ragbagflyer

My experience comes from the fixed wing side but I've used both. The short answer is that a stand alone unit is better and safer. I'm currently using an ipad at one place I work part time because I got the ipad for free so when I needed my to supply my own gps it was cheaper to buy a Bluetooth add-on gps (garmin glonass) than a new garmin stand alone. The ipad is OK but not great. The first gen ipad mini is kind of slow to reload pages so I'd avoid it if you do go the mini route. I've run Air Nav pro and Garmin pilot and I wouldn't want to rely on either. I've had multiple software crashes with both over the last few months and one experience in Air Nav pro where the software indicated it still had gps signal but what was happening on the moving map was certainly not what was happening outside the aircraft. With Air Nav pro you can download the 1:250 000 topos which have a lot of detail but other than that they aren't easy to read when you're flying and trying to keep your head out the window. There's 100m contours but no terrain shading so a quick glance doesn't let you know what the terrain around you is doing. The WAC charts have a more intuitive terrain shading (being made for aviation), but the scale is not ideal (1:100 000 000), and in my current area (Vancouver Island) the georeferencing of the WAC is about a half mile off, which is huge. Canadian VNC's are not available at this time. All map downloads for Air Nav pro are essentially image files so all the text doesn't reorient itself so you can read it in any map orientation. There is a terrain data base you can download but I've found that small islands in the ocean that may rise up a couple hundred feet do not even make the database. If the app has the breadcrumb trail feature that can be very useful (especially for you guys crawling up and down the mountain sides in the fog), I haven't found how to turn it on. Garmin Pilot is again, just OK. You don't get nearly the same level of map detail as you would with their own stand alones and the subscription is expensive for the product you receive. This is annoying because you know it's intentional on their part because they want to sell their own units. Another ipad mini negative, with the first generation anyway, is the major screen glare. The 296, 396 and 496 are all good units that have stood the test of time but they are getting long in the tooth. If you have the space to mount one (could be tricky in a helicopter) and a sturdy mount that can handle the weight go with a 695. The 795 is by all accounts a great unit as well but I think touch screens are a disadvantage for heads up flying. With actual buttons (especially the dial on the 695), you can operate the unit more easily with just quick reference glances. At my primary flying job we've got a 695 in every machine and I couldn't be happier with them. To sum up I think the ipad as a primary GPS is really better for the enthusiast than the professional. Given a few more years this may no longer be the case, but it is right now.

So to summarize, if you end up with a less than stellar Canadian employee your first move should be ....hire a foreigner. Some of us might think to fire him and find another Canadian pilot. I know, it's crazy!

Speak up boys and girls. This first link is particularly applicable for anybody who was qualified for a position at a company known to use foreign pilots. http://www.edsc.gc.ca/eng/jobs/foreign_workers/index.shtml integrity@servicecanada.gc.ca Jason Kenney - Labour Minister jason.kenney@parl.gc.ca Jinny Sims - NDP Labour critic Jinny.Sims@parl.gc.ca Find your MP using your postal code. http://www.parl.gc.ca/Parlinfo/Compilations/HouseofCommons/MemberByPostalCode.aspx?Menu=HOC

So does LR have an r22? If not what's the hourly training rate on a 44?

Any idea how many TFW permits are granted to helicopter pilots ever year? I got through to Cross Country Checkup and gave a summary of the issue, I may be getting a call back from the producer to talk on the air.

This issue is being discussed today on Cross Country Checkup folks. I belive is starts at 1 PT, 4 ET. Here's a chance to speak up. Would love to see one of you helicopter guys eloquently explain how the TFWP is abused in the helicopter industry.

I would love to know how the operators are satisfying the requirement cited in the letter you recieved Heizenberg. Italics added by me.

....and absolutely zero mention of any specifics regarding the cirsumstances concerning needing foreign helicopter pilots. Classy.

I sent an email to the College of Professional Pilots asking if they have taken a stance on this issue. I'll be sending a letter to Minister Kenney and my MP as well. I encourage the rest of you to do the same because simply ranting on Vertical will very little if the discussion doesn't get beyond this website. There's an opportunity to gain some traction here if the pilot's side of the aviation industry speaks with a united voice. Let's use the current news cycle to our advantage. I'm unaffected by this policy (fixed wing bush pilot), but it pains me to see it affect your industry and severely kneecap the deveolpment of a functional domectic pilot market. HAC certainly isn't going to speak for you on this so find somebody that can.

Thanks Helidude? No mins? That doesn't seem too favourable for the owner considering the 12 yr expiration date. Anybody else? Many operators looking to lease these aircraft?

Hi guys. I've got an exclusively fixed wing background but was would like to get some information on what a typical lease rate is in the current Canadian market for an r44 raven ll. How much per hour? Typical monthly minimums? How many operators looking to lease? Thanks

Go straight to rotary if that's what you want to fly. And I'd argue with anybody that says it's cheaper to get the F/W first. When it was all said and done I spent over 50 K on my F/W training, and then I bought an airplane. I'm happy that i did it all but now I want to convert and am to friggin broke and in debt to even think about it until I can sell my bird. I'm working in F/W now and loving it as well, but i know I'll like the rotary side even more because it's the controlling of the machine part of flying that I dig the most. I'm hoping that a couple thousand hours in the bush will count for something when I finally get my rotary licence, but I still expect to have a ***** of a time finding work. But like I said, if you want to fly rotary, get that licence asap. It will also save you a lot of time that can either be used working or getting your foot in the door.

If the school doesn't have a DFTE they should have a system in place so that students don't have to wait weeks between bookings. It's completely unacceptable to have to wait that long. I'm considering converting to rotary wing, and until now I hadn't even considered examiner availability an issue, but I certainly am after seeing this. Especially with a 60 hour conversion, there isn't time or money to screw around preparing for a flight test several times over. With west coast winter weather E&B should be a little more proactive and realize that everybody doesn't have 400+ dollars per hour to throw around doing the same lesson over and over. And no, there is nothing wrong with having a DFTE on staff, infact this demonstrates the very reason why there should be.

How many flight test examiners are in that area? That's bullshit if you have to wait two weeks in between bookings, especially with the weather you get down there. How can you be expected to get ready for a flight test and then wait for that long. Does the school not have an examiner on staff?

Ha, already posted. My bad.