The Adventures of Chopper Chick!: Been back in l.a. for over a week.....

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

Been back in l.a. for over a week.....

Got back a week and a half ago and got a nice big fat end of season cold. Haven't felt like doing much of anything but going to work as usual. My first day back last Friday the 13th I flew for knbc and reported. It was an amazing weather day with all the rain, lighting, rainbows, clouds, sunsets, etc. Lots of fun for my first day back flying news. It's quite different coming back from the forest where my last couple of weeks I was flying over black bears and deer and starting back fires in the forest. It's good to be home for now though. I have so many cool photos to post soon. Just trying to get some rest and get caught up for now. Have a great week!

11 comments:

spygirl said...: Welcome home Desiree! You've been missed! Hope you're feeling better. Can't wait to see your photos.

All the best!; 8:46 PM
Greybeard said...: Was just reviewing the accident reports, and wondered if you were working around the SkyCrane that crashed?
Too few of those birds left.
What a shame to lose another.; 9:43 PM
tunakahuna said...: Get well soon and welcome home. I hate colds as much as hitting bees on my bike while doin "70".; 10:21 PM
trevor said...: Desiree, Was great hearing your voice again on the news. Hope you feel better soon. Flying with a cold is not the most fun thing in the world.; 12:34 AM
SD said...: Good to have you home.
Your body is talking to you ...so give it a rest once and a while, or it will stall on you!
We all wish you good health and happiness.
Always great to hear from you.; 7:42 AM
Laguna said...: This post has been removed by a blog administrator.; 9:35 PM
Laguna said...: Flew out of Whiteman all this week and saw you hunkered down the other day in your vehicle as I drove in. Welcome back to the land of asphalt and roof tops Baby Sister!!
Sounds like your cooked. I'd suggest sleep but who has time. I haven't slept since 1986.
I liked that image of you watching the bears and the deer below the forest canopy. You conjured up a memory of watching bison stampede from overhead.
Their breath collected in the winter air and caught the early morning light. I never thought an animals breath could be so beautiful.
Take care up there. I caught a case of severe wind shear landing on Three Zero at 1pm today.; 9:44 PM
Richard Gutmann said...: Desiree is flying and reporting on the "Esperanza Fire" on KNBC4 during tonight's
5 p.m. news. I think she'll also be on at
6 p.m.

The fire was started by an arsonist and has taken the lives of four firefighters. Another is in critical condidion.; 5:53 PM
trevor said...: What an absolutely horrendous way to go. To be trapped in your fire engine. A sober reminder of what a dangerous job that is.; 6:18 PM
Jerry said...: Desiree, you are awesome! I have followed your stuff since you left KTLA. Our mutual friend Robin Petgrave said he taught you to fly! Neat! Keep up the great work, and post more photos for us to see.
Jerry Search, LBFD Retired; 6:42 PM
Jerry said...: Hi, Desiree.

I take a lot of aircraft photos, and since I live right near LGB, I kept trying to get your picture as you would fly in & out for fuel while you were doing traffic for KTLA. But due to the light, etc., this was the best I could do. These were taken June 22, 2005, @ 6:50 am. Trust me, you are flying here! For your photo album (and for your friends here).

http://www.socalspeedskating.org/images/temp/N87WC-2737.jpg

http://www.socalspeedskating.org/images/temp/N87WC-2741.jpg

http://www.socalspeedskating.org/images/temp/N87WC-2743.jpg

Jerry Search, Retired Long Beach Firefighter; 7:45 AM

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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!