The Adventures of Chopper Chick!: Zaca Fire photos, see below 2 posts.

Saturday, September 08, 2007

Zaca Fire photos, see below 2 posts.

I started to put the photos up last week and just finished them today, so the post went up on the day I started it. I'm not a pro at this as you can see. lol. Just happy to finally get a few of the pics up. There were soooo many more taken but can't get all of them posted.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...: Des the pics are great, my 1st time on your site I never knew of you till the other day, a helo I dunno a couple mill, a Gentex flight helmet a grand, a smokin single chick in a Gentex flight helmet that pilots the helo PRICELESS (lol) FF from the East Coast BE SAFE :); 7:46 PM
camerapilot said...: Went by the office at WHP and it was closed so Karl is holding a package for you and Scooter is guarding it!; 1:13 PM
amulbunny said...: Thank you so much for posting the pictures of the Zaca fire. You have had quite a summer here in CA. It must be pretty scary being in the copter and having those huge flames and plumes of smoke around you. You're a brave woman. Thanks so much for doing the job you do.

amulbunny; 4:10 PM
Richard Gutmann said...: Desiree,

Have there been any wildfires in Santa Monica? I think I found one of those "ash holes."

She's Chopper Chick not a ‘ghetto bird.'; 4:33 AM
Todd said...: Hey Desiree,

Got your messages, thank you. Sam will be so excited to get your gift. Yes, he has tubes in his ears & they are taking them out next week. Hopefully this will be his last surgery.

His address is:

Sam Deery
3050 Remington Oaks Cir.
Cary, NC 27519

Loved you recent pics by the way. Stay safe.

- Todd; 3:27 PM
Anonymous said...: Chopper Chick,

Take a look at your picture at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9251892@N04

In the short time that picture of you flying for KTLA in that pink outfit has been posted, 67 people have already clicked on it. And the counter doesn't even count those people who just go to the page and don't enlarge that particular picture of you.; 1:50 PM
Kenny Streets said...: Wasn't that a crazy fire... I was on that fire!! Great pictures. Keep up the good job.; 11:01 AM

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PHPA / Professional Helicopter Pilots Association

Promoting safety and
understanding among
helicopter pilots, the PHPA
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helicopter missions and
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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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Promote community relations between the public and the helicopter industry.

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Become a member and help
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Go to:
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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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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!