Superior Pilots...

sky's the limit · Post by **sky's the limit** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 10:07 am

As found on PPRUNE.... Enjoy.

"So true Capt. Richard C. Keckler.

Helicopter pilots are just better than fixed wing pilots.

This has been a serious debate for quite some time with battle lines well drawn and the
debate field hot, furious, and emotional. Obviously, the heat of the
debate and the surety of the participants are directly proportional to the
amount of liquid intelligence that has been consumed. Nevertheless, this
humble observer will present the evidence that clearly proves helicopter pilots are, as a matter of fact, the most superior pilots in the aviation
community.First, let's talk about the numbers. Airplanes have a lot of numbers, V1, V2, VTOSS, MMO, the figures many helicopter operations emulate. However, while helicopter pilots try to operate "by the numbers," the operating environment often precludes such a luxury. The 757 pilot is going to come over the fence at Vref +15 knots or some other such number like that. Meanwhile, the helicopter lands on a rig, perhaps with a 30 Knots head wind, a 15 Knots crosswind, or maybe he has to land in a remote area with no wind ... and he will LAND AT ZERO GROUND SPEED! If you know anything about aerodynamics, I shouldn't have to say anything else -- the safety of the numbers does not always grace the helicopter pilot! Therefore, they need special skill to compensate when the numbers are not even applicable. The rotorhead may be landing at 40 Knots IAS or 0 Knots ... airplane safety margins are all off!

Not convinced, let's talk operating environment. It would be nice to be
able to land on a flat piece of paved real estate that was 200' wide and
8000' long, for every landing; but for helicopter pilots, that's the
exception rather than the rule. (We are even told to "avoid the flow"
of the starch wingers lest we upset their "numbers." Helicopter pilots are
called to land on small offshore platforms, smaller shipboard platforms
(that can be bobbing and weaving like Mike Tyson), rooftops, forests,
jungles, and next to a highway at night to pick up the injured. This is
a VFR operation that would make most airplane pilots cringe. This goes
beyond those fixed wingers who call themselves "bush pilots." Helicopter
pilots are the true Bush Pilots - they land and takeoff in the midst of the
bushes!To this, the helicopter pilot adds all the stuff the corporate or 121
operator does. They operate in dense airspace, fly instrument
approaches, operate at busy airports, and fly in severe weather; often without the help of a four-axis autopilot with "autotrim." In fact, the only autopilot may be control friction ... and any objective dual-rated pilots will confess the helicopter is quite a bit more difficult to fly on the gauges!

At this point I have to interject for the prima Donna part 91 operators
in their Citation X's, Gulfstreams, and Falcon 50's. Yes, Veronica, there
are a lot of helicopters with color radar, multiple MFDs, EFIS, digital fuel
controls, 4 axis autopilots, and all the other goodies, so don't go
there! We can operate your fancy equipment as well!

I'm not done -- what about workload? The helicopter pilot is normally
the "company man" on the job. Therefore, he must not only be able to fly
the aircraft, he has to be the local PR man with the customer, often solving
the customer's problems so the aircraft is used the most efficiently. The
helicopter pilot might have to arrange for his own fuel and even refuel
his own aircraft. He checks the landing sites, trains people how to work
around helicopters without getting injured, and makes sure the aircraft does not disturb Grandma Bessie's chickens!

But wait, like the Ginsu knife, "there's more!" The rotor head does it
all. He does all the preflight planning, submits the flight plan, prepares
all the paperwork including the weight and balance, loads and briefs the
passengers, loads cargo, and after landing takes care of the unloading
and finally arranges for their own transportation and room. This is often
interspersed by telephone calls to some company weenie that changes
plans and expectations every hour.

