Helicopter Training Boston Blog

…getting your Private Pilot License of course!

And that’s just what Chris did today – in perfect form of course!

Another Boston Helicopter Pilot

You may have read about Chris on our Pilot Profiles page. He started at the school in May and has been attending part-time (most recently full-time) with the goal of getting his CFI here at North Andover Flight Academy.

Chris travels from the Cape Cod area, and happens to drive past quite a few helicopter schools on the days he isn’t staying up here with some of our other pilots. Several people have commented on Chris’ ability to retain knowledge related to aviation, and this shows in the fact that he enrolled in our Part 141 Instrument course even before he completed his private pilot helicopter license!

So Chris has already completed a good part of his ground requirement for the instrument, and he just passed his Private Pilot checkride today. He’s enjoyed most of his time with his flight (and instrument ground) instructor – Locutis, though I’m sure he will fly with his (now old) private pilot helicopter instructor at some point during his instrument training

As you probably can see, that’s the advantage of the Part 141 helicopter instrument training at our Boston helicopter school – you can jumpstart your training after the private and move right into the commercial with an advanced rating.

So what is Chris’ new goal? The instrument rating of course. Like most of our students, he’s going to take some time off before getting going on the instrument.

See you day after tomorrow!

FITS is the new way to train helicopter pilots. And our Boston helicopter school is the place to do it. FITS is scenario based training, and the scenario for today would cover more in one hour than a traditional lesson would cover in three.

Today’s lesson for our commercial PT (pilot-in-training) was straight out of our Part 141 Commercial FITS helicopter syllabus. Lesson C-VFR 5 from the syllabus, to be exact.

This lesson would be heavy on VFR navigation, weather decision making and planning, performance planning, and a demonstration on the dangers surrounding continuing VFR into deteriorating weather with an emphasis on CFIT.

On the Helipad outside Boston

Before departing for our destination heliport (a great confined area), it was time to discuss  weather and navigation. Performance planning for our Robinson helicopter, including IGE, OGE, MCP, 5 min MCP, and weight and balance were also discussed and noted.  The PT was also planning for a weight and balance change at the destination.

Upon departure, the weather was now a ceiling at 1000 feet, so we discussed the different options for special VFR and how we would get back to the Lawrence Airport if the weather dropped below VFR minimums.

Boston Helicopter Helipad

We arrived at the heliport as the weather was dropping below VFR minimums, with visibilities and ceilings closing in behind us. Not only did we need to calculate a weight and balance on the pad, but we also had to change our destination from Lawrence Airport to Hanscom Bedford Airport outside the Boston area.

Flight planning changes, weight changes, weather changes, and a confined area departure. Enroute to Hanscom, we expereienced a loss of RPM which dictated a quick recovery and adjustment of the governor to ensure we didnt drop below 90% rotor RPM.

On the way to Hanscom, the ceilings were dropping again – 500…400..it was getting tough to maintain forward visibility and safe altitude. There was no way we were going to make it over the next set of hills, and with the weather closing in from behind, no way back.

It was now time for some quick decision making – where can we go as we’re getting lower and slower? 70 knots, 60 knots, 50 knots……luckily we came across an old landfill where we could quickly bank, perform a recon of the area and setup for another task from this lesson – a pinnacle approach. Not to end the lesson yet, we also had to perform a slope landing on top of the pinnacle!

Pinnacle Landing

On the way back to Lawrence, we could even throw in an autorotation to runway 5 at Lawrence.

Not to end the lesson here, it was time to follow through with the Learner Centered Grading techniques which is also part of our FITS syllabus. The PT and I each filled in the grading sheet for C-VFR Lesson 5, and out of about 50 different items, from tasks to SRM, the PT and I identified each and every one exactly the same – the exact same grade for the lesson even though we filled out our grading sheets independently.

The power of FITS makes everyone happy – especially our PT!

Happy PT!

The red glow of the setting sun against the hangar broke the gray November curtain that hung over the field all day. It caught my attention as we were putting the helicopters inside the hangar as twilight was beginning to fall and close what was another busy weekend at the school.

The burst of orange was quite a contrast to the rest of the day, and it was this that really started me thinking about the events of the weekend. It was a busy weekend, which makes it easy to forget all the little things that come together and make it a memorable one. With all the strange weather of the past week, the school became quite the focal point for many students and pilots that were ready to break free of the earth for a few hours in our helicopters.

The weekend started like many others. A very busy Saturday morning with our Private Pilot Helicopter ground school and our Instrument Helicopter ground school starting at 9AM. We also had helicopter tours of Boston scheduled for the weekend, the first happening Saturday amongst the din of students in our ground schools.

After class it was off to New Hampshire for me, and off with other students for Laura. My flight was in a 44, and one of our helicopter students came along in the back with me and a commercial pilot in the front of the R-44. Well, our student in the back received quite an education on the capabilities of the R-44, as we were covering all maneuvers from commercial to instrument with several instrument approaches at Concord, NH (KCON). It was a great experience to view what’s being covered in the instrument helicopter class.

Laura was back at Lawrence flying with several students, private and instrument. We have students from all backgrounds. Private level helicopter students with no experience to ex-military pilots with experience in UH-1 and AH-1 helicopters attaining their instrument and ATP FAA ratings. Our instrument R-22 trainer was kept busy this particular Saturday!

As the sun was setting on another Saturday, it was time to get the R-44 warmed up for some sunset tours of Boston and our specialty – the “after dark”  Boston City Lights Helicopter Tours! Once again, the couples aboard our helicopter were thrilled to be there, and were also surprised by the amount of personality displayed by their tour pilot! The best part of this set of tours was getting a glimpse of our other R-44 inbound on the Hamps route with two of our own private pilots on board. What a great feeling knowing that our pilots get the opportunity to learn the Class Bravo routes around Boston – and they actually get to rent the R-44 and fly those routes – even passing on the knowledge to new students!

Sunday came with a flight missed with an old friend. Laura stepped in and covered after her first student of the day. Seems like I’m putting more and more on Laura as the days pass I did, however make the lesson with one of our soon-to-be Private Helicopter pilots, as this was the beginning of the practical test review. Autorotations, emergency procedures, quick stops, running landings, and minimum power departures were on tap for this review session.

But it was Sunday evening that marked one of the high points of what was an extremely busy and productive week. Being in that hangar with staff and students was an amazing feeling. It was a perfect picture of what this school has become. Mike H, Mike M, Steve, Laura, and Chris were all moving about, putting the helicopters away for the night and it was a fantastic sight. We’ve come quite a distance in the past 2 plus years here at our Boston helicopter flight school. I’ll sure look back on some good times and great people..but I guess I won’t be too far away. No reason to get too nostalgic.

Here’s the sunset responsible for this blog entry. Once again, didn’t have my camera, as I thought there would be nothing worthwhile to capture. I should know by now – wrong again!

Beautiful Sunset at Lawrence Airport