Was searching for sharks, but found dolphins....

Since it is Grunion Season, that also means it's Great White season. Now is the time the mom sharks come to our coastline to give birth to their babies who will feed off the grunions for the next 6 months or something like that. I can't quite remember the exact details, but that was what I was told by Ralph S. Collier a while back, if I remember correctly. Anyway, you can check out this cool site he has......http://www.sharkresearchcommittee.com/
When I started surfing I wanted to educate myself on shark behavior. Ralph and I had a few conversations which were very informative and quite interesting. He told me things about sharks I had never heard of before. This morning I flew for KCBS in TV 2 with Mike Sandoval. After the morning show we cruised up the coast from LAX to Santa Monica. While looking for sharks we found a pack of Dolphins. It is always a beautiful sight to see from above. It made me wish I was on a surfboard though, in the water with them.

I found my new love.......

Did a lift job this afternoon in ENGINE 58. It was awsome! I flew from the right seat this time. I haven't flown the 58 very much lately and I usually fly from the left seat with our chief pilot. It was really rewarding to finally get into the right seat and be able to fly a lift job. I had 22 picks, six of them weighing 3500 pounds. It was quite the challenge. It's been very different going from a little astar on the forest with very few missions long lining to now flying big machines doing precision lift work. It's truly rewarding. The job was down in Indio, just south of Burmuda Dunes. It was for a new Target. I really enjoyed flying that helicopter on the lift job. It flies sooooo nice. Either I'm finally getting more comfortable in the 58 and getting better with the lift work, or that machine is just super nice to fly for lift jobs, because it sure made the job go smoothly. I love this machine! It's my new favorite!


Earlier that morning I flew for KMEX. I've been working long hours and flying for so many different operators going from mission to mission. Flying news, police, construction, etc. It's really fun. Sunday I flew for FOX again for their morning show and we had such a blast. We flew out to Lancaster for the Poppies which are stunning from the air. But the harsh reality of news set in as we flew back towards hollywood to shoot video of a dead body. A woman had drowned in her pool. It's bizarre to be flying along and one moment we are on top of the world admiring the beauty we fly over, then the next we are flying over such sad news.

Chopper 2 Morning Show

Alex Calder and I had a great time flying this morning for the KCBS morning show. Like I said before there is just something fun about the mornings despite getting up at such and early and cold time of morning. Everyone flying the news choppers always seems to have fun flying around each other and joking around on the radio. As the fog rolled in near Torrance Alex was shooting it for Ricardo's weather segment. Alex spotted a seagull and we started to film the bird and follow it. At one point when we first were trying to catch up with the little guy, the next thing I know I was right on his tail and had to back off. It was pretty funny. I flew along side this seagull for the rest of the show. The anchors and weatherman loved it as did Alex and I. We got a good laugh out of this birds reaction to us flying along side him. The bird kept checking us out and then would fly towards us which made me have to move out of his way. It was quite fun and spectacular to be flying along this marvelous creature and putting it on TV. The station raved about how cool our shot was and we had a great time being part of the whole production. It's the silly and simple things that make our job so fun and started our day out great! I look forward to more great days in Chopper 2 with Alex Calder.

Got back to comments as far as....

"spoke to soon". I couldn't go any further to check and see how far I needed to get caught up. Looks as if that was where I last left off. I really appreciate the feedback. I always smile and sometimes get a laugh out of some of the fun comments. You guys are great! Thanks!

FOX morning show on Sundays ROCKS!!!

What a great morning of flying! The day started out great. It was a first time all year that it was not freezing during my morning preflight and in flight. I actually used the air condionting in SKYFOX. I love summer. The morning show for FOX on Sundays is really casual and mostly about beauty shots of lovely Los Angeles. We spent most of the show flying along the gorgeous coastline. I was like a kid in a helicopter for the first time. The day was clear and you could see Catalina Island perfectly. No haze or fog on this day. Every little thing I flew over made me say wow. There were kyakers, surfers, seals, dolphins, people on the beach, people golfing at the Trump Golf Course. Everywhere we flew this morning was super fun and beautiful. I had missed flying along the beach since most of my flying has been towards the inland empire and off up in the forest the past 11 months. While over Long Beach near the Queen Mary we videoed two waverunners speeding out to sea and put that on the morning show. I guess if you can't join 'em, film 'em. It was just as much fun flying along side filming them as it would have been down there riding with them. I was jealous of everyone on the water today, then I realized, they are probably jealous of me. I can't believe I get paid to have so much fun sometimes.

Now, instead of doing erans as I usually do after work, I think I may take my motorcycle out for a super short ride to meet a friend for dinner this afternoon as I have to go to bed early once again for KMEX morning show tomorrow. Finally, a hobbie besides flying that I love doing. Ha Ha Ha. I hope tomorrow is just as lovely.

Busy Busy Busy.....

as usual again. I haven't had time to blog much or reply back to comments. I have been flying for 6 different companies this winter since I left my previous job flying fires last summer and the KNBC contract during the winter. It is really starting to get super busy for me. I find it hard to say NO to work. I love what I do and I love that I get paid for it. I've been flying for Corona Police Dept., Lift Jobs, KMEX channel 34, KCBS channel 2, KCAL channel 9, Races, Frost, Photo Flights, and FOX this upcoming weekend possibly, Etc. I'm sure I am leaving something out. I flew in Engine 58 this morning on a lift job with our chief pilot Steve Bull at Heli-Flite. What a nice helicopter. Flies really smooth. It's been non-stop going from job to job, each day doing a completely different mission flying different helicopters in different areas. It's what keeps my job interesting and exciting for sure.