Finally, the all important question, "What about control touch?" I want
to shut up all the hotshot fighter pilots. I've been in their aircraft and
they have been in mine ... I could fly theirs but they were all over the
sky in mine! So then, Mr. Starch Winger, when you see a Hughes 500 or Bell
204 pilot hold one skid on a 5000' knife edge ridge that is only 2 feet wide
so passengers can step out onto the ridge, while the other skid is
suspended in space ... when you watch a Skycrane, Vertol, S61, 212, or 214B pilot place a hook, that's on a cable 200' below the aircraft, in the hand of a ground crewman ... when you see a Lama, AStar, or Bell 206L land in a space in the trees that's scarcely bigger than the helicopter ... and if you ever watch a BK 117, 105, or A109 pilot land in a vacant lot next to a busy freeway surrounded by power lines - at night. Well, then, you'll have some idea who is the master manipulator of aviation equipment.

The bottom line is:

If all you want is to get into the air, find a Cessna, Beech, F-16, or
757.

However, if you want to truly fly, to be an artisan in aviation and
develop a birdlike control touch; then, you want to be a helicopter pilot.
After all, a rock would probably fly if you made it go 180 knots.
The real question for our fixed wing brethren should be:
"How fast can you fly backward?"
"And the beat goes on..." "To fly is heavenly...but to hover is divine!!!"
"Fighter pilots make movies, but helicopter crews make history!"

Submitted by: Capt. Richard C. Keckler, USMC (Vet)"

Stinky · Post by **Stinky** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 10:19 am

Perhaps it does require more skill to fly a helicopter in those conditions, but who would want to do that for the rest of their lives. I like knowing that someday I will have a Flight attendant bringing me a coffee while I occasionally monitor the autopilot as I read the newspaper. Try finding an easy helicopter job.
As far as the description of "birdlike", a helicopter is far from that.
I don't mind helicopter pilots bragging about how good they are after a brutally hard day at work, I'm happy to admit to inferiority after an easy day at work, while I drive home to my family for several days off.

Cat Driver · Post by **Cat Driver** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 10:35 am

Maybe the true aviator is us AC / DC guys who are equally comfortable flying either fixed wing or rotary wing?

And being that breed of animal understand that rotary is not only better but requires greater skills to fly?

Cat

altiplano · Post by **altiplano** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 10:38 am

Who has the most skill? I guess the debate goes on.

Who has the inferiority complex? Thanks for clearing that up s t l.

chancellor · Post by **chancellor** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 10:51 am

I can't believe this crap still gets talked about. This is nothing but an old farts topic to see who has the biggest shlong. Really who cares. Fly whatever you want to fly. One thing going for helicopter pilots is they sure do know there numbers but they still can't figure out why they shouldn't land on the GA ramp right beside an aircraft with a 80K paint job or one light enough to turn over.

shimmydampner · Post by **shimmydampner** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 11:23 am

altiplano wrote:Who has the most skill? I guess the debate goes on.

Who has the inferiority complex? Thanks for clearing that up s t l.

BAH-ZING!

Snausages · Post by **Snausages** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 1:10 pm

Everyone knows that the only truly SUPERIOR PILOTS are

SUPERIOR PILOTS

Raybanman · Post by **Raybanman** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 3:32 pm

Who really cares? Does it matter that much? I fly a plane, you fly a chopper. Big deal. You don't see guys on a site s^%#@g on eachother because one drives a CAT and the other runs a track hoe. Choppers are fun, planes are fun.

Cheers,
PP

CLguy · Post by **CLguy** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 4:32 pm

Sky's the limit, lets take the average helicopter pilot up to lets say 10,000 feet and have him fly from point A to point B. You and I both know, most can't do it and the ones that can will be shitting their pants. I am quite comfortable at that altitude as I am at 200 feet.

By the way the General who wrote this article, how do you suppose he got his helicopter to different places around the world. We both know he didn't fly it but rather relied on a fixed wing pilot to get it there for him.

Siddley Hawker · Post by **Siddley Hawker** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 4:37 pm

Thought this thread was about Orville Wieben.

