Our copter is supposed to be the most technologically advanced medium lift copter in the world, with the NVG, IR, microwave downlink, scrolling maps, video tracking, hoist, water tank, hydraulic snorkel, etc.....(For you fellow copter geeks she's a Bell 212 HP++) Our station, though, is another matter......
First off I gotta say they've never shorted us on equipment or training time. They've provided us with everything we need to provide a safe service with up to date equipment and any flight time we need to stay on top of our game.
When we first got our copter our station was a couple beach chairs, a case of water bottles, and a clipboard. We claimed some dirt at the airport. Stu Segall studios (They make 'Veronica Mars' and some other shows) donated some Seatainers so we could make a mechanic's shed. We scrounged up a used doublewide trailer and fixed it up, again with some donated help. A casino bought our fuel truck and gave a little money towards a shelter---I built the structure over the truck, and over the seatainers (they leaked before) and built a deck for some outside space. Our water is from a fire hydrant. We just got shore power---for the first few years a daily job was getting diesel for the generators.
It's a lot like going to the desert used to be. Camp out with the fellas until it's time to go for a ride. The only real complaint though is, our copter is out in the salt air. I really wish we could get it into a hangar.
4 comments:
A really really really big tarp.
There. All fixed.
Well, tarps and helicopters don't mix very well
Okay - you MOVE the tarp before you start up the helicopter?
OK, so I get a call at night.
1) get dressed
2) Acknowledge on radio
3) Check weather
4) Put on harness
5) Check NVG
6) Check tail rotor
7) Check for loose items
8) Check map (in case mapping system fails)
9) Adjust fuel load if needed
10) Check aft cabin, report to pilot
11) Finish waking up. Now I gotta remove a tarp too?
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