Heli Expo for newbies

[ralpez]

Is it too early to be talking about Heli Expo?

I just started flying in August, so low-time doesn't even begin to describe me. I would like to know if it's worth the trip for someone like me. I've been to the website, but having never been to a big expo I don't really know what goes on there. Can I see everything in a day or should I plan for all three days?

Just looking for a little insight. To be followed by more questions.


Thanks

[wopilot]

Doesn't matter if you are a low time, high time, or not even a pilot.

Heli-Expo is worth it.

 

You 'could' see everything in one day if you speed through, but if you stop and talk and actually get information from booths, you'll need a good two full days. Also, if you get a chance, check out the classes that are going on before the show starts, some of them are very good.

 

I'm assuming you're from Texas, next year the show will be in Louisville, which may be a little closer/cheaper than Anaheim if you are concerned about finances.

[pilot#476398]

For pilots Heliexpo is really just about walking around looking at cool helicopters we hope one day to fly,...plus hot chicks and Iron Man! There is also the rotor safety challenge seminars which you may find interesting? This year I just bought a ticket for one day, which was plenty of time to wander around the showroom, but was there (in Vegas) for two days to go to some of those seminars.

 

If you have the money (and spare time) you may as well check it out at least once.

[ralpez]

I am from Texas, but I live in Arizona now so its only about 5 hours to Anaheim.

[arotrhd]

Ralpez-

 

Take advantage of Anaheim show. Rotor Safety Challenge courses were pretty decent earlier this year in Vega$. If you decide to take one of the Professional Courses (STRONGLY suggest Bob Feerst's Flying in the Wire Environment), join HAI as a member and get a little discount + a 1 day free pass to halls. If things are still the same, you get a free day pass for each pro course that you enroll for. Not sure when or exactly where we'll have the VR pub meetup, but that will happen too. Also with being in Anaheim, Robinson will have their door open for a meet 'n greet at the factory.

 

-WATCH FOR THE PATTERNS, WATCH FOR THE WIRES-

[ralpez]

Thanks Rotrhd.

What are the other must see courses?

This may lead the thread a little off topic, but some of these courses are listed as "FAA Wings Credit". What exactly does that mean?

[Flying Pig]

The course gives you credits if you are enrolled in the FAA Wings program. Search the program and it's pretty self explanatory. You will find most of it is geared towards airplanes but there are a lot of free online courses they offer that are not aircraft specific. there are benefits to the program if you are consistent at it like accident forgiveness by the FAA, etc.

[palmfish]

This will be my first Heli-Expo. It will be nice to meet some VR folks!

[CharyouTree]

I'll also be there. Registered last night. Getting in on the 23rd and heading back to Boston on the 27th, so I'm game to meet up with folks at any time. Just need to set aside time for the job fair, and the military to civilian, and the rest is open.

[HeliNomad]

I'm going also. Flying the EC-130 down from NorCal for the show. Should be a great experience. I flew last weekend into LAX...busy radio environment. Those controllers are on their toes no doubt.

[Goldy]

Hmmm, 30 mile drive for me....I guess I should go !

 

Nomad- should have told me you were coming, I would have given you all the LA tricks!

Edited November 21, 2013 by Goldy

[HeliNomad]

Hmmm, 30 mile drive for me....I guess I should go !

 

Nomad- should have told me you were coming, I would have given you all the LA tricks!

It was easy enough. My only frustration was that the controllers were using a lot of non-charted names for reporting points and they weren't really adjusting much regardless or my "unfamiliar" requests. Maybe SFO is just way tighter in there protocol but I was getting a lot of "hold there over that buisness district...". I mean it's not like there is a lack of VFR reporting points or major street names. Helicopter charts are awesome and I wish we had them up north. My traffic system was blowing up with lots of low flying VFR GA aircraft. I'm not used to see fixed wingers down below 2000 feet. I learned quickly to avoid those VFR corridors and to stick to the helo routes. Good experience and I'm excited to do it again for HeliExpo.

[Goldy]

My traffic system was blowing up with lots of low flying VFR GA aircraft. I'm not used to see fixed wingers down below 2000 feet. I learned quickly to avoid those VFR corridors and to stick to the helo routes. Good experience and I'm excited to do it again for HeliExpo.

We get F/W's at 500 AGL all the damn time down here, so keep your eyes open....and most don't talk on 123.025 even though all the charts tell them to...

[Flying Pig]

I flew from down to LA in a Cessna 206 using an LE call sign headed into El Monte and they told me to hold over the racetrack. I looked around and saw a racetrack off the approach end. I'm orbiting in a right hand turn for a couple minutes then the controller tells me to proceed direct to El Monte and report when on the ground. I head in and land and as I'm rolling out I say I'm on the ground. The controller says "Where? I don't see you". I say I'm rolling out on the runway. The controller says "OH! Expedite off the runway. I have tracfic short final".

I get off switch to ground and report in. The ground guy says "wow..... That could been ugly, we thought you were a helicopter this whole time"

 

Fortunately for me, I had been calling myself "Stationair __________" the whole 2 hour flight. I should have told the controller to copy down a phone number!

