Helo christmas tree pilot

[moxiepilot]

Pretty serious skills

 

[gotWXdagain]

I've got to wonder if that's how the pilot normally flies or if they were trying to get the job done before the weather got too low. Serious skill indeed, but judgement?

 

[deadstick]

If the vis gets much worse, just park it next to the trucks and get a ride in. No biggie. Great job placing the loads in the truck.

 

[knot4u]

That guy doesn't wear that helicopter. That helicopter is missing a component if he isn't flying it.

 

[bustinminimums]

A lot of those guys that have been doing that type of longline flying are surgeons.

 

[knot4u]

That guy doesn't wear that helicopter. That helicopter is missing a component if he isn't flying it.

I apologize, I had no reason to believe the pilot was a male.

 

[knot4u]

But if it's a chick how much hotter does it make her? And what if she wears a gun when she flies????

 

[moxiepilot]

Hip guns on women can be quite nice..

 

[The Fez]

I've got to wonder if that's how the pilot normally flies or if they were trying to get the job done before the weather got too low. Serious skill indeed, but judgement?

Dollars per hour man. The more trees you haul in less time, the more money you make.

As for pilot judgement in this particular operation, I don't see anything alarming. He's flying about 100-125 feet, transitioning rapidly between forward flight and below ETL, over trees...pretty much spending the whole time in the "avoid" region of the height/velocity diagram. Regardless of weather or time, if he loses the motor or a component fails, it's not going to be pretty. It's just the risk the pilot chooses to accept when raising his hand/beer and saying, "I'm pilot. I can fly."

 

[pilotmec]

I can do that. No problem.
That is if I had a rotorcraft rating and those skills!