Not Enough “short Line Time”?

[Machiavelli]

I had an interview with a European company not so long ago; I was busy telling them about my Long Line time, and vertical reference work…. Shifting drill’s etc Camp moves and firefighting (all that crap) and he looks at me and said. “You don’t have much short line time do you” – I was taken-a-back by that one, and then I got “all your time is vertical reference, no mirror time” we would have to re-train you on the mirror… As you can probably tell I am heading home to Canada (O Canada) in the spring… I didn’t really want to tell him that short lining in an A-Star was making it hard for yourself (because you just never know where you will end up) dose anybody in Canada require “short-line time” (in my experience – Long Line 100’+ is way more sort after)

 

Machiavelli

[shaggy]

the only short lining that i have ever had to do was on treeplanting. they insisted on it because they figured it's faster than longlining (because they would send a load of trees with me when i went to move crews and they figured i could just drop the lanyard and off i go without having to stop and remove LL etc) and no amount of persuasion would convince them otherwise. i finally managed to get a longline on and then after that they were converts for the most part as the guys weren't gettng hammered by downwash/debris and their tarps weren't getting blasted and wrecked etc. they finally figured out that it is actually safer.

however, this was the first time i had shortlined since i learnt what slinging was like at 90 hrs during my ab initio training so i have no idea why you would have required "mirror training". sound silly to me.

[soup nazi]

I have to agree with shaggy on this...especially with respect to the treeplanting ops, but what did this euro company exactly mean by "short line"? some feel a short line is less than 100'. Just wondering.

 

I have to agree with shaggy on this...especially with respect to the treeplanting ops, but what did this euro company exactly mean by "short line"? some feel a short line is less than 100'. Just wondering.

[Machiavelli]

Year I thought it was a very strange thing to say, but when a guy is interviewing you its best to try and agree with him… “how long is there short line” between 7 and 20 feet from what I can gather, I had a look around the machines and the A-Stars haven’t got floor windows either just mirrors. I asked one of the crewies about taking the door off, and he told me that he has never seen any of there pilots do it…

[soup nazi]

Never taking the door off eh? Now that is strange. I know of a guy who was working in south america who came across some euro pilots who also use only a mirror but from what I can gather of the story the term LONGLINE isnt in their vocabulary! Just goes to show how different things can be.

[Skidz]

We have an AME from Heli-Union in France here doing his CPL(H). He tells me they don't use the floor window or doors off either. However, the mirror system they have on their Astars is controlled by a hi-hat type switch on the collective and allows them to see the load whether it be on a short or long leash. The system costs somewhere in the vicinity of 30k...

[T-rex]

Skidz,

 

You hit the nail on the head. Alot of Europe Operaters use an electric mirror instead of a VR window. I guess someone had a great salesman!!! Last summer when I was recruiting pilots, I learned all about this system from the Europe boys! Everyone is to their own...I guess! This is a fairly large mirror, not like our smaller convex truck types. I believe they are about the size of a loaf of bread, I little smaller but you get the idea!

 

My biggest question is what happens when the sun is behind you and you are setting a load into the trees? I guess you need a quick finger on the mirror motor!

 

Later!

[Phil Croucher]

Skidz,

 

You hit the nail on the head. Alot of Europe Operaters use an electric mirror instead of a VR window. I guess someone had a great salesman!!! Last summer when I was recruiting pilots, I learned all about this system from the Europe boys! Everyone is to their own...I guess! This is a fairly large mirror, not like our smaller convex truck types. I believe they are about the size of a loaf of bread, I little smaller but you get the idea!

 

My biggest question is what happens when the sun is behind you and you are setting a load into the trees? I guess you need a quick finger on the mirror motor!

 

Later!

 

 

There are only one or two serious longliners in the UK, and they keep very quiet! It was obvious that companies over there weren't interested, so I just hushed my mouth and used the mirrors.

 

Phil

[Machiavelli]

Here is a photo, of a European mirror set-up… Albert Ross PM is on the way…

 

Machiavelli

dubai_const4.bmp

[dammyneckhurts]

Well part of Canada is still in the stone age too it seems.....Ontario Forestry still insists that you short line with a bucket so buddy can ride in the front with you and point out where the smokes are. No getting around it from what I can see so far.