100% this. Trust your butt, it'll always keep you safe. If it's telling you to get out of there, get out. Fly again when you've got an environment you're comfortable flying in.
@@windiercookie7979 I'm old military EMS. It's properly irreverent and humorous. Along the lines of, all bleeding stops, eventually... One way or the other. One grows such humor, or one decorates the ceiling with brain matter.
Been there done that in Amarillo. Questioned guy about density altitude and 3 passengers in a cherokee that had full fuel. Fresh overhaul as well. We flew out over Palo Duro Cnayon and it was summer. Climb out was assisted by ground affect and that raised my eye brows. we got to around 1300AGL and never backed off throttle. Engine heat rose and he richened the mixture. Gave controls to me. Lost 100' altitude and i mentioned to him that i was having trouble maintaining altitude. He leaned out the mixture. I asked what the deal was and he said the engine had a fresh overhaul. I asked him to take the controls and then asked him to take us back to the airport. He protested and said that as we used fuel "it will get better". I told him i appreciated his effort to "please" but it was not worth the risk. I never went back to that airfield again.
Fellow aviator - Not sure WHY this video popped up but I watched it. I have so so much respect for your decision. Many folks don't understand how difficult those decisions can be. Good on you sir. Subbed.
I guarantee that as much of a fan base you have, some young pilot will remember that a Viper pilot noped out of a bad flying situation and see how it takes serious balls to do that. This is the kind of talk that can save someone's life who doesn't have the aviation experience to recognize shitty people and poor maintenance practices. This is a gem of a video for flight instructors and students.
My point was more on movers actions by making the right call to "no go" because of the circumstances. Civilian flying has less predictability from people involved. I once took a friend who I had trained and signed off for his commercial check ride to a DP examiner I knew well. The night before the flight at the hotel room he told me his girlfriend who had stage 3 breast cancer at the time had fell down at home and was back in the hospital. We both met with my other examiner friend that night and told him it was a no go that weekend. His head wasn't in it and we flew back early the next morning. Sometimes circumstances out of our control makes the decisions for us if you want to be a good pilot and know when to say no.
The saying sticks in my head since day 1 of my training. It's better to be on the ground wishing you were flying than flying wishing you where on the ground.
Sorry to hear all of the drama that interfered with you finishing however VERY smart to walk away from that operation. Hope you are able to get it taken care of in Texas!
Private pilot here. You definitely made the right decision. "DJ"'s attitude alone is enough to put a big red flag up. On top of that, his terrible safety record and sketchy maintenance of the aircraft.... yeah, walk away.
The saying is that every landing after wich you're able to walk away from is considered to be a good landing.... So far, despite DJ has written off a Robinson and seriously damaged a private jet with it.. he walked away.... But bottom line: C.W made the right decision stop his adventure for now. Flight-safety is no joke.
@@rexblokland7778 - The guy had a boot cast for a broken foot. There was *something* he didn't walk away from... although it might not have been an aircraft landing.
Excellent lessons in: Trusting Your Gut, Risk Management, and Aerial Decision Making (even on the ground) and Finances! Well done Mover. All the best to Lester!
As an Army vet I developed my gut instinct quickly and it never failed me. Yours obviously spoke to you. When 'DJ' inevitably ends up on the 6 o'clock news associated with some aviation related tragedy you will be glad you took the break and went with your plan B. You've also been doing this long enough to know when to walk away and not let anger make your decisions for you. Cheers.
Very disappointing, but totally understandable. I look forward to more helo stuff in October (I hope). Much love to Lester for a speedy recovery (even if it takes more than a owa, owa an a half).
Agreed. I made the same decision during my PP SEL training. Instructor yawd plane 45 degrees to runway as I was flaring. I called go-around. He screamed at me that I didn't have to do that. Never flew with him again. I did ultimately go back a year or so later. Flew with several really great instructors. Went 141 for my instrument.
I had a similar situation with a jet engine I purchased, they guy who has a reputation for being very reckless told me " I'm sending it to you soon, I just got finished ripping it apart and rebuilding it for you" I was like "no thanks, I do not want the engine" I did not feel safe...lbvs.
I've worked in Aviation as Aircrew in the Navy and as an A&P Mechanic after the military. I'm sitting around 18 years of experience. YOU MADE THE RIGHT DECISION!!! I see these guys like "DJ" all the time. I worked for a company that was run by a guy like that and he was involved in some really shady stuff. Eventually the FAA shut the company down because of the stuff he was doing. I'm sorry this happened to you, but keep the faith things have a way of working themselves out. Your life isn't worth it. A lot of guys would have said screw it and gone anyway, but good for you recognizing the risk. Fingers crossed it all works out. Stay safe.
That helicopter was at the end of its service life. On top of how aggressive DJ may have flown, you made the right decision not to risk it. Sometimes the universe gives us hints to avoid bad situations, and it takes a strong will to listen to your gut and back away instead of forcing a risky situation.