[HeliNomad]

Man that's ugly. There is nothing worst then flying with an incompetent tower controller who has little experience with helicopters. Monterey airport is one to watch out for. They are particularly bad with helicopters. One Sunday I was departing and the tower tossed out two "possible pilot deviations contact the tower on..." in under 3 minutes. One to a fixed wing for apparently turning into the wrong FBO ramp area and another to a poor guy in an R44 who was told to land taxi way A and E which was right in front me. I was hovering holding short of A and E under direction of ground control. He screamed over the radio to the R44 "You got too close to the other helicopter...possible pilot deviation!!" The guy didn't get close to me at all. I was cleared for take off and left. Once I landed I called the tower and told them that in my opinion the R44 did nothing wrong. The controller apologized for the confusion and said they were "training" today. My best instructor used to tell me "you have the word 'unable' so don't be afraid to use it...don't let the controller fly the helicopter".

[palmfish]

I always precede my LE call sign with the type of aircraft Im flying ("Cessna" or "Helicopter"). Every once in a while I have to remind a controller what Im flying - especially on a cross country after a hand off from another controller. Sometimes they have the foresight to ask me what Im flying if they dont know. Sometimes I'll get the "enter left downwind for runway XX" and I'll have to reply, "Uh, you know Im a helicopter, right?"

 

I once hovered on the ramp for over 10 mins at Hillsboro waiting for permission to depart VFR. I reminded the tower operator twice that Im a helicopter (plus I was in line of sight of the tower). I called them later and was told they were training a new controller.

[Goldy]

I flew from down to LA in a Cessna 206 using an LE call sign headed into El Monte and they told me to hold over the racetrack. I looked around and saw a racetrack off the approach end. I'm orbiting in a right hand turn for a couple minutes then the controller tells me to proceed direct to El Monte and report when on the ground. I head in and land and as I'm rolling out I say I'm on the ground. The controller says "Where? I don't see you". I say I'm rolling out on the runway. The controller says "OH! Expedite off the runway. I have tracfic short final".

I get off switch to ground and report in. The ground guy says "wow..... That could been ugly, we thought you were a helicopter this whole time"

 

Fortunately for me, I had been calling myself "Stationair __________" the whole 2 hour flight. I should have told the controller to copy down a phone number!

El Monte does a lot of new controller training, so I've had more than a few interesting calls there. They also have a shared radar with Fullerton so they are blind below 2500. Once I had to just stop mid air at 300 feet over the numbers and wait for a F/W landing under me to taxi off. Then the controller forgot about me, until I reminded him I was just sitting in the air at 300...at which point I was cleared to land. (zero airspeed auto did the trick). I've had them launch planes right at me while on an approved transition, lots of stuff to make flying interesting! But plenty of controllers had patience with me when I was learning, so the least I can do is reciprocate. If there is a lesson to learn, it's that as pilots, we have to listen and visualize all radio traffic....and not rely blindly on a controller. Once Burbank launched a SouthWest 737 right at me, good thing it was climbing at 2500fpm, ....you haven't lived until all you can see in your windscreen is the wheels pulling up into the body of a 737..

 

Sorry for the rant, probably should be a whole new post....crazy stuff that happens while under ATC "control"...

Edited November 27, 2013 by Goldy

[aussiecop]

I'm going and taking a buddy who just got his PPL for the first time. Wish I had known you were in the LA area Goldy, I was just there for 4 days with LAPD and Fontana PD.

[Goldy]

I'm going and taking a buddy who just got his PPL for the first time. Wish I had known you were in the LA area Goldy, I was just there for 4 days with LAPD and Fontana PD.

 

With my buddy Steve R at LAPD and Dave F in Fontana with his new R66? Damn.....my name didn't even come up?? See you at the Expo...

[aussiecop]

Both guys were awesome Goldy, true class acts and their units showed that. I'll be there, I'll even buy you a beer

[wopilot]

Best Hijacked thread ever.

 

Please, continue!

[WolftalonID]

Yes please do! Fun stuff really. Trying to talk myself into spending the money to come down and network some.......and maaaayyybe drool in a cockpit or two.

 

The options of the classes are vast. However, some of those classes are a bit rich for information. Why are some of these classes so dang spendy?

[Spike]

Why are some of these classes so dang spendy?

 

It’s my understanding; it covers the expenses of the instructors for the particular course. The registration fees paid by the attendees and vendors cover the cost of the facility......

[palmfish]

Im wondering if one day is sufficient to check out the job fair in the morning and then walk the floor in the afternoon. Can anyone who has attended previous expos give me an idea of the layout and scope?

Im also hoping there will be "choir practice" in the evenings to get to know fellow VR members in an informal setting.

My flight and lodging are booked, but I am waiting to register pending my decision on how many days I want to attend.

[Spike]

Im wondering if one day is sufficient to check out the job fair in the morning and then walk the floor in the afternoon. Can anyone who has attended previous expos give me an idea of the layout and scope?

 

Im also hoping there will be "choir practice" in the evenings to get to know fellow VR members in an informal setting.

 

My flight and lodging are booked, but I am waiting to register pending my decision on how many days I want to attend.

 

The job fair is usually pretty crowded so it takes up a lot of time. With that said attempting to do the fair and see the whole floor in a day is doable if you don’t talk to anyone and jog. In short, HeliExpo is BIG! At minimum, plan for 2 full days. That way you can talk to the vendors and maybe hit a committee meeting or seminar. If you rub elbows with the right folks you can get passes for the vendor parties. Plus, Eurocopter usually puts on a Law Enforcement cocktails and dinner event….