Bede · Post by **Bede** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 4:43 pm

If it's so tough to fly fling wings, why is the CPL(H) only 100 hrs.

sky's the limit · Post by **sky's the limit** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 6:16 pm

Boy are you guys easy... I thought I'd get a few bites, but this was quite the haul for a Sunday - and holiday one at that. LOL

I guess fishing season is officialy open...

And Bede, are you really that dumb?

STL

heavymetal · Post by **heavymetal** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 5:35 am

Everyone knows that the only truly SUPERIOR PILOTS are

SUPERIOR PILOTS

Bwahahahahaha.

Bede · Post by **Bede** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 6:03 am

I was just joking - hence the happy face. But to answer your question, yes I am that dumb.

sky's the limit · Post by **sky's the limit** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 7:36 am

Sorry Bede,

Meant to put a

after that one... tounge in cheek so to speak, came out more like foot in mouth!

Altiplano - No inferiority complex here, I fly both... All in good fun.

STL

complexintentions · Post by **complexintentions** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 9:16 am

The whole thread is dumb, I mean everyone knows helicopters don't fly anyway, they're just so f^%$g ugly the ground rejects them...but I guess anyone who chooses to fly a machine with parts with names like "Jesus bolt" would be a little defensive...

snag · Post by **snag** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 9:17 am

I have no doubt at all in my mind that flying a helicopter takes more hand-eye skills. The brain is working more in flight for sure.

But flying a device so ugly, inefficient and complicated that it is equally repelled by the earth and sky inducing an effect called hover, can hardly be compared to being one with nature. You want to be like the birds, try flying a glider. A couple pitot-static gauges, piece of string that tells you you are going straight, wind noise, and "feeling" your way through the thermals. Oh, and yes, it takes FAR less skill than flying a helicopter.

Does being able to do the equivalent of ballancing on a bowlingball while juggling and reciting the AIP make you a superior pilot? or just a good candidate for the circus?

I have a lot of respect for heli drivers, I've met a few. Don't realy like the ones that feel they are superior because the have a different set of parameters to fly by, paid more for their license, and will retire after 1000000 landing on an oil platform.

What ever happened to the judging of a pilot by the size of his watch?

rotateandfly · Post by **rotateandfly** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 9:57 am

If the wings are travelling faster than the fuselage, it's probably a helicopter...and therefore unsafe

sky's the limit · Post by **sky's the limit** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 12:02 pm

The ignorance of most people here never ceases to amaze me...

STL

ch135146 · Post by **ch135146** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 12:27 pm

sky's the limit wrote:The ignorance of most people here never ceases to amaze me...

That, or thin skin. Or, a zero sense of humour. Or, an insecurity about the size of one's penis...

Or, all of the above!

scabber · Post by **scabber** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 3:08 pm

I wonder is Cat Driver knows what AC/DC really means.......

ch135146 · Post by **ch135146** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 3:14 pm

scabber wrote:I wonder is Cat Driver knows what AC/DC really means.......

He may be old, but he's certainly not dumb.

At that, I'm AC/DC too, having flown both fixed and rotary!

Driving Rain · Post by **Driving Rain** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 3:23 pm

Of course Helo flying takes better hands and feet. So how come I've never met a helicopter pilot that could dance?

sky's the limit · Post by **sky's the limit** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 3:54 pm

Driving Rain wrote:Of course Helo flying takes better hands and feet. So how come I've never met a helicopter pilot that could dance?

Finally, someone's asked THE question... Lol, certainly not me.

STL

No more BS · Post by **No more BS** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 7:39 am

WHO CARES.

It's just a job!!

Fixed wing or not, all we are trying to do is to make a carreer FLYING things around in the sky. Get it? FLYING. It doesn't matter if it's an Airship or a freakin Concorde (or Sikorsky for that matter), we are all flying and getting paid while doing it and that's what matters.

Besides, if I need more skill, I will practice more, that's all.

(My dad is stronger than yours...)