New member, fledgling piolt in training...

[chriso]

Hi, Just thought I'd introduce myself and thank you all for providing this forum for me to learn from. I am a 40 year old husband and father of 2 younglings, private fixed wing pilot who just sold my tricked out cub here in Alaska, and started heli lessons logging 15 hours while on vacation to kauai last month. Looking to purchase at some point, mostly doing research at the moment and planning for finishing getting my rotorwing ticket. I can't believe it took me 40 years to discover how cool helicopters really are! Thanks, Chris

[Gerhardt]

I'm the same age and in the same situation. Absolutely love it. Soloed for the first time two weeks ago and am planning a solo x-c for a few days after Christmas. Send me an email at r22head@yahoo if you want to compare notes sometime.

 

One piece of advice is to find an instructor you like a lot. It took me a little time but I found a gem.

[blave]

Never underestimate the economics of renting. a helicopter. (Although in Alaska, I would suppose that rental opportunities are even more rare than down here in the Lower 48.)

 

I'm 46 years old, with about 175 hours of RW time. I long to own my own ship too, some day - but I think one has to be a bit daft to even contemplate it.

 

Do your research very very carefully in terms of per-hour cost of flying.

 

Daftly,

 

Dave Blevins

[chriso]

Thanks for writing guys, Merry Christmas here from north of the arctic circle! I just discovered I'm a "fledgling speller" too! (at least of the word "pilot"...

 

I ought to tell you I've actually been know to respond to the name "daft" in a crowded room from time to time! And you should to see my list of fishing holes that I've been unable to land in my cub. (I'm a pretty good dreamer I know...)

 

Anyway, great advice, I'm planning on hanging out at the Merrill Field Airport while I'm off these next two weeks and see if I can meet the owners and maybe get some pointers on possible rentals. At first glance it seems like there aren't a lot of helicopters around here other than the commercial operations.

 

If this fever I've got doesn't get any worse, I think I may be able to hold off long enough to pursue my fixed wing instrument rating and commercial this winter here locally, and next fall try solo and cross over to rotorwing seeing as how fixed wing time is a bit less costly. And try to score some heli time from one of these guys at Merrill in the interim... Maybe I can figure out a way to start, or better yet join, a rotorwing club (guess I don't know if there are many of these, especially here in Alaska?)

 

If a guy did screw up the courage to jump in the deep end, what kind of flight, maintenance, and safety characteristics could one expect from an MD 369 or 500 and a Jetranger? What could I expect to have to do to deal with snow and ice in the winters here? I only have an outside tiedown here in the strip and it would be inconvenient to find a hanger for the winters. Do these particular ships have good heaters? Does a guy have to spend 500k or better just to get a decent and airworthy one?

 

Seeing as how I'm out of town 2 weeks a month anyway, you guys should move up here and we could go 3 ways on one, you'd only have to fight me over it for half the time! (and of course, we could keep it at my place!) If the fever gets much worse, maybe I'll have to move down there if you won't come this way!

 

Thanks again, Chris

Edited December 26, 2005 by chriso

[chriso]

Who are you flying with? I had a rough time getting my fixed wing for lack of an instructor I could communicate with or count on... The first gal was mean as a snake and according to her I'd never be able to learn, the next one was breaking up with a new boyfriend every other lesson, showing up crying and asking to re-schedule... then a couple demanding young guys who were scared stiff of my plane and their abilites to save the day if I strayed at all from perfect... then finally 2 of the finest gentlemen in aviation helped me finish off, both of them were 60 some years old and retired. I waited on one to regain his medical following a heart attact (not induced by me I'm fairly certain!) I've got to give some kudos to my recent instructor Barret of Mauna Loa Helicopters on Kauai... he's young but has the same confidence, competance, and relaxed, supportive style I found only in these older guys here in Alaska. Sorry to ramble on like this, but being stuck here at work 800 miles away from family on Christmas a guys got to have something to do to help cope!

 

Chris

Edited December 26, 2005 by chriso