The Adventures of Chopper Chick!: From flying fire, to news, to flying on maui all in one week.....

Monday, August 04, 2008

From flying fire, to news, to flying on maui all in one week.....

Last week I came home from flying fires, bring the 58T home to riverside on my first solo flight in the big machine. That was an amazing experience. I was like a little kid with a new toy, it was the feeling you get when you finally solo as a student pilot. What a feeln'! Anyway, came back and immediately hoped into flying news for Helinet, flying SKYFOX. That was fun as usual. I love that I can go from flying fires to news in an instant. I'm very fortunate to work for so many great companies that allow me to be flexible with my schedule. After a few days of flying news I was off to Maui to fly for a show for TruTV for a few days. What a cool experience. Flying on the island was wild. First and foremost, I met some of the greatest people over there. Windard Aviation has some of the coolest pilots and people that work there. Everyone there was so warm and welcoming. The production company from the shoot was so great. I can't say enough good things about everyone I met over there. Can't wait to see Maui Choppers on TruTV this fall. Should be an amazing show!

I will be flying for the police later on this week. Whew, it's been busy!

1 comments:

camerapilot said...: What a score! I'm envious, I want to go to Maui.
Talking about production companies, I just finished up doing some re-shoots with a great little company. The people were incredibly sweet. I wanted to adopt them after wrap tonight.
Very rare to find that nowadays.
The re-shoots were for a film with Rene Zellweger and today we shot her out.
I seldom talk about actors for legal reasons but I have to bring up how engaging and sweet, personal and down to earth Rene is. She sought out conversations with the crew and spoke to me like we had known each other for years. The only other actors that have done that are Rip Torn, Dustin Hoffman and the wonderful Ann Margaret.
There is a reason that these people have staying power, they are people first and actors second.
Desiree, did you talk through every move with your new machine when you went up solo? I found myself going through each procedure verbally as I worked my way around the pattern those 3 times before touching down and seeing my friends holding up score cards above their heads on how I did with my landings.
Aren't those moments sweet!?
Many more are coming Dez, many more!
Congratulations!; 10:22 PM

Post a Comment

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!