Day 106, fire season

[crashresidue]

Cheers,

 

Day 106, fire season 2007, day 8 in the break schedule, hour 12.

 

I'm tasked with retrieving my heli-tac crew off a lightning strike fire. I've done two troop insertions, one long-line mission into the location. I walk to the a/c, untie it and for the first time in probably 4 years, I don't "walk the aircraft". I just get in and start it.

 

Start "One", start "Two", all systems normal, no lights illuminated on the panel. I call off, lift to a hover. At a hover, I discover that something is fatally wrong. I land again, scan my "caution panel" and discover that the co-pilots door is not only open, it's blocked open - then I notice that the left cargo door is ALSO open! Where is my HEAD?

 

What told me something was wrong? I "heard" something that wasn't normal. LISTEN to your aircraft!!! 90% of ALL my failures, I've heard - long before any guage told me I had a problem!

 

But, that isn't the point of this post - it's FATIGUE! Cronic fatigue. The first 7 days were "lite" - only 11-13 hr days. It's all the other BS that you have to deal with that grab you by the ass and kill same! Heat, dirt, dust, wind, lack of shade, constant "be ready, you're next in line" - it ALL gnaws on you!

 

USFS has, in their infinite wisdom, allowed pilots to take a 3rd day off with their scheduled break. It allows the pilot to judge his fatigue factor and at lest, try to allow extra time to recover. Will it work? I don't know. It's better than what we had, but I don't know if it's enough.

 

Some will say - "You're an old man, die and let the up and coming pilots get a chance." Well, you've got your chance - I know of 4 "dinasaurs" that are leaving fires - I'm one of them! So, in the company I work for - there are going to be at LEAST 4 slots for medium, long-line pilots next fire-season.

 

Can you cut it? I doubt it - especially with the industry not training junior and mid-level pilots. "Utility work" is NOT something that's taught in flight school - it's learned with blood, sweat, and tears. God knows, we've paid OUR dues! Unfortunately, you're gonna pay the same!!! What's worse - you're gonna kill people I know and love - as you learn.

 

Now, doesn't THAT make you feel all warm and fuzzy?

 

Genle winds,

cr

[Gomer Pylot]

That's the problem with fatigue - it's not sudden, you don't see it coming, it slowly sneaks up on you, and then there's the big GOTCHA! You don't have to be doing a huge amount of flying to have it creep up on you, either, just day after day after day of the same thing, 12-14 hours every day, can do it. Employers don't want to hear that, but it's the truth. I try to make a point of doing a walkaround every time, even if it's a scene flight and they want us right now. If the patient dies because I took 30 seconds to walk around the aircraft, he was going to die anyway. Just about every problem I've ever had around helicopters happened because I got in a hurry, and now I'm too old to be getting in a hurry. But fatigue and complacency can come up behind you and hit you upside the head, even when you're trying to do right. It's a cold world, and flying helicopters can be very unforgiving.

Edited September 4, 2007 by Gomer Pylot

[crashresidue]

Cheers,

 

"fatigue and complacency", GP - you GOT it!! That's what I wanted to talk about - and you got it!!! THANK YOU!

 

cr

[permison]

Cheers,

 

Some will say - "You're an old man, die and let the up and coming pilots get a chance." Well, you've got your chance - I know of 4 "dinasaurs" that are leaving fires - I'm one of them! So, in the company I work for - there are going to be at LEAST 4 slots for medium, long-line pilots next fire-season.

 

Can you cut it? I doubt it - especially with the industry not training junior and mid-level pilots. "Utility work" is NOT something that's taught in flight school - it's learned with blood, sweat, and tears. God knows, we've paid OUR dues! Unfortunately, you're gonna pay the same!!! What's worse - you're gonna kill people I know and love - as you learn.

 

So what do you recommend for us young whippersnappers to do to prepare for these open slots?

Permison

[Goldy]

CR- What fire are you on?

[Mixmaster]

I have not had the opportunity to fly on fires but have been around them enought this season to know you guys are busting hump all the time in mostly $hitty locations where the most expensive accomidation is a 30 year old single wide!!

I do have the opportunity to sometimes talk to the people whos ranches and property you guys save, and I can tell you they thank you. I am sorry to hear you are moving on, but I am sure I say it for most people on this forum, Thanks (not for moving on, for the fire work!)

Fly safe (and do one more walk around).

BEN

[crashresidue]

Cheers,

 

"permision" - Don't know, dude. I have no advice to give about how to break into "utility". All of my perspective is from the "been there, done that, got the T-shirt" side of avaition.

 

Clawing your way out of the "Robbie" crowd isn't something I'd like to try. Today's market isn't condusive to "low-timers" or people who are CFI's, building time.

 

I honestly don't know what to tell you - sorry!

 

TEMSCO maybe?

 

cr

[206driver]

Hey,

 

Know how you feel. 21 days to go (but whose counting) Crew shuttles, moving blivits, some bucket work ect.

 

It is so important not to forget the simple things. Walk around every time. 5-6 maybe 7 starts a day. Everyone in a hurry.

 

I was slinging Blivits into a hole in the trees with a 150' LL for mop up today. Put one in it was a bit squirrly. The next trip couldn't get the ship happy with the wind. So I asked them "you plumbing a hose lay or filling fedco's?" they said filling bladder bags. I told them the next 2 blivits will be at the helispot 200 yards from the fire. It is closer than the river which was about a half mile and 2000 feet below.

 

Keep it safe.

 

What contract are you on? I'm on the Nez Perce in region 1.

[doanut99]

LISTEN to your aircraft!!! 90% of ALL my failures, I've heard - long before any guage told me I had a problem!

 

 

I'm gonna remember that one. What kinda ship are you flying out there? The one in your avatar?

Edited September 6, 2007 by doanut99

[Hueychief]

CR- 132 days with 3 left and I'm heading off the fireline. Completely agree with you on the "listening to the aircraft", it will talk to you and let you know when it's not happy or when it needs a little more attention than normal.

As for the MANDATORY walk around, never get in and light the fire without a walkaround. I've done it without a walkaround and each and every time I've had a bad feeling knawing in the back of my mind. You know the feeling.

My helitac crewman this season have been the lowest common denominator I've ever seen since getting into this fire game and I hope next year will not bring the same or I may look for other employment opportunities.

No amount of load-calc or risk analysis is going to keep you safer than your own personal experiences and that little voice in your head.

Later.