What I Do for a Living!

[helicopterjim R.I.P.]

I found some videos on Youtube of helilogging that, although not of the company I work for, shows much of what I and the ground crew do for a living.

 

Ignore the commentary as there is a bit of propaganda involved.

 

 

 

 

The ground crew are very well behaved for these videos. You have to see them perform after work to best appreciate them!!

 

Enjoy!!

Jim

[jihem]

Enjoy!!

Jim

 

that puts the level of danger on a race track in a much different perspective !

doesn't it go wrong sometimes ?

[svjj]

That looks like fun!!!

[helicopterjim R.I.P.]

 

doesn't it go wrong sometimes ?

 

RULE NUMBER ONE!! - DON"T CRASH!!

(applies to racing as well)

[John in Leeds]

That is really impressive. Worked on pipelines stringing pipe into remote areas with cranes, sidebooms and helicopters (as banksman). Really appreciate your skill and awareness of working on slopes like that and timber.

 

Don't know how you make it pay.

 

Take care Jim

[helicopterjim R.I.P.]

 

Don't know how you make it pay.

 

 

RULE NUMBER TWO - MAKE SURE THEY PAY YOU LOTS!!!

[raz]

I was going to ask how four logs at a time could pay the bills. Then I saw the last video. OK, that is not a log, that is a tree. And oh, sorry 'bout that, there was a couple other trees that got stuck at the same time.

 

When I was a kid, there were firefighters and there were chopper pilots. Unfortunately I did'nt end up being any of them

[DeBenGuzzi]

RULE NUMBER TWO - MAKE SURE THEY PAY YOU LOTS!!!

OHHHH I'm sure youre just scrapin by there jimbo, paycheck to paycheck and all. In fact we should start up a Jimbo needs a desmo RR as he's a few quid short this month to buy it outright fund

wouldn't that look nice next to the MGS

[helicopterjim R.I.P.]

Jimbo needs a desmo RR as he's a few quid short this month to buy it outright fund

 

Did I tell everyone here that Ben is my best friend?? Ever?? No really!! I'll even let him rev up the MGS someday. Honest! I will!!

[dhansen]

Hey Jim. I seem to remember a photo you posted sometime back of your heliocopter. Wsan't it an old Huey, ummmmm UH-1B? Still flying it? (I assume you fly several different machines).

 

Just wondering what the typical age and TT airframe of these machines are? I'm guessing the UH-1s, S-3s and that old Skycrane have gone quite a few miles in their time.

 

Loved the video of the Skycrane nosing over down the slope. Not so sure though about the grapple method of snagging logs. I guess after awhile you become pretty good at sensing your rotor clearance (or perish) to be able to concentrate on picking up sticks.

 

Can you still do lifts with down slope wind conditions?

 

I've always been an airplane/copter nut. A few years back I flew at a local flying club, soloed and added 100 or so hours but never bothered taking the final test. I was having problems passing my medical. Motorcycles come awfully close to the feeling of flight.

[helicopterjim R.I.P.]

Wasn't it an old Huey, ummmmm UH-1B? Still flying it? (I assume you fly several different machines).

 

I fly a Bell 214B wich is derived from the old UH-1B. Think of the UH=1B as a Nova with a 6 cylinder engine and skinny tires. The 214 is a Nova with a 454 and big fat tires. The 214 has a 2930 hp Lycoming T55 as opposed to the UH-1B's 1100 hp T53 and the blades are only 20 inches wide compared to the 33 inch blades on the 214. Payload is about 3500 lbs for the Huey and 7500 lbs for the 214.

 

Just wondering what the typical age and TT airframe of these machines are? I'm guessing the UH-1s, S-3s and that old Skycrane have gone quite a few miles in their time.

 

I regularly fly aircraft with 20-25,000 hours Total Time (TT) and one that is close to 30,000. Our aircraft fly 1500 to 1800 hours each year. There are some S-1 (Sikorsky S-61 in civilian form) that have over 40,000 hours. It is quite normal to overhaul the airframe evry 3-5000 hours. I'll post pictures later today of one that I will be test flying this morning that has been fresshly overhauled!

