Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

Help Your DAR Help You.

Posted: 19th July 2020 by coptermd in Uncategorized
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Help Your DAR Help You. As this is my blog, I want to talk about a few observations I have noticed lately, but I will keep it on point so as not to go on a rant. A while back I received my designation from the FAA as a DAR-T. The issue I am seeing […]

Tuna-Coptering

Posted: 13th January 2013 by coptermd in Uncategorized
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Back in the early 80s when the offshore oil business was dying out on the California Coast the new rage for the Helicopter industry was the tuna boats. Pilots liked it because it was an easy way to build hours and for the mechanics it was pretty easy duty taking care of one or maybe […]

Pesky little critters

Posted: 20th March 2011 by coptermd in Uncategorized
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the pilot of the 204 called in that he was inbound to the cow pasture, his tail rotor was ineffective and he was about 15 minutes out.

THE CARE AND MAINTAINANCE OF YOUR “DASH”

Posted: 16th January 2011 by coptermd in Uncategorized
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Do you ever think about your “DASH”?  I know this is supposed to be a blog about Rotor aviation. But it’s MY blog, it’s raining heavily and a blizzard is threatening so I find myself waxing philosophical. First, is every one familiar with what your “DASH” is?  No, I am not trying to coin a […]

The Mountain Top

Posted: 26th September 2010 by coptermd in Uncategorized
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 For those that are unaware, on the utility side of the helicopter industry the mechanic is in most cases also the load rigger, the truck driver, the fueler, and even the auto pilot on log ferry flights. This is a short story about one of these adventures that took place fairly early in my career.  […]

SKYCRANE DOWN

Posted: 28th August 2010 by coptermd in Uncategorized
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In the early 90’s the company that I was with was engaged in logging operations in the Sierra Nevada Mountains about 25 miles west south west of Tahoe.  We were using a Restricted Type CH54 SkyCrane for a lift ship and a Bell 206B3 for a choker /support ship. Now for those of you that […]

The unmentioned facts about Helicopter Safety

Posted: 4th July 2010 by coptermd in Uncategorized
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Aviation in itself is not inherently dangerous. But to an even greater degree than the sea, it is terribly unforgiving of carelessness, incapacity, or neglect

Integrity vs. the Bottom line

Posted: 7th June 2010 by coptermd in Uncategorized
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There comes a time in the career of every Aviation Technician when he or she will be forced by the boss to make the choice between your integrity and your paycheck. I have had this situation arise four times in the last thirty years and that is the reason that I am never complacent about […]

The unloved, unmentioned, and largely unnoticed

Posted: 18th May 2010 by coptermd in Uncategorized
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 Surely you have heard of Charles Lindbergh and the Spirit of St. Louis… but can you tell me the name of his mechanic? How about Chuck Yeager when he first broke the sound barrier, what was the name of the man who got the Bell X1 ready for that infamous flight?  In case you are […]