The Adventures of Chopper Chick!: I'm in San Pancho Mexico, Surfing, Horseback Riding, Etc. Etc.

Thursday, December 04, 2008

I'm in San Pancho Mexico, Surfing, Horseback Riding, Etc. Etc.

Myself and Rick riding along the beach in San Pancho Mexico.

My horses head! Riding on beach in San Pancho. I would upload more photos, but the internet is way too slow here. More to follow when I return home.

Arrived in San Pancho Mexico yesterday for a week long surf trip. I'm staying at a cool little place called the Costa Azul Adventure Resort. It's packed with all sorts of activities. Kind of a rustic little place, so if you're looking for five star, this is not the place for you. I'm here with a buddy of mine, another fire pilot, Rick Howard. Us pilots needed an end of fire season vacation. hahaha

5 comments:

camerapilot said...: Oh that looks so good! Those scents and sites are the reason I ran away to Mexico as a kid, are they not the best?!
For a short time I lived not very far from where you are now. It was inland from Puerto Vallarta along the Rio Ameca, a little Tarasco village of split palm frond thatched huts. The place is probably covered with condos now but at the time It was an extremely poor place but the people were so warm and giving and the surrounding jungle was beautifully humbling in many ways. I'd watch the indian women washing their laundry while standing in the river even while it was raining. They were stunning.
Be sure to eat and drink to much!!!; 10:15 PM
For The Love of Flying said...: Chopper Chick you have an awesome blog! Keep up the good work.

Aviation is looking for people like you. Have you ever thought about becoming a Roto-craft Sport Pilot flight instructor?

I wonder how many of your fans would want you to teach them how to fly a small two-place chopper?

Dave
http://sportflyingfriends.com; 5:36 AM
David Furtado said...: Dear Desiree,

I am the producer of The Battalion Series on the web. I would like to talk to with you about adding you to our "Woman on the Watch" series.

When we start our County of Los Angeles Fire Series you would end up there as well.

You can check my series out at www.TheBattalion.tv

My email is drf@thebattalion.tv

I am based out of Los Angeles but we are covering the globe.

Our series is in support of our First Responders globally.

Be safe.

Sincerely,

David Furtado
Tule Fog Productions LLC; 10:34 AM
camerapilot said...: Well now you have me thinking about Mexico Dez.............
A thousand years ago I awake one morning on an adobe floor. The sound of men stirs, blurs my sleep. There is yelling of Spanish and Indian dialect. I look up from the doorway of the adobe that has no door and see men heaving on ropes that descend into a well that is flush to the ground. A white horse gasps, grunts, it's front hoofs strain on the lip of stones lining the well. He has fallen in. The horse has gone mad with fear, toads that made their home in the well ride the madness by resting on the face of the horse, his eyes bulge, his tongue lashes out from behind bone teeth.
I watch in silence as my friends lay dead on their cane mats deep asleep.
I squat in the shadow of the adobe not wanting to intrude on these men tugging on their ropes, not wanting to intrude on the madness of the horse and the madness of the toads.; 8:02 PM
Desiree said...: i will try to get back to the rest of the comments soon. thanks guys!; 4:55 PM

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PHPA / Professional Helicopter Pilots Association

Promoting safety and
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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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Become a member and help
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Board of Directors
Executive Officers & Board of Directors
Robert Butler - President
Alan Frawert - Vice President
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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!