 

Loved the video of the Skycrane nosing over down the slope. Not so sure though about the grapple method of snagging logs. I guess after awhile you become pretty good at sensing your rotor clearance (or perish) to be able to concentrate on picking up sticks.

 

Grappling is lots of fun and we always use a 200 foot line between us and the logs. Grappling is not always the best method but if the wood is the right size and a short fly it works great!

Nosing over and heading down the hill is like tucking in and taking your bike up to max speed. It is such a rush - and no cops either!!

 

Can you still do lifts with down slope wind conditions?

 

Yes but it is never fun and 8 hours of that kind of flying and you are worn out. It would be comparable to riding a sport bike on fresh gravel for a whole day.

 

I've always been an airplane/copter nut. A few years back I flew at a local flying club, soloed and added 100 or so hours but never bothered taking the final test. I was having problems passing my medical. Motorcycles come awfully close to the feeling of flight.

 

Now that I am very sad to hear. I don't know wich is worse. The guy who can not get a licence because he can't pass the medical or the guy who has flown passionately for years and then looses his medical and can't fly. It is tough both ways.

 

Like you I know I have motorcycles if I ever come to that point.

 

Cheers and thanks for your interest. I'll have some fresh pictures later today!!

 

Jim

[dhansen]

I don't know wich is worse. The guy who can not get a licence because he can't pass the medical or the guy who has flown passionately for years and then looses his medical and can't fly. It is tough both ways.

Much worse for those who have built their lives around flying and are forced to give it up. For me, the reality was not so hard to take. I had already fulfilled my desire to learn to fly and soon found climbing in a Cessna 150 and flitting about around the old pea patch pretty boring. The only thing that made flying interesting was doing things generally frowned upon by most folks. By that time I was too old for the military and didn't have enough money to fly anything more interesting. That said, I did get to hop a bunch of interesting stuff like a Stearman (my very first loops and rolls and in an open cockpit), T-34 (lots of aerobatics), Waco UBF-2, Curtiss Junior, Lake Amphibian, lots of single engine modern stuff and Piper Aztec and Navajo. I have alot of good friends!

 

I didn't realize the later civilial versions of the UH-1B had so much more power. No doubt that would be an entirely different beast. I'm looking forwad to some more photos. I love the idea of remanufacturing the old stuff. Always thought that would be a fun gig too.

 

For me, low and slow was the thing that turned me on. No wonder the bike does almost the same thing

 

I've always wanted to check out the Northwest. If I manage to do that sometime maybe you could give me my first rotorcraft ride................

[helicopterjim R.I.P.]

Stearman (my very first loops and rolls and in an open cockpit), T-34 (lots of aerobatics), Waco UBF-2, Curtiss Junior, Lake Amphibian,

 

Fun aircraft all. I am looking at buying a minor share in a Chipmunk.

 

I didn't realize the later civilial versions of the UH-1B had so much more power.

 

Only the 214 became the Huey on steroids and only 76 were built. The 205 and 212 are still quite similar to the UH-1B in power.

 

For me, low and slow was the thing that turned me on. No wonder the bike does almost the same thing

 

How very true. I know that feeling well!!

 

I've always wanted to check out the Northwest. If I manage to do that sometime maybe you could give me my first rotorcraft ride................

 

There isn't often a helicopter local to take someone for a ride but if there is I'll take anyone here for a ride!!

[helicopterjim R.I.P.]

Here is a video of a Bell 214B (same as what I fly) doing my favourite flying - helilogging with a water drop. It is some of the most fun especially if i can splash the guys in the crew boat!!

 

 

This photo was taken yesterday of the second flight of C-GTWI after an overhaul and new paintjob!!

 

[grossohc]

Hi Jim

Have you flown in the civilian chinooks or have you seen any, reason i ask is the ones they had in the north sea were sold after a crash (killed 45) and none of the workforce would fly in them to the rigs. Supposedly they were sold to a canadian logging co. after watching the vids I couldnt imagine anyone standing underneath the down draft of one of them hooking on logs.

Gary