The Adventures of Chopper Chick!: More Photos..........

Thursday, August 31, 2006

More Photos..........

7 comments:

Zabersoft said...: That first one is SO adorable :); 5:54 PM
trevor said...: Desiree, VERY cute. A kid at heart obviously.

Am impressed you were able to pry yourself into that thing. My 7yo barely fits.

Trevor
da40flyer@yahoo.com; 5:03 PM
Richard Gutmann said...: Desiree,

Great to hear from you again. Those are such cute pictures of you in the coin-operated helicopter.

I know you said landing in those tight helispots is so much fun, but some look only big enough for a helicopter the size of that coin-operated one! One of the pictures looks as if you landed right on the edge of a cliff. Like Sharon, it really gives me a lift hearing how much you enjoy what you are doing, but please be careful.

Don't know how much Los Angeles news you get while in Lone Pine, so I'm sending you a link to a story in Saturday's LA Times about KABC's news helicopter being involved in a "near miss" by LAX. Near Miss By LAX

Richard; 12:04 PM
Richard Gutmann said...: Sorry, but the link to the LA Times didn't work. This one should.

KABC copter in near miss; 12:24 PM
Jim said...: Great coin operated helicopter pictures!

Thanks for the other awesome pictures and the blog update :-); 4:05 PM
Desiree said...: Zabersoft, I couldn't resist, I saw the crazy helicopter at a gas station and had to squeeze in it. I had used a red helicopter like that one for my christmas cards one year. Pretty funny!

Trevor, It was a tight fit! I had a hard time getting out. Pilots are actually used to that though, some of the helicopters we fly we have to pry ourselves in and out of! Lol.

Richard, you are right, some of those spots had to be cleared by crews that rappelled in from other helicopters, then I went in to pick them up after they fought the fire they were inserted to take care of. And yes, they were cliffs, just enough room for the skids to be level! Sooo much fun! Thanks for the info on the near miss. A friend of mine had mentioned it. I have to say though, in defense of ABC's helicopter, the news birds operate in LAX's airspace daily within less than 500 setting off TCAS in the cockpit for those airlines. In my opinion and maybe I'm wrong, I think the SAAB pilot was not used to that situation and may have over reacted. The controllers didn't seem to think it was an issue until the SAAB pilot mentioned it. TCAS is set off all the time because of the news birds flying around in there. I had a controller once allow me to fly between the incoming traffic low level in the no-fly zone to film a structure fire. It was really amazing he allowed me to do so, because if you saw it from the passenger seat of those airlines, you would have been amazed at how close it was. Have to say though, it was fun and LAX has some of the best and nicest air traffic controllers!

Jim, thanks! :); 11:18 AM
trevor said...: Desiree I got to sit in a VariEZ once and it took a pry bar and a quart of 10w40 oil to get out of it. Maybe it's time to add gymnast or yoga expert to the qualifications to become a pilot.

My best friend is a captain for United Express back east but he used to fly the Saab 340 out of LAX. What you said is absolutely right. The TCAS went off routinely on final. There's just no way for it not to. Between the news birds and just regular VFR traffic, it's just part of the deal. He said it took time to get used to it going off all the time and knowing which are the ones you have to worry about.; 6:20 PM

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Desiree Horton
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How I got started..........

For those of you who are looking at a life of flying helicopters or just curious how I started and got where I am today, read on.......................

I have been flying helicopters for over 18 years and mostly here in Los Angeles until recently in 2005 when I started fighting fire as a contract pilot all over the U.S. during the summer and in the off season on occasion. Currently I fly for about six different companies as a free lance contract pilot. My main company that I work for is Heli-Flite/Aris Helicopters in Riverside, CA, where I do Aerial Construction flying, fly for Corona Police Department, and fly fires during fire season. In the off months outside of fire season I fly some news and photo and movie production flights for various other companies which some of them I have been working with for over ten years. Since I have received many emails in regards to how does one become a helicopter pilot.....I am giving a little insight to those of you who ask how I got started and how much it costs to become a pilot, well it's a long story and everyone has a different story as to how they got their start. Some people had it easy, some people had it tough, some joined the military, others did the civilian route. There are so many different ways to do it and no one has the same story. As far as cost, well it was alot less 18 years ago, so you will have to check with a flight school on that one. I started flying when I was 19 years old and at the time I couldn't get a loan, so I worked two jobs 7 days a week and after two years, finally got my private. If you can get loan, it will not take you that long as I could only afford a couple of lessons a month. I never got my CFI as I found other ways to build time. Even 18 years ago being a CFI did not pay the bills, so I worked other jobs and flew part time over the years to build my time. I washed helicopters in exchange for flight time. I even paid for left seat time for quite some time to build hours. I jumped on any chance I could get for free flight time riding along with other pilots in an empty seat. I made lots of sacrafices and had no time to myself. It was all about flying, kinda how it still is today. hahaha. Anyway, I started a dba and made brochures and brought myself my own flight business doing tours and photo flights out of a Hughes 269 and an R22. Eventually I had some money to put myself through Bell Factory School which enabled me to fly a Jetranger early in my career with very little time. Back then insurance companies did not require massive amounts of flight time. With just 300 hours and factory school, I now had a jetranger to run my tours in. It eventually led to flying for other companies. Sending myself to Bell school opened up opportunities and possibilities for me. It was also my reputation that opened doors. Attitude is everything. You will not suceed in this business with a poor attitude. Keep that in mind. Trust me, I'm not perfect. We all don't have perfect attitudes, but you know what I mean. My job offers took off from there. I was doing tours for various small tour companies and flight schools and then started flying traffic watch, then soon I was flying news in a 206 which later led to an astar. When I got into fire, I sent myself to long line and mountain flying school. Sometimes if you want something, you will have to pay for it to get ahead and open doors for yourself. I found a company that hired me with no fire experience. With my training I had paid for and experience from flying over the years I was on my way to do what I had always dreamed of doing, fighting fire from a helicopter. I was patient as it took time to get where I am today. You have to be patient sometimes. I still get impatient on occasion and want it all now, but it just doesn't work that way. So my advice to up and coming pilots who ask how to do it? Find a good school, find some money, stick with it, don't ever stop, don't make excuses, don't let others discourage you as that will happen your entire career, and you will suceed and get what you want eventually. Good luck!

