22 PASSION OR PURPOSE
soon realised there was much fun and flying to be had. After nearly 800 hours in the pilot’s seat, an opening for an instructor became available back at his old training school, PHS. As usual, Rusty rose to the challenge and was eager to try his hand at a new skill. It also helped that he thoroughly enjoyed assisting pilots to learn. He claimed that witnessing a student progress from their first lesson into becoming a working pilot was one of the most enjoyable aspects of his career. It was a successful career move that lasted five years and over 3500 hours, 2000 of which were spent instructing and 1500 in fire work and other contracts. Rusty was a people person with a keen sense of humour. During training, he would often share a laugh or use his famous expression, ‘hard-core!’ as a way to get you to loosen up, because flying is allowed to be fun too! Aside from the personal satisfaction experienced in instructing, Rusty enjoyed the self-improvement aspect: developing accuracy, improved understanding of the aircraft’s behaviour both theoretically and practically, and development of autorotations and other emergencies to a high standard. When called to reflect upon his most enjoyable flying, Rusty mentioned fire-fighting and film work as favourites, because “they require working the helicopter and operating as a team to achieve an outcome”. As for the experiences Rusty had while working on the fires, he said, “There is a really rewarding feeling that goes with doing something positive to help. But this SUMMER.2013
39706_20-25_russell.indd 22
Rusty and former Helinews editor, Andrew Giles. Photo supplied courtesy of Andrew Giles.
doesn’t go without challenges, such as days flying with low visibility in difficult conditions with wind.” He articulated his passion for film work thus: “Trying to understand creatively what vision the cameraperson has and offering suggestions about how to capture the footage in the best way possible takes flying to a whole new level, particularly jobs combining all of the above and manoeuvring the helicopter very fast. On one occasion, while filming the Southern 80 [water-ski race], the job required flying low level, following ski boats travelling at over 100 miles an hour around bends on the river.” Another adrenaline-fuelled mission Rusty was involved in while working at PHS was parachute drops from a Squirrel and this required refined accuracy. “It is quite demanding getting everything right for them to exit. You need to be at a given spot at a given speed at a given time within a 10-second window.” He nominated the biggest challenge of this job as the weight shifts that occur as the person is stepping out to the skids. “It is important to give a good briefing before flight to not press on the skid before they drop away, for their own safety and the safety of the helicopter.” All experiences considered, it was just a matter of time before the doors would open yet again with another great offer. This time it was down the road at Microflite Helicopters. He often commented on the work environment, “They’re a great bunch of guys working well together and of course I get to fly some very nice Eurocopters!” www.helinews.com.au
22/10/13 10:12 AM
23 PASSION OR PURPOSE
Rusty described the flying in this new role as very customer focused. “It requires dealing with a broad variety of people, some VIPs, that you spend a large amount of time with over the course of a day and, as a result, good planning and making sure you’re accurate with your times are high on the list of priorities,” he said. While working for Microflite, the most challenging flying he encountered occurred during snow season with its potential hazards. “When the ice is glary and all white, your depth perception can be affected in the same way as it would be above water. Also, there are icing hazards associated with flying in mountainous areas in the wintertime. Trips to the snow require that extra diligence of checking the weather to make sure you don’t get caught on the way back if you are spending the day up there,” he explained to Helinews. Rusty described the techniques involved in landing on icy snow as similar to those used in slope landings. “Make sure the helicopter is not sliding and one skid isn’t sticking in too far and take it slowly on an uneven or slippery surface,” he warned. He cited the arrival and departure at the Yarra Helipad as another one of the tricky gigs he faced in the
Rusty was a people person with a keen sense of humour. During training, he would often share a laugh or use his famous expression, ‘hard-core!’ as a way to get you to loosen up, because flying is allowed to be fun too!
world of charter. “Depending on the weather, if there is a strong northerly or south-westerly, it might cause a lot of turbulence on approach and departure,” he said. When it came to pilots seeking employment, Rusty suggested that you define what you want to do within the industry and structure your jobs with that in mind. “People tend to end up in one section of the industry or another. Someone with 10,000 hours of long-lining won’t walk into a job as an offshore captain or vice versa,” he said. He emphasised the need to be flexible
Russell Aitken (left) taking Kimberly and Andre Hutchings for a flight over Melbourne. Photo supplied courtesy of Andre Hutchings.
39706_20-25_russell.indd 23
22/10/13 10:12 AM
30 AIRCRAFT
of habit, my eyes automatically scan the analogue ASI (Airspeed Indicator) and altimeter on take-off. Pilots transitioning to any digital cockpit can experience information overload because there is so much information provided in the MFD. New pilots need to be selective about where they focus their attention in order to access the essential information they need in order to fly. “Heaps of power up your sleeve,” says Salem, as he taps the screen, subtly prompting me to read the display. Up until this moment, I have been relying solely on feel and visual cues to keep the helicopter in balance. I’m confronted by a plethora of geometrical shapes as I scan the screen in vain. “Where’s the balance ball?” I ask. Salem indicates a small rectangle on the screen. Inside it is a diamond that acts as a virtual ball. The closest I’ve come to using a glass cockpit was a fighter jet in a version of Microsoft Simulator, but it isn’t long before the PFD and MFD feel intuitive and easy to scan. Once we are down the coast, Salem requests that I hover at altitude and make a few pedal turns. “This is certified to fly out of ground effect in up to 35 knots from any wind azimuth,” he says. The wind has picked up slightly, but left and right pedal turns are a breeze and there’s plenty of power up our sleeve.
SPRING.2013
39706_26-31_bell.indd 30
Next, I try some climbing and descending turns. The aircraft can be very twitchy for newcomers due to the fourblade main rotor – a gentle touch is needed until the pilot is comfortable with the control feel. The controls are responsive, very responsive, but Salem reassures me. “Don’t be afraid to really fly this thing, it’s built for it,” he says. The power and flexibility of the machine make it a fun ride and, because of the four-bladed system, you have a smooth, manoeuvrable ride without the risks of mast bumping (a consideration for two-bladed systems such as the Bell JetRanger). The GX is a helicopter that handles like a sports car. After testing the waters of what the machine can do, Salem demonstrates yet another distinguishing feature. With the flick of a switch on the collective head, we’re flying as normal, but with reduced engine noise. “This brings back power to 92 percent. It’s still within the safety limits, but now you have a noise reduction. Excellent, if you need to work over built-up areas,” says Salem. Take-off and landing in the 407 GX is approved up to 20,000 feet density altitude. It has a basic weight of 1244 kilograms with a maximum external load of 1200 kilograms.
www.helinews.com.au
22/10/13 10:13 AM
31
Range in the GX is approximately 326 nautical miles. The fuel capacity is 484 litres in the main tank and 72 in the auxiliary. Cruise is 133 knots and max speed is 140 knots. The Bell 407 GX features seven seat placements. The cabin consists of five ergonomically designed seats, two rear-facing seats aft of the cockpit and three forward-facing seats at the rear of the cabin. The cockpit seats are designed with lumbar support. The corporate interior arrangement has two extrawide forward-facing seats and can be all fabric, optional leather with fabric inserts, or all leather. The corporate interior trim contains corporate soundproofing (adding an additional nine kilograms to the aircraft’s basic empty weight) that provides a reduced interior noise level. Optional accessories for the 407GX include (but are not limited to) flotation equipment with landing gear, quiet cruise, expanded avionics shelf, Garmin GTS 800 TAS, armrests, Garmin GSR 56 Iridium Link and cargo hook equipment. As a part of a demo tour, the 407GX will travel around Australia before heading to Singapore. The Australian leg includes Newcastle, Coffs Harbour, Gold Coast, Archerfield, Sunshine Coast, Rockhampton/ Mackay, Townsville, Cairns, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth regions. Salem says that the helicopter has received a warm welcome. “The 407 has been well-received everywhere we’ve been. It’s been a very successful tour so far.” www.helinews.com.au
39706_26-31_bell.indd 31
Like other Bell classics, the 407 looks as if it’s here to stay and is proving to be a reliable and practical choice with multi-mission capability.
The Bell 407GX is suitable for a range of missions, including offshore oil support, utility, transport, corporate, EMS (emergency medical services), law enforcement and fire-fighting. The 407 was introduced in 1996 and, since then, very little has been changed. It bears similarities to the 206L, but with eight extra inches of cabin space. The most significant change that the GX model introduces is the Garmin flight deck. Operating costs are quite modest; Bell claims that the average total running cost per hour is US$528.42. Combine that with the price tag of between US$2.5 and 3 million and you have yourself a very sophisticated, versatile piece of equipment complete with all the bells and whistles at a decent price. Like other Bell classics, the 407 looks as if it’s here to stay and is proving to be a reliable and practical choice with multi-mission capability. HN SUMMER.2013
22/10/13 10:13 AM
22 PASSION OR PURPOSE
soon realised there was much fun and flying to be had. After nearly 800 hours in the pilot’s seat, an opening for an instructor became available back at his old training school, PHS. As usual, Rusty rose to the challenge and was eager to try his hand at a new skill. It also helped that he thoroughly enjoyed assisting pilots to learn. He claimed that witnessing a student progress from their first lesson into becoming a working pilot was one of the most enjoyable aspects of his career. It was a successful career move that lasted five years and over 3500 hours, 2000 of which were spent instructing and 1500 in fire work and other contracts. Rusty was a people person with a keen sense of humour. During training, he would often share a laugh or use his famous expression, ‘hard-core!’ as a way to get you to loosen up, because flying is allowed to be fun too! Aside from the personal satisfaction experienced in instructing, Rusty enjoyed the self-improvement aspect: developing accuracy, improved understanding of the aircraft’s behaviour both theoretically and practically, and development of autorotations and other emergencies to a high standard. When called to reflect upon his most enjoyable flying, Rusty mentioned fire-fighting and film work as favourites, because “they require working the helicopter and operating as a team to achieve an outcome”. As for the experiences Rusty had while working on the fires, he said, “There is a really rewarding feeling that goes with doing something positive to help. But this SUMMER.2013
39706_20-25_russell.indd 22
Rusty and former Helinews editor, Andrew Giles. Photo supplied courtesy of Andrew Giles.
doesn’t go without challenges, such as days flying with low visibility in difficult conditions with wind.” He articulated his passion for film work thus: “Trying to understand creatively what vision the cameraperson has and offering suggestions about how to capture the footage in the best way possible takes flying to a whole new level, particularly jobs combining all of the above and manoeuvring the helicopter very fast. On one occasion, while filming the Southern 80 [water-ski race], the job required flying low level, following ski boats travelling at over 100 miles an hour around bends on the river.” Another adrenaline-fuelled mission Rusty was involved in while working at PHS was parachute drops from a Squirrel and this required refined accuracy. “It is quite demanding getting everything right for them to exit. You need to be at a given spot at a given speed at a given time within a 10-second window.” He nominated the biggest challenge of this job as the weight shifts that occur as the person is stepping out to the skids. “It is important to give a good briefing before flight to not press on the skid before they drop away, for their own safety and the safety of the helicopter.” All experiences considered, it was just a matter of time before the doors would open yet again with another great offer. This time it was down the road at Microflite Helicopters. He often commented on the work environment, “They’re a great bunch of guys working well together and of course I get to fly some very nice Eurocopters!” www.helinews.com.au
22/10/13 10:12 AM
23 PASSION OR PURPOSE
Rusty described the flying in this new role as very customer focused. “It requires dealing with a broad variety of people, some VIPs, that you spend a large amount of time with over the course of a day and, as a result, good planning and making sure you’re accurate with your times are high on the list of priorities,” he said. While working for Microflite, the most challenging flying he encountered occurred during snow season with its potential hazards. “When the ice is glary and all white, your depth perception can be affected in the same way as it would be above water. Also, there are icing hazards associated with flying in mountainous areas in the wintertime. Trips to the snow require that extra diligence of checking the weather to make sure you don’t get caught on the way back if you are spending the day up there,” he explained to Helinews. Rusty described the techniques involved in landing on icy snow as similar to those used in slope landings. “Make sure the helicopter is not sliding and one skid isn’t sticking in too far and take it slowly on an uneven or slippery surface,” he warned. He cited the arrival and departure at the Yarra Helipad as another one of the tricky gigs he faced in the
Rusty was a people person with a keen sense of humour. During training, he would often share a laugh or use his famous expression, ‘hard-core!’ as a way to get you to loosen up, because flying is allowed to be fun too!
world of charter. “Depending on the weather, if there is a strong northerly or south-westerly, it might cause a lot of turbulence on approach and departure,” he said. When it came to pilots seeking employment, Rusty suggested that you define what you want to do within the industry and structure your jobs with that in mind. “People tend to end up in one section of the industry or another. Someone with 10,000 hours of long-lining won’t walk into a job as an offshore captain or vice versa,” he said. He emphasised the need to be flexible
Russell Aitken (left) taking Kimberly and Andre Hutchings for a flight over Melbourne. Photo supplied courtesy of Andre Hutchings.
39706_20-25_russell.indd 23
22/10/13 10:12 AM
30 AIRCRAFT
of habit, my eyes automatically scan the analogue ASI (Airspeed Indicator) and altimeter on take-off. Pilots transitioning to any digital cockpit can experience information overload because there is so much information provided in the MFD. New pilots need to be selective about where they focus their attention in order to access the essential information they need in order to fly. “Heaps of power up your sleeve,” says Salem, as he taps the screen, subtly prompting me to read the display. Up until this moment, I have been relying solely on feel and visual cues to keep the helicopter in balance. I’m confronted by a plethora of geometrical shapes as I scan the screen in vain. “Where’s the balance ball?” I ask. Salem indicates a small rectangle on the screen. Inside it is a diamond that acts as a virtual ball. The closest I’ve come to using a glass cockpit was a fighter jet in a version of Microsoft Simulator, but it isn’t long before the PFD and MFD feel intuitive and easy to scan. Once we are down the coast, Salem requests that I hover at altitude and make a few pedal turns. “This is certified to fly out of ground effect in up to 35 knots from any wind azimuth,” he says. The wind has picked up slightly, but left and right pedal turns are a breeze and there’s plenty of power up our sleeve.
SPRING.2013
39706_26-31_bell.indd 30
Next, I try some climbing and descending turns. The aircraft can be very twitchy for newcomers due to the fourblade main rotor – a gentle touch is needed until the pilot is comfortable with the control feel. The controls are responsive, very responsive, but Salem reassures me. “Don’t be afraid to really fly this thing, it’s built for it,” he says. The power and flexibility of the machine make it a fun ride and, because of the four-bladed system, you have a smooth, manoeuvrable ride without the risks of mast bumping (a consideration for two-bladed systems such as the Bell JetRanger). The GX is a helicopter that handles like a sports car. After testing the waters of what the machine can do, Salem demonstrates yet another distinguishing feature. With the flick of a switch on the collective head, we’re flying as normal, but with reduced engine noise. “This brings back power to 92 percent. It’s still within the safety limits, but now you have a noise reduction. Excellent, if you need to work over built-up areas,” says Salem. Take-off and landing in the 407 GX is approved up to 20,000 feet density altitude. It has a basic weight of 1244 kilograms with a maximum external load of 1200 kilograms.
www.helinews.com.au
22/10/13 10:13 AM
31
Range in the GX is approximately 326 nautical miles. The fuel capacity is 484 litres in the main tank and 72 in the auxiliary. Cruise is 133 knots and max speed is 140 knots. The Bell 407 GX features seven seat placements. The cabin consists of five ergonomically designed seats, two rear-facing seats aft of the cockpit and three forward-facing seats at the rear of the cabin. The cockpit seats are designed with lumbar support. The corporate interior arrangement has two extrawide forward-facing seats and can be all fabric, optional leather with fabric inserts, or all leather. The corporate interior trim contains corporate soundproofing (adding an additional nine kilograms to the aircraft’s basic empty weight) that provides a reduced interior noise level. Optional accessories for the 407GX include (but are not limited to) flotation equipment with landing gear, quiet cruise, expanded avionics shelf, Garmin GTS 800 TAS, armrests, Garmin GSR 56 Iridium Link and cargo hook equipment. As a part of a demo tour, the 407GX will travel around Australia before heading to Singapore. The Australian leg includes Newcastle, Coffs Harbour, Gold Coast, Archerfield, Sunshine Coast, Rockhampton/ Mackay, Townsville, Cairns, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth regions. Salem says that the helicopter has received a warm welcome. “The 407 has been well-received everywhere we’ve been. It’s been a very successful tour so far.” www.helinews.com.au
39706_26-31_bell.indd 31
Like other Bell classics, the 407 looks as if it’s here to stay and is proving to be a reliable and practical choice with multi-mission capability.
The Bell 407GX is suitable for a range of missions, including offshore oil support, utility, transport, corporate, EMS (emergency medical services), law enforcement and fire-fighting. The 407 was introduced in 1996 and, since then, very little has been changed. It bears similarities to the 206L, but with eight extra inches of cabin space. The most significant change that the GX model introduces is the Garmin flight deck. Operating costs are quite modest; Bell claims that the average total running cost per hour is US$528.42. Combine that with the price tag of between US$2.5 and 3 million and you have yourself a very sophisticated, versatile piece of equipment complete with all the bells and whistles at a decent price. Like other Bell classics, the 407 looks as if it’s here to stay and is proving to be a reliable and practical choice with multi-mission capability. HN SUMMER.2013
22/10/13 10:13 AM