in a van down by the river.

Good thing my wife loves No money, Ramen and Chris Farley...

[brettjeepski]

"Brettjeepski

 

I was just accepted as a FAASTeam Safety Rep in my area and will be organizing Seminars. I want your feedback on Seminars that you would like to see the FAA put on and you think would be benefit in helping to make aviation safer.

 

What topics would you think would be interesting for an audience of Fixed Wingers and Helicopter dudes and dudettes."

 

"Zippy

 

I think a good topic would be to educate fixed wing pilots and tower employees about what helicopters can and cannot do. Because we don't fly the pattern as much as fixed wing guys do, they sometimes ask us to land direct to a spot (regardless of wind direction or DA) or clear us to air taxi that our path would result in us crossing over parked aircraft. Other times helicopter pilots have to land on landing Ts rather than in circles or helipads and the lack of the circle barrier can create a hazard of someone walking into a tail rotor. These may not seem like much, but it could save a life. I know that I've personally met with a few tower employees and told them some of these facts and they were very happy to have the feedback. Just like how they don't know if we are solo students or if we have 10,000 hours, we don't know if they've ever given landing instructions to a helicopter."

 

Brett, congrats on the appointment and attitude, the FAASTeam is a great program and you will make a difference! It is also a great way to market the company you work for and add something to your resume that others will find hard to compete with, it might be that one thing that helps you stand out in a crowd. You can help be a part of the safety solution and encourage others to step up in many ways. Good JOB

 

Zip, you are SO right in your comments, SO right. We started right after we opened inviting the folks from our tower to visit Heli-Ops for an hour safety meeting to discuss some of the subjects you brought up. They came in groups of two or three and we learned so much about them and they us. After all of the controllers made their visit, we took some of them along for tour flights in our empty seats. Again, they learned about our side of the 'fence' and we learned how they saw us too. Plus, we got to know them and they us, the difference in communication and understanding was remarkable. For instance, we learned about a spot that no matter the altitude, we disappear from their scopes, we also learned that in some spots on the airport, even tho we were in clear sight from the tower, when we pointed directly at the tower they could NOT see us on the ground. Then we of course were invited to the tower and saw these things for ourselves. The best part of all this is that we all got to know each other personally, and not only did we improve OUR operations, but we improved the understanding of all helo operations at our airport and what ever airport the trainee controllers ended up at (our tower is a training tower).

 

We have also had monthly airspace safety meetings at Heli-Ops for the past five months, there have always been 60 people in attendance but one month there were 137 pilots from our area present (AOPA showed up one night unannounced). :-) Our agenda, from the start, has been collision avoidance and was spurred on by a fixed wing mid-air here at the first of this year, our airspace is very busy and we were looking for a safety solution, and communication seemed like the fastest way to make a difference. We invite operators from local airports to speak about their operations and what they fly and where and how. One night we had all the operators from Boulder airport, five or six speakers, they had never been in the same room at the same time with each other, much less in a room with 100 other pilots from our area. They spoke about paragliders, hang gliders, parachute operations, aerobatic ops, glider ops, fixed wing training at the airport, even a balloon operator was there. It was amazing to get insight from all these folks and spread it out thru our community. The FAA has been in attendance at every one of our meetings, and having a respectful working relationship with those folks is very rewarding. We are even making videos about the presentations and putting them on a website so folks that can't make the meetings can watch the videos and power points. This has been very good for many people flying in our area, we talk about helicopter performance and operations at every meeting, so folks are learning what we can and cannot do.. and, we are making friends and no doubt making a difference.

 

I highly recommend that every one of you do this where ever you are.. everyone wins..

 

btw, this months meeting will be this coming thursday (the 30th), the speakers will be from the Air Force Academy & Doss Aviation in the Springs, and the Airport Manager from Front Range Airport, we start at 7pm and will have pizza and sodas.. of course you all are invited.

 

sincerely,

 

dp

 

Great Feedback so far. Thank you for taking time to give me your advice! One hurdle I know I will have is I am supposed to cater to both the fixed wing and rotor side. But luckily for me I love rotorcraft and I may favor a little on the Rotor side. But aviation is cool in general. You should see our meeting space. It's in an aircraft museum with tons of old airplanes and helicopters. I LOVE AVIATION!

DP great info. and great ideas! Keep sharing them!

 

 

 

Do you all feel that the FAA does a good job of marketing these events? Do you think they need to be more involved in social network advertising?

[rick1128]

I've been to a few seminars on the safety basics;

 

Hazards of Continuing VFR into IFR

CFIT

Get-there itis

Wire Hazards

SRM

Night Flying

 

They were all geared towards fix-wingers. It would be nice to go to a lecture on this stuff as seen from a helicopter's point of view, with videos and examples using helicopters!

 

Accident reviews are also interesting and helpful,...again, helicopter ones, I've seen enough from airplanes!

 

The wire strike seminar must have been quite recently. Until the new PTS for airplanes came out, the FW community has had a mostly heads in the sand attitude about wires.

 

Since airplanes outnumber helicopters to the tune of 17 to 1, it makes sense. However, the helicopter community has been greatly ignored by the FAASTeam until the last year or so. The meeting done this year with HAI have been good, but seemed to be more national in scope. Each area has their own top problems and they need to be brought out and discussed.

[rick1128]

Great Feedback so far. Thank you for taking time to give me your advice! One hurdle I know I will have is I am supposed to cater to both the fixed wing and rotor side. But luckily for me I love rotorcraft and I may favor a little on the Rotor side. But aviation is cool in general. You should see our meeting space. It's in an aircraft museum with tons of old airplanes and helicopters. I LOVE AVIATION!

DP great info. and great ideas! Keep sharing them!

 

 

 

Do you all feel that the FAA does a good job of marketing these events? Do you think they need to be more involved in social network advertising?

 

The FAA and industry could be doing better in advertising these meetings. The HAI/FAASTeam meetings at DFW this spring were a prime example. The room was nowhere full. It being a full day, might have had something to do with it. But a free meal was included! What was interesting was that the schools in the area were very poorly represented also.

 

I wouldn't feel bad about leaning toward helicopters. The DFW area has plenty of FW reps, they like most FSDOs need more helicopter reps. If you look at most FAAASTeam meetings, if they are airplane oriented, you will see some helicopter folks. If it is helicopter oriented, you will not see any airplane people. That has to change. Like Dennis stated, we need to communicate better within our local aviation communities.

[Trans Lift]

I think Wire Strike Avoidance is a hugely important issue on both sides of the fence, fixed and rotary. I would like to see more emphasis on this.