Drill Move

[06HeliMAN]

Going to do my first drill move in a week or so, just wondering if anyone's got any advice? Pit falls to avoid or things that may make it a little less intimidating.

 

Don't carry anything that is similar to that souped-up chimp on you avitar

Oh sorry I'm only a newbie

[Zazu]

Just did my first drill move a couple months back. I didn't know how the thing went together so I flew out to site and took photo's, talked to the guys and discussed with the PM how he wanted it to go. I found that if I had an idea on how things were to be placed together ahead of time, I could then focus on the job at hand, rather than looking through a little window and wondering WTF! All previous statements are absolutely applicable and bang on. Have fun

[squirlybird]

Had a potential "situation" once where the drillers did a sloppy job rigging up the rod. Instead of choking the pipe at 180o, they'd made a simple basket with one endless strap and choked the other end. When I lifted on the load the whole thing came apart like a game of pick-up-sticks. It was scary as **** watching pipe drop all over the drill pad! It all ended ok, but the point is only have one person hooking up loads then get out of the way. These guys hate to wear hardhats but they need to. If you need to have a few guys move in to help land a load have them wait 'till the load is at knee height and then make sure there not getting into any pinch points.

 

Even if they follow this advise, by day two or three they'll get complacent and be standing under you and their 1800# drill. Overshoot! Ask them politely to give you the landing area.

 

Keep in mind that if the moves are vertical it's a lot harder to hold that load in a hover as you go up (ever for an A-star).

 

And as one person on the forum put it - remember to smile.

 

Good luck

sb

[Mitch]

Hey everybody,

 

Going to do my first drill move in a week or so, just wondering if anyone's got any advice? Pit falls to avoid or things that may make it a little less intimidating.

 

Any advice will be well received, thanks in advance

 

Prime

 

ps. I have already searched the forums and have found nothing of substance, so please don't "advise" me to search the forums.

 

thanks again

 

[Mitch]

The guys gave you good tips.

But I want to talk about another thing, your duty time, sleep time, conditions.

 

Drills COs have lots of money in Canada, if not they never could use very slow operations with long lines where there are no trees, only rocks. (in others countries, when it's possible, the drilling flights are very fast with shorts lines, because the cost of helicopters hours..., and they can have more drills for the same chopper)

 

But a lot of drillers use to give (try to) bad conditions for the pilot, like severals guys in the same tent, share your duty time, bad food....

 

When they ask me about my duty time (first question when you arrive), I use to say: No problem for me, I"m here to work, if I have what TC write - 8 hours sleeping, and in good conditions - it's ok!

 

No strees, you finish your day at 9:30 ?, ok, make papers, dinner, shower, relax, and then.....8 hours sleeping - if you go to the bed at 11, wake up at 7 ! and then you will have a 14 hours duty time.

 

If they don't agree, they can have a second pilot, they have money!

 

Another important thing - sleep alone in your room, a tent cost is nothing, or a room in a camp, if they don't want to give you, they are big pigs !

 

A lot of pilots use to accept bad conditions, they don't see that the cost is nothing compare to the cost of the chopper (around 10.000 $ a day !!!) and lots of helicopter COs lose their pilots every year, cause they don't want to go again to drilling.

[Bladestrike]

I probally shouldn't share this story as it shows some REAL bad judgement, but then again it was over 20 years ago and I was 19.

 

Showed up at my first drill job, turns out it's a longline job (not all that common in the East in the early 80s) as the holes were far too small to get a helo in, so here's me thinking "how hard can it be?", never having anything longer than 10 feet under me before, no training or know-how whatsoever. Needless to say it didn't go too smoothly.

 

Pulled it off though, although safety was no doubt compromised considerably. Certainly didn't impress anybody.

 

Next job was moving hundreds of fuel drums from one open area to another. I knew the customer and asked if they'd mind me working on my longline skills (or lack there-of). Got better eventually.

 

Can't imagine anyone doing worse than me on their first drill move, and I survived!

[T tail]

How the moves been going Prime??

 

 

 

TT

[Guest who's yer daddy]

"...if not they never could use very slow operations with long lines where there are no trees, only rocks. (in others countries, when it's possible, the drilling flights are very fast with shorts lines, because the cost of helicopters hours..., and they can have more drills for the same chopper)..."

 

 

 

HUH???????????????

 

Just try and pick up the core box or slide a longyear through the hole in the roof next to the tower of a 37A, 38 or a 56.

 

Longlines are used for a reason and the last thing they are is SLOW!

 

 

 

 

 

[Mitch]

Just try and pick up the core box or slide a longyear through the hole in the roof next to the tower of a 37A, 38 or a 56.

 

Longlines are used for a reason and the last thing they are is SLOW!

 

Sure, sometimes you need a longline.

But when not there are no reason to, you waist a lot of time, and stay too much time hovering at 100 ft or more...you know.

Very short lines, are very very faster, you don't need to use the hole on the floor (AStar), very much easier with the mirrors.

 

[Hard Boiled Egg]

Sure, sometimes you need a longline.

But when not there are no reason to, you waist a lot of time, and stay too much time hovering at 100 ft or more...you know.

Very short lines, are very very faster, you don't need to use the hole on the floor (AStar), very much easier with the mirrors.

 

 

Mitch,

 

I think you're fixing for a scrap here mate.

 

 

I'll bet you EVERYTHING I own that most drill moving guys on here can move a drill faster, safer, and a whole lots more comfortable for the ground crew with a 50ft or 100ft long line... On a short move, I'm generally waiting for my guys on the ground... not the other way around.

 

Just going off of what you are saying, it's clear you don't know how to long line very well, or you'd not even have bothered to type that post....

 

Belly hooking and mirrors is passe, EVEN in the flat lands, much less here in the hills.