The Adventures of Chopper Chick!

Friday, September 08, 2006

Another quick post....yesterday the news crews were at the helibase I am at and filmed me flying in and out. So I ended up on the channel 2 news yesterday afternoon. My mom saw me! Pretty cool. Will eventually post more photos and reply to comments. Flying alot out there and not much down time. As you can see, it's a really big fast growing fire.

14 comments:

Laguna said...: Watch them ridges and your speed baby sister and welcome back!!; 11:13 PM
Richard Gutmann said...: Desiree,

If you go to CBS2's website, your helicopter can be seen taking off in a video clip of the Day fire. It is just a little past halfway through the clip. Great to actually get to see you doing what you love so much!
Desiree Flying at Day fire

Richard; 3:49 PM
SD said...: That Castaic fire is looking ugly,
keep it cool...just like you always do.
Good Job QT!
We want you back safely from the fire line!

SD; 10:21 AM
Vince said...: ChopperChick...

What is going on!!! Drove over Mulholland on the way home and what do I see? The Valley full of smoke!!!

If you don't start gettin the job done you'll be demoted to R22's with a styrofoam cup!!!!!!!!!!!

Just teasing...about the styrofoam cup that is...

Vince; 10:31 PM
Laguna said...: This post has been removed by a blog administrator.; 10:38 PM
Laguna said...: How those lungs of yours on that Day Fire baby sister. I'm back in the valley after standing on ice for three weeks. You never know how nice dirt is until it's not around.
I'm flyin tomorrow. Everything is better up there isn't
it? Always.; 10:43 PM
Richard Gutmann said...: Vince,

I got a good laugh out of your last post. But I think ChopperChick is doing a great job. Take a look at this picture of Castaic Lake just before Desiree got there:
Castaic Lake Pre-ChopperChick

Then after a week of Desiree removing water from the lake with her bucket:
Castaic Lake Post-ChopperChick; 11:24 PM
Vince said...: Richard,

You are a funny man. Loved the pictures. Glad you got the humor. I suspect some took it seriously.

From one who is earth bound who would like to be air bound....

Vince; 3:56 PM
Vince said...: Richard,

You are a funny man. Loved the pictures. Glad you got the humor. I suspect some took it seriously.

From one who is earth bound who would like to be air bound....

Vince; 3:56 PM
Richard Gutmann said...: Desiree,

Hope all is going well for you at the Day Fire. Your first LA fire is turning out to be a really bad one. Fly Safely.

The link I previously gave for the video of you taking off at the Day Fire no longer takes you directly there. But they have saved the clip in their video library. You can still see it if you go to www.cbs2.com and then:

Click on "See All" at the right of the page
Click on "Search"
Search for "Day Fire"

You are in at least three of the videos, but I think they are all of the same takeoff (either that or you always take off precisely the same way!):

--Fire Near Castaic Continues to Burn (9/07/06)
--Brush Fire Burns 7,000 Acres Near Castaic Lake (09/08/06)
--‘Day Fire' Continues to Burn (09/08/06)

And, Vince, thanks for the kind words.; 12:51 PM
SailerSamTheJailerMan said...: Smoke and ash is real heavy here in Ojai, put some extra water on these fires for us. Thanking you in advance for your prompt consideration. Be carefull.; 4:22 PM
SailerSamTheJailerMan said...: Thanks for the extra water on the fire, smoke and ash are mostly gone. I hope the person who started this will pay for putting it out. Johnny Cash, when he lived near here started one with his camper and had to pay. Not intentional of course but he caused it. Fly safe.; 1:51 PM
Richard Gutmann said...: This post has been removed by a blog administrator.; 4:02 PM
Richard Gutmann said...: There is a very nice map showing the progression of the Day Fire since its start at:
Day Fire Progression; 1:13 PM

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Chuck Street
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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!