News Helicopter Pilots

T

tomokc

Well-Known Member
What ability does a helicopter pilot have to tell station management “No,” and what influence does he have in flight ops decisions?

See images at bottom of this linked page: http://www.thelostogle.com/2012/06/04/bob-moore-chopper-4-is-going-to-the-helicopter-hospital-photos/

A story is coming out about the Oklahoma City NBC affiliate KFOR, and substantial hail damage to their helicopter after it landed just ahead of a storm last week. Apparently the chief meteorologist kept the pilot in the air transmitting images until he was either bingo fuel or the storm was about to hit the station where the helicopter is based. The pilot reportedly landed just moments ahead of the storm and discovered that station employees had pulled their cars into the hangar. There was either insufficient fuel or time to take off and fly away from the storm, and so the helicopter was substantially damaged and will be out of service for several weeks.

The pilot is new, replacing the previous pilot who quit and will soon be flying for the competing CBS affiliate (KFOR grounded him and won’t release him until his contract expires, which is what they typically do with on-air people). So he understands that he can’t disappoint station management. He also knows that he can’t disappoint the chief meteorologist who was pressuring him to stay in the air and transmit storm images as long as possible. That’s a lot of pressure on a new pilot by people who likely don’t understand flight safety.

Are there basic operational rules governing flight operations at media outlets? Should there be? What happens next time he’s flying around severe weather and either fuel is running low or the storm is getting close?
 
Wow. In the OKC area myself, first I had heard of this one. Guess being deployed has taken me out of the loop a bit...
 
I've never seen our newsroom personnel push a pilot to do anything unsafe. If the pilot says no-go, that's the final word.
 
Too, many pilots don't work for the News stations, they work for companies that contract the helicopter to the various news markets. Though there are still station-owned helicopters, they're becoming less and less simply due to the exhorbiant cost, with multiple stations in the same market even sharing a single helicopter like in PHX.
 
Mojo says what we all know, but pressure comes from all directions, whether it be a weatherman or a charter client on a G-III headed for Aspen at sunset. I recall reading years ago that medevac pilots were no longer being given information about patients - their age, gender, status, etc. - out of concern that it might influence their decisions in marginal conditions. This seems very wise. If KFOR doesn't learn from this, then I'd think that the helicopter's owner or insurer will explain it to them before it is returned to service.
 
MikeD said:
Too, many pilots don't work for the News stations, they work for companies that contract the helicopter to the various news markets. Though there are still station-owned helicopters, they're becoming less and less simply due to the exhorbiant cost, with multiple stations in the same market even sharing a single helicopter like in PHX.
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Or do like some of the Spanish-language radio stations do here and do traffic reports but have a 1950's Korean-war era helicopter noise in the background.

Love it!
 
Derg said:
Or do like some of the Spanish-language radio stations do here and do traffic reports but have a 1950's Korean-war era helicopter noise in the background.

Love it!
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Now that's cost savings right there!
 
I would point out that helicopters aren't the only aircraft that carry camera's for media use and as such, aren't the only type of aircraft that these issues pertain to (cough, cough).
 
tomokc said:
Mojo says what we all know, but pressure comes from all directions, whether it be a weatherman or a charter client on a G-III headed for Aspen at sunset.
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Part of being a professional is making sure that you are complying with regulations, and ultimately, don't spill blood or bend metal. The OP asked what ability the pilot has to tell management "no" and that ability is what the PIC is paid to do. Sorry, but outside pressure doesn't affect my decision as the PIC. If I don't agree with the situation, I don't fly. It is simple, yet so many people put theirs certs on the line for a company who could care less about the pilot and the pilot's career.
 
mojo6911 said:
Part of being a professional is making sure that you are complying with regulations, and ultimately, don't spill blood or bend metal. The OP asked what ability the pilot has to tell management "no" and that ability is what the PIC is paid to do. Sorry, but outside pressure doesn't affect my decision as the PIC. If I don't agree with the situation, I don't fly. It is simple, yet so many people put theirs certs on the line for a company who could care less about the pilot and the pilot's career.
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I will say this about the whole thing. It's difficult to say no when you have a training contract that can be enforced after your termination. Can a person say no, I'm not flying, sure. Can a person afford to pay out a training contract if they are terminated because of that decision? Things like that shouldn't have to enter into the decision making process, but unfortunately, they most certainly do.
 
KSCessnaDriver said:
I will say this about the whole thing. It's difficult to say no when you have a training contract that can be enforced after your termination. Can a person say no, I'm not flying, sure. Can a person afford to pay out a training contract if they are terminated because of that decision? Things like that shouldn't have to enter into the decision making process, but unfortunately, they most certainly do.
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It seems as if though it's like this with anything involving aviation and television. The two are imiscible. There will always be a conflict of interest between a company's desire to please the network/director/client, and limitations imposed by weather and other operational considerations. In my observation (especially at my company), the former usually has more influence over the latter.

I have absolutely no problem saying under no circumstance would I put my pilot certificate, or especially my life on the line for a company. No job is worth that risk. In the case of the newbie helicopter pilot at this Oklahoma TV station, he obviously let the pressure exerted by higher-ups pressure him into an unfortunate situation.

Hindsight is always perfect, but even if it was my first day on the job, I would have told station management to pound sand.
 
tomokc said:
I recall reading years ago that medevac pilots were no longer being given information about patients - their age, gender, status, etc. - out of concern that it might influence their decisions in marginal conditions.
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This is done in fixed wing operations too.
 
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