The Adventures of Chopper Chick!

Thursday, August 09, 2007

6 comments:

camerapilot said...: There are many shots of you that are great but there is something about this one that stands out.
Don't collect too many rocks while your up there.; 6:35 PM
camerapilot said...: Spent the last 2 days over at MGM, Stage 15 setting things up for Will Smith so his super hero character can soar around Sky Scrapers and other parts of downtown NYC with the aid of Blue Screen.
On the East side of the stage, left of the elephant door, there is a plaque and on that plaque are the titles of all the movies that were ever shot on that stage.....The Wizard of Oz, 1937; A Guy Named Joe, which was later remade in 1989 and released under the title of "Alway's......; 7:34 PM
camerapilot said...: Hey H.B.,
Was hanging around the top of a mock-up of the Empire State building today and a couple of Animal Wranglers came in and crawled up top to the circular platform below the light beacons and antennas and hung out for awhile with one of the actors in the movie, a Wedge-tailed Eagle from Australia that they had brought in to become acclimated to the set. Christ she was a beauty! She is one of 3 species of Eagle in Australia. 70% percent of her diet is hare and the rest she makes up with carrion, grips, electricians and helicopter pilots and they are the largest Eagles in the world too!!
Oh wouldn't one love to see her in free flight over a canyon or a beach along the coast of Australia!!? Beautiful!!; 7:48 PM
Desiree said...: hey camerapilot, finally trying to get back to some comments here. not sure if you check back to these. it's thursday 9/13. been flying lots and really cool stuff too. back to whitney a on 9/11 for more trash missions.; 12:52 PM
camerapilot said...: Lots of flying,cool. I'm grounded at MGM. AK-47 toting Russian soldiers invaded the other day. They hung out in front of the elephant door at stage 30, smoked cigs, played with their uniforms and machine guns until an A.D. rounded them up and sent them back inside. They're part of the new Indian Jones sequel. Looks very cool too.
Hope you have Whitney to yourself for awhile.
Happy Trash Mission!
Brought a box of stuff for you and gave it to Karl who was kind enough to hold it for you until you get back. Maybe he walked it over to your office.
Have a terrific time you!!; 8:17 PM
camerapilot said...: Desiree,
I always check back for your comments.
It's 9/14.; 11:14 PM

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helicopter pilots, the PHPA
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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;
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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

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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!

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 09, 2007

6 comments:

Desiree Horton

About Me

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Some of my favorite and often used sites:

Fire Stuff

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Because I Fly

Aviation Stuff

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Links on Desiree

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

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

Blog Archive

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

From the TruTV show Maui Choppers

Me flying H535 off the Keenwild Helibase

Flying Crown 1

Zaca Fire

Skip Robinson's photo makes it in Vertical as a wallpaper

Heli-Flite/Aris Helicopters 58 Fleet

T-Tails(and a radial one)

The round motor and the 2 T's

Photo by Skip Robinson

Photo by Skip Robinson

Publishings I have been featured in over the years

58T job! photo by Skip Robinson

58T job with Steve, myself in the left seat flying! photo by Skip Robinson

Fleet of Choppers at Whiteman Airport

Foggy morning over Downtown Los Angeles

Chopper 4

Desiree flying 57717(aka backup chopper 4)

Desiree's last day on H525 Indy contract Sept. 2007

Desiree slinging backhaul off Mt. Whitney outpost camp

Desiree dipping from Mono Lake

Desiree flying H525

More of Desiree flying rappel

Landing up at Mt. Whitney trail camp

Desiree flying a Hughes 500 in Vegas

Desiree flying her first lift job