The Adventures of Chopper Chick!: IM IN L.A. ON A FIRE!!!!!! FINALLY!!!!!

Wednesday, September 06, 2006

IM IN L.A. ON A FIRE!!!!!! FINALLY!!!!!

Hey everyone, I don't have time to check the blog, but we came in yesterday mid day. Arrived at Castaic Lake and based out of the RC field there, then today moved to the lower reservoir on a grass pad! Wow, nice place to be. Hot, but way cool being on the lake and on grass and soooo close to home. We work 12 hour days but with travel and things to take care of after work, I just don't have time to get online for a while now. Anyway, just wanted to say I'm finally fighting a fire in L.A. The Day fire. As of today 5030 acres from only 2000 yesterday. Have lots to tell and lots of cool pictures. Will try to get those up some time soon. Have a great week!!!!!

8 comments:

tunakahuna said...: Good luck and stay safe, but most of all "thank you".; 11:03 PM
Richard Gutmann said...: Congratulations, Desiree!!!

I know that fighting a fire in Los Angeles by helicopter is the fulfillment of your lifelong dream. I couldn't be happier for you.

Richard; 5:38 AM
gateguy said...: Hi Desiree, long time fan first time comment. you may have seen me playing hanger rat over at dan's. My plate say's "gate guy," i work all over the South land and sponge wifi everywhere.
I just drive past apartment buildings and keep refreshing my wireless network connections.
there is always an unsecure network.
A buddy just drove from L.A. to FL. then up to NY. and back here. He found hot spots in every town along the way. a lot of Mc D's are hot spots to. Its free for an hour. i

craig
gateguy@aol.com; 9:45 PM
Richard Gutmann said...: Information on the "Day Fire" which is regularly updated (I hope) can be found at:
Desiree's First LA Fire; 11:02 AM
tennesseeia said...: It has come to my attention that you are not setting a very good name or sterotype for the female firefighters that actually do focus on work instead of tooting their own horn for attention; 12:22 PM
Richard Gutmann said...: I'm not going to engage in a protracted back and forth attack/defense of Desiree--she doesn't need defending, and if she did, is capable of doing it herself. For almost a year now, this has been a really fun site where we learn what Desiree is doing with her flying career. It gives some of us a great deal of pleasure. So what's with the recent attacks on her?

I don't understand how anyone could think Desiree hasn't always put firefighting first. Even when she was working full-time as a TV news pilot/reporter, she went out of town on weekends to fight fires. It's been her lifelong goal.

Richard; 6:58 PM
Eye in the LA sky said...: Hi Desiree,

Cool site. Good to see you're living/flying your dream.

Most people never do. Many wind up in jobs they hate.
Some even complain about those that ARE able to do what they enjoy doing for a living.

Take care and fly safe.; 11:38 PM
Eye in the LA sky said...: This post has been removed by a blog administrator.; 11:40 PM

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PHPA / Professional Helicopter Pilots Association

Promoting safety and
understanding among
helicopter pilots, the PHPA
continues its mission
contributing to the critical
operations maintaining safe
helicopter missions and
acting as a liaison with the
community.

Coordinating efforts towards improving communications, methods of operation within the airspace system, or any other area that will contribute to the safety and education of all pilots;
Provide a forum for identifying and seeking resolution to local problems of interest to the membership;
Promote community relations between the public and the helicopter industry.

The PHPA is a national
organization with the
corporate office in
Los Angeles, California.

Become a member and help
support your helicopter
community.

Go to:
http://www.phpa.org/

Board of Directors
Executive Officers & Board of Directors
Robert Butler - President
Alan Frawert - Vice President
Tom White - Secretary
James Paules - Treasurer
Board of Directors
Morris Cohen
Guillaume Maillet
Chuck Street
Ed Story
Desiree Horton
Gary Hollbrook
Pat Carey

Board of Advisors
Ricarda Bennett Esq - Legal Advisor
Alex Calder - Web Administrator

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!