When I first saw you say "...discontinue my helicopter training altogether" I thought something had happened which scared you so much that you'd walked away from your goal. That of course (given your experience) would have had to have been something really, really bad. Glad to see it's a temporary setback, and that you're just stepping away from a situation you just didn't trust to be safe. Best wishes to Lester, and I look forward to following your progress when you get back in the saddle.
I once flew with a CFI doing some additional training when I was in the Navy and the minute he reached over and cranked the prop before I finished my pre-flight, we were done. Guy was always in a hurry. I grew up around airplanes and my dad trained me early on to be very disciplined with my checklists. Maybe a small thing - but if you don't feel safe with an instructor, stay on the ground.
I am so glad to hear that Lester is recovering. Get well soon, sir! Mover, I'm sorry about the complications that ended up with you not completing the rating at this time, but I thank you so much for sharing your training journey. As a former flight instructor and a current safety puke I really appreciate you punching the brakes and telling us why you did it.
This. It is most certainly an opportunity if motivated on the business end of things. Now to get a gofundme to get it off the ground, and get SBA and the VA involved.
It costs a lot of money, but not impossible. It's not just the aircraft. It's insurance, Maintenance, Storage, etc. Not impossible with the right investors.
Wow, now there's an angle I never thought of, I always expected Mover to fly for the Sheriff, but that's a great idea! Still, it may not fit with Mover's grand plan - but I like it!!
Should have stayed with it. 2 years put you in the "Quarter of the way to decent money" category. I'm enjoying my six figures!! Like everything, its all about paying your dues and heavy drinking! LOL!
@@kyegunn936 I'm at 6 figures flying EMS, love the Job. You can do that with Flying Tours or Offshore Oil and Gas. You need to get to about 1500 hours of which about 500 is Turbine to get in the door. As a Civilian trained Commercial Pilot ( which I am) we have to do our time as a CFI to get the hours normally.
The real reason he canceled helo training so so he doesn’t flex on everyone with his rotary wing skills But on a serious note, I am sorry mover, it sucks to have something happen to a friend, but I am glad he is ok
@@TechGorilla1987 I have lost far more friends to rotary wing (mostly Robinsons) than any other form of aviation. If I am in a helicopter it is only because I fucked up badly enough to get medevaced out of somewhere.
@@MX304 It really seems as if Robinsons need a little extra TLC in the shop to be as safe as they can be. I don't fly myself but took a deep dive in to Robinsons when one crashed near me.
@@TechGorilla1987 Robbies are safe if you fly them per the POH. I have 1000 hours in them and never had a single issue that I did not get myself into. They are light and efficient, and they punish inattentiveness quickly to deadly effect. You have to fly them all the time, no coasting or cruising along. Wonderful ships and accessible in the price range, but will kill you in an instant if you fly outside the envelope.
C.W. - you don’t need me to make mention of it as I’m sure you’re already aware of this, but your life experience has certainly served you well in this situation. Things happen for a reason, and when they have an influence in critical thinking within the decision-making process, then it’s time to give it 100% attention, especially when _your_ safety and the safety of others is concerned. Intuition is a significant human trait that is undervalued. Take it from an old(er) guy who worked 30-years on the streets of Los Angeles (now retired) - always prioritize your gut feeling.
This is the first time I have ever watched one of your clips. Sounds like a bad situation, but I was incredibly impressed with your impressive handling of the whole thing. The things you didn't say actually spoke volumes about the sort of person you are. Very classy!
You made the right decision Mover. You have to feel comfortable with both the machine and the instructor. I had a real argument with an older instructor on a day when my regular instructor wasn't available. This was 31 hours into a Fixed Wing PPL and I knew I was ready to take my GFT (= final flight test 'exam'. Minimum 38 hours to actually get a license at that time). Emailed the flight school asking if it was viable to continue there. Was asked to go and talk to the CFI which went so-so but he agreed to take me up for a flight. That flight turned out to be the GFT which I passed so then had to troll around local standard cross-country flights before license at 38 hours. So, it turned out well, but I changed airfield before checking out on the 172. You HAVE to have total confidence in your machinery and instructors or it just can't work. Good luck in October. With your experience you will smash it!