By the way, some pilots never stop paying their dues. Sometimes if you want certain things to happen in your career you will find yourself making the same sacrafices later on, but the sacrafices seem even greater because with time, comes more responsibility and more to lose when sacrafices are made. But sometimes the gain is worth it!

THE HELICOPTER IS MY OFFICE.
IT IS A PLACE WHERE I EXPERIENCE MANY EMOTIONS AND LEARN MANY LESSONS. IT IS A PLACE OF WORK, BUT ALSO A KEEPER OF DREAMS. IT IS A PLACE OF DEADLY SERIOUS ENCOUNTERS, YET THERE I DISCOVER MUCH ABOUT LIFE. I LEARN ABOUT JOY AND SORROW, PRIDE AND HUMILITY, FEAR AND OVERCOMING FEAR. I SEE MUCH FROM THIS OFFICE THAT MOST PEOPLE WOULD NEVER SEE. AT TIMES IT TERRIFIES ME, YET I CAN ALWAYS FEEL AT HOME HERE. IT IS MY PLACE, AT THIS TIME AND SPACE, AND THE HELICOPTER IS MINE FOR THESE MOMENTS. THOUGH IT IS A PLACE WHERE I CAN QUICKLY DIE, THE HELICOPTER IS A PLACE WHERE I TRULY LIVE.

The Adventures of Chopper Chick!

Thursday, August 31, 2006

More Photos..........

7 comments:

Desiree Horton

Chopper Chick

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engine 58 that i flew for aris helicopters from 2007-2008

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Desiree flying a lift job in Kansas City

525-my type 3 ship i flew 2 seasons on exclusive use contract in independence california 2006-2007

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Big dawg, the 58T i flew for Aris Helicopters 2007-2008

How I got started..........

Zaca Fire

Slinging diesel to the dozers on the Zaca

Lone Pine Campground

Mt. Whitney Trail Camp 12,000'

Mt. Whitney Outpost Camp 10,500'

Zaca Fire

Whitney Trail Camp

Zaca Fire

Day Fire PSD

PSD Zaca Fire

Flower holder

more flowers

helidesk

me flying a double load

the ship i flew for 2 seasons 2006-2007 in independence california

Goldledge Fire

Goldledge Fire

Day Fire PSD

Desiree and 3597T

Photo by Cartson Bell

Desiree flying H525 in Independence after a rappel

Desiree flying PSD on the Zaca Fire

Desiree flying PSD with firing boss Ron Bollier on the Zaca Fire

Desiree after landing H525 at the Mt. Whitney trail camp

Desiree flying more PSD on the Zaca Fire

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Words to live by-

Desiree flying heavy lift construction

Desiree flying heavy lift construction for Midwest Helicopter Airways, Inc.

Desiree flying heavy lift construction for Midwest Helicopter Airways, Inc.

Desiree flying heavy lift construction for Midwest Helicopters

Desiree flying heavy lift construction for Midwest Helicopters

Desiree flying heavy lift construction for Midwest Helicopters

Desiree flying heavy lift construction for Midwest Helicopters

chopper chick

Desiree featured in PilotMag

From the TruTV show Maui Choppers

Desiree featured in Los Angeles Magazine

Desiree featured in The Van Nuys Aviation Journal

Desiree Horton in LA411 Directory

Desiree featured in Private Pilot Magazine

Desiree featured in Wildland Firefighter Magazine

Desiree featured in AirBeat Magazine

Desiree featured in Air Beat Magazine

Me flying H535 off the Keenwild Helibase