Tips & Tricks

[hybrid]

I make it a habit to do quick circle around the machine before "every" take-off, LL is not attached, gallon of oil not on the ground, baggage compartments closed, blades untied etc.etc...... even when dispatched on red alert on IA. Its amazing what almost gets forgotten.

[cheap tuesdays]

Wow, a few more posts like this and the bucket tips and I may have top come back here more often, Kudo's to the people that started this and the bucket tips threads

 

As far as a few tips:

 

slow down, take your time, "A emergency on your part, does not constitute an emergency on my part." this one has saved me a few times.

 

Flight manuals all have published limits in them, use them!! They have all been tested and tried, just because the last pilot did it doesn't mean that you have to.

 

Educate your customers, for lots of them helicopters are mystical beasts, help them out, explain why at 5am and -5°C you can lift 2000lbs and at noon and 30°C you can only lift 1700lbs.

 

thats it for now

Fly safe all

CT

[everlast]

And remember, the last thing a customer wants to hear is "oops". lol. Its a good idea whenever your sittin around waiting for your customer, get out that poh and refresh yourself with numbers and limitations, you should be absolutely confident and familiar with the aircraft you are flying in regards to its limitations, optional equipment list and supplements sec, because they may have different procedures and limits as well. Above all, before anything a good DI and fuel sample is a great way to start the day.........

[Bif]

+1 on educating the customers

 

When arriving to a new site/job don't assume the folks you're flying have received proper briefings, even if they've done lot of flying before you got there. It's surprising how many guys have no clue what I'm talking about when I ask them if they know where the ELT switch/fuel valve/batt switch/1st aid kit is.

 

I also remind them to feel free to speak up if they spot a bird/aircraft/tree/wire/etc that they're not sure whether I'm aware of or not, and always let me know if they're not comfortable with anything we're doing.

 

Fly safe!

[redliner]

Always do a thorough pilot brief before taking passengers. If it is a large group, speak up and make sure everyone is paying attention. It is sometimes a good idea to re-brief large groups every few days as a refresher. If you have the same few guys for many days in a row then use your own discretion but everyone needs a re-brief at some point. Some companies require daily briefs but common sense should dictate your decision to brief passengers.

[deuce bigalow]

Wow. great thread. This is what this forum is for.

 

My two cents.

 

Always walk the long way around the machine and have a look. Every takeoff. No exceptions.

 

Hatches and Latches. Every time. No exceptions.

 

The best 60 seconds you will spend on any trip.

[FREDDIE]

I like to close doors for customers. It gives the excuse to take one more look at cowlings, fuel caps, and the area around the AC. Not only that they like the extra service. Of course that only applies when you are on a good landing area with the AC shut down.

[dimit]

A couple of 206 techniques I learned from a cranky, (not so) old guy in LLB.

 

Verticalling out of a hole: Lift up to a 6" hover, make sure skids are free. Check C of G and Ts & Ps. Pull rather quickly to 100% Tq, and maintain. Up she goes. You may have to give another tug 'cuz the Tq can drop off a little. This technique utilizes the "ground cushion" to help overcome inertia and get the machine accelerating upwards.

 

If the climb is slowing down...slowing down...slowing down...about to stop, apply very slight aft pressure to the cyclic. Just pressure, try not to move it. I don't understand why, but this will help keep you climbing.

 

Thanks, buddy. Try to stay away from those CBs, eh? The golf course ain't such a bad place!

 

In the Astar we're almost always kinda crabbed on final with a longline load, so that we can see the destination through the chin bubble and lower window. If I'm tracking directly into the wind this puts my T/R into the M/R vortices and increases my workload. If there's enough wind I try to find the crosswind "sweetspot" where my T/R is flying in cleaner air. I also try to "fly the front of my skid tube" to the target. Then the target shows up nicely in the longline window.

 

I'm proficient longlining from an Astar, but by no means expert. I'd love to hear more on this topic from some bag & drill moving experts!

 

DM

[langleyr44]

Be respectful of everyone.

 

You meet the same people on your up that you meet again on your way down.

[teabagger]

Best way to educate an experienced crew on what they know and what they don't is to have them do the briefing. Put em on the spot. You'll be surprised at how little some experienced guys know and how much other guys really pay attention. Plus the guys chit chatting at the back start to pay attention a lot more when there's potential to be put on the spot.

 

The first time I did this was with a type 2 crew on a medium. Believe it or not after an hour and a half briefing, two of the guys approached me separately and thanked me for the briefing. I told them that I didn't do the briefing, they did. I just sat back, observed and clarified. Created a better working relationship with the crew too.

 

Since I started doing this with experienced crews my briefing for new pax has evolved.