Mountain Courses

[407 Driver]

It's not all about altitude Huey, it's all about technique. A powered out G2 at 2500 feet can teach you as much about technique as a powered out 407 at 16,000!

 

Most of the basic Ops in OKanagans (not CHL's!) mountain course are (were)taught on Bud's Knob, a non-descript piece of rock about 4500 feet. That rock has caused more grief and more suffering to the Mountain student in the last 55 years than any other rock in the country.

Success is not measured in just landing there, it's measured in how many percent Q you used, and if you can match the master...at 76% or if you needed 79%.....

 

But Tillotson and Wayne Grover etal wrote a great course, and the present group have carried the quality forward.

 

I agree with T-Rex, greatest school, shame about the company

[412driver]

i agree with 407D, it is all about technique.............

 

what i heard about THAT crash though concerns me as to some techniques....

 

i never went through penticton, (i went through smithers during the NMH days) but i have heard great things about the school. just that turbine cost!! :shock:

[skullcap]

Happy Valley is worse and Bud's knobb is off limits(can't believe I just wrote that,,OF COURSE IT IS) most of the time due to noise complaints.

 

Was the best course in the world for many years and maybe still is.

 

sc

 

PS Buds knob is about 3400' it just seems higher. Would love to show the place to the anti helicopter people, it's probably been landed on more times than the laps at slack alices and shows no sign of a helicopter ever being there(course nor do the laps-well most of the time)

[407 Driver]

Thanks for the altitude correction SC....I gotta admit that I guessed !! It's been a long time since I was at Buds Knob...and NEVER EVER have been to Slacks :shock:

Happy Valley was an eye opener the first time I was in there. That whole area is such a great training area. Shame the environmentalists are chasing them out of all the good spots.

[skullcap]

Ah yes, the look of dismay of all who came out of happy valley was priceless, never would any of us trust some one who said "hey we're going to a really nice place called happy valley" again. Although it really is a nice place to visit. Cows, deer, bears, coyotes, no sheep though.

 

"when you have upslope illusion keep your eyes down and infront, don't ever look up unless you want to ..........oh well try again, this time maintain your altitude and not climb more than 50'......" Just like yesterday!

 

sc

[teabagger]

While you are looking, wouldn't hurt to check out Yellowhead Helicopters in Valemont, BC. I believe they do them on an R44, but only through the winter months.

[downwash]

Thanks, Teabagger, but, although we do have an MOF-approved course, we only run 'in-house' courses for employees.

[VERTICAL REF]

I have a question, whats makes and approved or recognized mountain course? And by whom? What standards have been set and what guidelines are followed. I sure hope AFS and BCFS are not the deciding factor. What basis does TC have to set program reqiurements? Curious! I personally have never been asked by any forestry agency in north america if i have a mountain course, let alone an approved one? Has anyone else?

 

 

 

Hey skully,

 

"when you have upslope illusion keep your eyes down and infront, don't ever look up unless you want to ..........oh well try again, this time maintain your altitude and not climb more than 50'......" Just like yesterday!

 

What no yelling, no hitting, no physical or mental abuse...what kind of a mountain course is that?

 

"60 MPH, 60 MPH, BALL IN THE MIDDLE. STRING IN THE CENTER. CLOSER TO THE HILL. COME ON, ONE ROTOR DIAMETER. AHHH!!! MAINTAIN 60 MPH THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CONTOUR CRAWL OR WERE ALL GOING TO DIE...! thats it, just like yesterday!

 

 

Your not going soft on us are you?

[Randy_G]

I have a question, whats makes and approved or recognized mountain course? And by whom? What standards have been set and what guidelines are followed. I sure hope AFS and BCFS are not the deciding factor. What basis does TC have to set program reqiurements? Curious! I personally have never been asked by any forestry agency in north america if i have a mountain course, let alone an approved one? Has anyone else?

 

Last time I checked it was a BCFS requirement, not TC. The only agency that 'approves' the course is BCFS. The pilot isn't asked by BCFS, they ask the operator. You know the forestry pilot form you fill out in late winter/ early spring. The policy of approved mountain courses came about in 1997. If you had flown for BCFS prior to that year, they had to 'grandfather' you.

[VERTICAL REF]

Again what basis/authorityrequirements does BCFS have to set the requirements for an approved mountain course? That sheet that you fill out for BCFS is a joke!

 

So a tree hugger from forestry tells the helicopter industry if it is OK for them to fly in the mountains. Sounds like another Contrail scam to me. Where's Brex and Enron when you need them! :down: