March 2005 - Issue 3

Robinson Helicopter Safety Course—Cairns

Aviation Safety Pty Ltd is a company set up in Australia by Rob Rich with the aim to teach helicopter safety.  He runs on average ten courses per year, each with about 35 people attending. 

At the end of January, one of his courses was being held at Cairns Airport and Roy and I decided to attend to see how the Aussies did it.  Frankly we were very impressed.  Rob had a wealth of information (as he is a highly experienced  pilot himself) and he keeps up to date with the Robinson Factory course.  Some of the subjects covered were accidents, factory updates, maintenance updates, mustering safety, the NZ helicopter scene, ELB, wire strikes, insurance, planning, handling tips, R22 limitations and emergency procedures, mountain flying, principles of flight which included - RTS, LTE, power req. curve, HIGE and HOGE, settling with power, height / velocity curve, disc loading, turning downwind and more…  There were guest speakers each specializing in their area and providing lots of good info.

In between all of this we were provided with morning and afternoon teas and lunch.  This was a great time to socialize, meet other pilots and make contacts, along with a sponsored social evening held at Helicopters Down Under hangar.  If you like prawns, the ones provided here were fantastic!  During this time we met a well known Aussie female pilot, Rosemary McRae.  She has just published a book describing her career and exploits.  It is a great read and well worth buying.   Look up zeus-publications.com and search for Whirly Girl 530.

Did you know?

• Fuel and Murphy don’t mix...so don’t take chances!
• The minimum altitude   for VFR 600ft agl plus 1500ft visability outside a controlled zone
• One aircraft runs out of fuel every 8.7 days in Australia
• Density altitude is pressure altitude corrected for temperature
• Doc Holiday died in 1928
• Humans have 98.5% the same DNA as Chimps
• It takes 30 minutes to fully adapt your eyes for night vision
• If you are awoken suddenly the effects of sleep inertia can last up to 30 minutes or more

Up Coming Events

• NSHT Golf Challenge 22nd April 05
• Be in to win the inaugural golf challenge at the Lakes Golf Course.   Tee off will be at 3 pm
• Drinks and BBQ will follow. 
• If you can’t make the golf, join us for the BBQ.
• Cost - Golf and BBQ $30.  BBQ only $10
  

Fantastic Trip to Cape Reinga

North Shore Helicopter Training’s trip to Cape Reinga exceeded all the expectations and was a truly fantastic experience, flying over some of the best landscapes New Zealand has to offer.

The trip had been organised to enhance the private and commercial pilot’s experience in an unknown environment but with the added bonus of  flying in an organised group with instructor’s Roy Crane and Stephen Stirniman for safety.

Fixed wing flying schools have organised similar trips for years but this was truly unique for five helicopters to be going on such a tour around the tip of the North Island and with the added bonus of being able to land at some areas of interest and outstanding natural beauty that our fixed wing counterparts can never do.

A trip of this magnitude at first may seem relatively easy, but the hazards associated with flying outside your normal envelope, combined with many strange landing locations, and associated technical issues proved a challenge to all the pilots but was nonetheless highly rewarding.

Leaving a rain splattered North Shore airfield, just twenty minutes drive from Auckland’s CBD, the group ducked the low clouds and rain to meet the sun at Dargaville and then traveled up the wild west coast to land on the stunning beach at Ahipara. This provided the first challenge for some of the lower time pilots, trying to find the LP, contending with surfing spectators and trying to avoid a sand blasting and landing close by the other machines.

Once the aircraft were secure Greg of Tuatua Tours then provided a spectacular tour around the surrounding beach and huge sand dunes on quad bikes. All the ten guys had massive grins on their faces as we coursed our way through the rocks and surf on the beach and then up and over the un-spoilt dunes which was reminiscent of virgin powder from Mt Ruapehu to enjoy the spectacular vista from above

Dusting off the sand and waving goodbye to Shipwreck Bay, the formation headed off to Kaitaia for a refual and a meet/greet and goodwill lunch with the aero club. Such exchanges are fundamental to impart local knowledge of the area and flying conditions.

After a great lunch laid on by Russell and the team, we headed upto the DOC station at Te Paki to meet Ed and Beryl via the spectacular 90 mile beach for an insight into the issues DOC faces in the remote Northland region. The LP was not easy to find at first, even though it had a huge helipad built for a giant naval helicopter, but after a bit of ATC work, all five heli’s landed safely.

Next stop was the highlight of the tour, with a bird’s eye view of the three capes…Maria, Reinga and North Cape and where two great oceans collide. We soaked up the awe inspiring view of the lighthouse, the Three Crowns some 25k’s out to sea and the stunning cliiftops which will forever be a true moment to treasure.

We then tracked down the east coast and followed the Great Exhibition Bay’s coastline spotting sharks and dolphins playing wistfully in their maritime oasis before landing at the tranquil Carrington lodge on the magnificent Karikari Pennisula. After a much needed swim and freshen up we were treated to a private tour of the winery, New Zealand’s most northerly vineyard.

After, with views across the 15th fairway of the renowned Matt Dye designed international-ranked golf course, we had a fantastic meal served to the now slightly tired, but contented bunch of aviators basking in their day’s achievements of conquering the tip of Aotearoa.

After a good night’s sleep in two of the on-course luxury villa’s, one group headed to the breakfast bar to fuel up whilst the other went off to the shooting range to test their skill at taking 10cm clay disks out the sky with as much expertise as we could muster so early in the morning.

Bidding our farewell to Maitia Bay and after a brief refuel we then stopped off at Greg’s place on the cliff top at Coopers Beach for a quick coffee and had a look at his green R22 which he ‘parks’ by the side of the road and then we were off again  to fly over the awe inspiring Bay of Islands and Cape Brett.

The world renowned  historic bay and the Hole in the Rock left the team another stunning imprint Flying down the eastern coast past Matapouri and Tutukaka with the divers mecca of the Poor Knights on our left, we will landed at Whangarei and a guided tour of the Northland Air Rescue centre by Nicky one of the co-pilots… who left an altogether different imprint!

Having the opportunity to have this up close and personal insight into the important role that the rescue crews do and gaining an appreciation  of the helicopters impact on the community, was invaluable and very rewarding. Even more so when they received a call when we were there to go off and rescue a guy caught in a rip on the west coast.

After a bite to eat, our final leg continued down the east coast and the gorgeous  surf beaches of Pakari and Omaha to finish back at North Shore late afternoon on Sunday brimming with tales to tell family and friends. 

From a flying perspective, hopefully the biggest impact of the trip is more experienced and safer pilots who have now have a broader appreciation of the beautiful environment that we fly within…. The fact that we had a bundle of fun is a brilliant bonus and can’t wait for the next one!

CFI’s BIT - REMEMBER!

Beware the ‘ice’ of March
 - - Colder Mornings
 - - Water Vapor Present
 - - Up to 25 deg C