Photos from works recent adventures...........

Me flying the 407

photo by Skip Robinson

More of me flying the 407
photo by Skip Robinson


Me flying Aguila 1 for the morning show
photo by Alex Calder



Me flying Aguila 1
photo by Alex Calder

Me flying the 407 to VNY

photo by Bob Feffer

More of me flying the 407 to VNY

photo by Bob Feffer

Photo by Bob Feffer

Fianl approach into VNY
Photo by Bob Feffer

The Mint 400 course sheet

One of many race vehicles

A trafffic break, not what the average person sees crossing the road.

Off in the distance above the helicopter you can see the dust tracks from the race vehicles. This is the helicopter I flew for the Mint 400 in Jean, Nevada

Another tuck at the Mint 400

(ran out of card space on my camera as I had not deleted photos in a while, so I didn't take any more after this one which was photographed high. I missed out on some cool eye level with the driver shots)

Flying for KMEX

Myself and cameraman Tim Dechant

The chopper 2 crew taking our photo and vice versa after leaving the scene of a traffic accident for the morning show.

camerapilots film shoot! did a fly by from VNY to AJO

An interesting backyard. This caught my eye as I have a dirtbike. Pretty nice neighborhood. Not your typical backyard in this nice neighborhood.

Maybe one day when I have a day off I'll go here. Glenn Ivy Day Spa in Corona

Look at the mud bath! Wow!

Had to post every angle of this house as I circled. Looks like a good house for a Chopper Pilot.

That big concrete circle looks like a helipad to me!

My next home! ha ha ha

These series of photos of this house do not need any describing.

Pretty obvious why this caught my eye in flight.

Look at the other homes....they look like little ants

Myself and Ryan Hubbard

Photos of TFO Ryan Hubbard and Pilot Desiree Horton

Corona Police Department

Myself with the Corona Police 407

Tactical Flight Officer(TFO) Ryan Hubbard and Pilot Desiree Horton

for Corona Police Department

A link to the video my friend Tim Dechant (camerman for Aguila 1 and SKY 5) shot when I had just departed VNY the day I brought the 407 back to Corona from maintenance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SM4sVdYZCa0

So many more photos to come. Lots to post when I get more time.

The real Engine 58

A friend of mine who works for L.A. County fire works at Station 58 and I asked him for a photo of their Engine 58. I thought that was pretty cool that someone I know has the real Engine 58 and we fly the 58T called Engine 58.

Description of this photo from Brian Jordan: The picture of the fire engine was taken at the top of Kenneth Hahn Park[next to the old Helispot 58C). It's fire pump is rated at 1000 gallons per minute, though it will easily flow over 2000 gpms. It's a 1998 KME(Kovatch Mobile Equipment) [We say KME means "Keeps Mechanics Employed"]. It's been to fire is Santa Clarita, Malibu, Lancaster, Palmdale and most places in L.A. and Ventura Counties but when it is resting at home it is in Ladera Heights (just east of Culver City). It also has a CAF (Compressed Air Foam) System that works wonders on confined space fires.

The Mint 400 in Jean, Nevada

was a blast! Words can not describe the thrill of flying low level right next to these amazing trophy and other class trucks and vehicles. I did not know it was the Mint until the morning of the race. We flew out Friday late afternoon. Landed at Jean Airport which by the way is a super busy airport on weekends. Lots of gliders and sky diver flights going in and out all day along with 5 helicopters on our race. We spent the night at the Golden Strike which is heaven for smokers and hell for me. lol. I'm not used to being around that much smoke. Honestly, forest fires don't congest me or give me headaches like cigarettes. Smoke from the forest actually has an oddly pleasant smell, but smoke from cancer sticks(no offense to those of you who smoke)has an awful smell that gives me an instant headache and plugs up my sinuses. The next morning as I pre-flighted I took in the clean desert air and appreciated being out in the open air once again.

I could go on and on about how fun it is to fly low level next to these race vehicles, but I'm not going to do that. I'm going to keep this one short since I have been working non-stop with very little time to blog now adays and get caught up on posting pics and replying to comments. Let's just say it was a long day on that race day. Flew over 10 hours of flying. Whew! Also, I'll be honest, as much fun as it is to chase these cars, there is some serious risks involved, some occasional pucker factor. Honestly, flying these races can be more dangerous than firefighting and construction flying in my opinion since we are flying low level at high speeds for extended times in high density altitudes and heavy ships at the edge of power, but for sure along with that adrenaline and danger is where some of that excitement lies. Some serious risk management is involved in this kind of flying.

Company photo of Heli-Flite/Aris Helicopters

Our newly put together and newly painted S58T

What a fun week it has been. Busy, but fun. Had a great time flying for KMEX on Wednesday. All of us hovered over an accident which seems tragic, but as we hovered there we slowly flew in and around each other repositioning for a better shot of the accident, all the while some of us were taking pictures of each other flying using our still cameras and sometimes even using each other with the video ball for a beauty shot for the newscast. The mornings are always alot of fun flying up there with everyone. After my shift I was off to Heli-Flite for a company meeting and got to see our newly painted and all put together S58T. Can't wait to fly it soon!

I'm off to somewhere south of Vegas for a race this weekend with HP Helicopters. Not sure what the name of the race is. It's in Jean, Nevada. I don't ask too many questions. Actually someone had mentioned the name but I already forgot. I'll blog about it next week when I'm back. Hopefully get some cool photos.

Should be alot of fun flying across the desert chasing cars! Ahhhh, what fun!