I'm so sorry to hear about your friend. I hope he makes a full recovery and that things will be ok. Your "DJ" story is so relatable I'd like to share mine just to let people know that "DJs" are everywhere. On the day of my checkride, I called the the examiner, who was also the helicopter owner, operator and maintainer. Weather was not looking good. Clear skies but winds 15-20 gusts to 25. I had done all my training in the Hughes-300. Heftier than the R22, but not all that much. I was of course calling to reschedule, but the examiner said to come down to the field because he was going to be gone for 2 weeks. I figured ok, between me, my instructor and the examiner, we would make the go no go after waiting as long as we needed to make the right decicion. What threw all of this off the rails is that the examiner/owner/operator/maintainer was a "DJ". He was the only guy "qualified" do full autos on to the trailer which he would do at times for God knows what reason. As soon as I arrived, he said "Ready?" I was in total shock. I excused myself and motioned to my instructor that I needed to talk with him privately. I asked him "WTF? Is this the test? The one where the PIC (me) says no way and means it?" He just shrugged and said "I can't answer that". I walked backed into the FBO and the examiner was getting his bag ready. I looked outside and on the ramp I see the Medflight guys pulling their bird INTO the hanger. I look back at my instructor, he says nothing. I told the examiner hey I've never flown in winds > 20 knots so today would probably not be a good day to attempt that. He responds "Nah...it's blowing straight up and down the runway..no problem" So there I am, asking myself why would an examiner risk their life if it wasn't ok. Or, who would be so cruel to make me say yes, and have them fail me immediately for saying it was OK. My story has gone on too long so I'll end it here with: 1) We went anyway knowing it was wrong. 2) We both survied and there was no damage to the aircraft. 3) I failed the checkride. 4) The moment you realize a person is a "DJ"... run
Heli mech here. Lost count of the hours spent turning wrenches on Robis. Love the frame, but like a horse, they hide their hurts real well. Trust your gut if someone is mistreating the ship. That said, the way you describe DJ, wouldnt surprise me if he's disconnecting the counter before flying. Don't give up on it in whole, flying in a Heli is so much better than a wing. At least in my opinion. Good luck. Fly safe. Hope Lester keeps getting better.
That’s too bad man, but sounds like this “DJ” character is a bit of a loose canon and you don’t want to put yourself or anyone else in danger and especially with you being a paying customer of the program I mean, just sounds like it sucks. Hope Lester makes a full recovery, keep making these vids, you inspire a lot of people to realize that we all have potential to do whatever we want to do and as a man of your stature who wears many hats so to speak, I mean it’s really awesome. Hope all is well, and hope you get to finish the program.
Yup. As a former USAF pilot/wing flying safety officer and later as an aviation accident investigator with the NTSB for the next 27 years, I agree with your worries. Much familiarity with the limitations of the R-22 should be a requirement. I completely understand your caution.
My prayers are with Lester. It sounds like you made the right call, Mover. I wouldn't want to be in the air under the circumstances you laid out, knowing how unforgiving a helicopter can be if it's not cared for meticulously, or if it's flown by someone who likes to hang too close to the margins. Everything happens for a reason. End of the day, you've made a good friend, and gotten some excellent instruction to build a rotary-wing foundation... and you have now, a strong option to 'upgrade' your rotary-wing plans. In this era of Covid-19, having some extra options available, if commercial airline opportunities contract, can't hurt. Stay safe!
First, best wishes to Lester for a speedy recovery. Second, you are practicing what you preach and people should take note of that. When I heard you say "So what's next" it made my day, you're not letting them keep you down, or tell you no. I think you made a good call, your gut never lies! Good luck going forward!
I know a guy like "DJ". He recently wadded up his R-44 into a big smoking collection of parts, he and his friend were killed. You made the right decision.
Smart move my friend. When it feels wrong it usually is. Didn't realize how invested I was in this blog series until you said Lester had been injured and I was immediately concerned. Thanks for the honesty and insights into this adventure. Best luck moving forward.
Flying helicopters was one of my life's goals, but I would never allow emotions to cloud my judgment. Safety first! You made the right decision. Speedy recovery to Lester.
Great judgement Mover, as someone who has been involved with GA flying for years good call on using your instinct to avoid possible catastrophe. I have walked away from multiple situations in GA that unfortunately led to fatalities long after I parted ways. Unfortunately there is a lot of cowboy attitudes and risky behavior in GA. I hope your buddy gets well soon, it’s hard to find good CFIs. Best of luck and stay safe, love the channel.
I'm a commercial helicopter pilot. You are very smart for walking away from your flight training. Not so much because of DJ, but for the fact that the Robinson Helicopter is junk. Read what the FAA has to say about the Robinson Helicopter.
Sounds like a good plan Mover. I had something similar thing happened to me when I was getting my tail wheel cert. I had a fantastic instructor that had to stop instructing for family reasons. The FBO had another instructor certified on the Citabria so I was going to finish the cert with this second CFI. After only one flight with him I found him to be just too aggressive a pilot for me so I immediately stopped flying with him after that one flight. It turned out to be the right decision. That CFI was involved in an accident only a few months later by continuing a VFR flight into IMC and ended up crashing the AC into a wooded area. Both he and his student walked away from the accident but it was a lesson in that not only are you being evaluated by your instructor it's also on the students responsibility to evaluate if the instructor is right for them.
I've been in charge of a flight school some years ago, and I've known some serial rules-violators. That kind of people use to be absolutely selfish and agressive wiht their flying. The best decision any pilot can make is staying as far as possible from that kind of pilots, as they also use to be very toxic people. Great decision, hope you can complete your training somewhere else, where you find a safe environment again. Good flights!
Mover I'm very happy, thankful, and beyond blessed that Lester & you are doing good and that he's alive & recovering. I'm also thankful that you will eventually get to continue your helicopter training. Remember like you always say "Make Them Tell You No!" The number one rule of thumb.
I'm glad to hear that Lester is OK and wish him a speedy recovery. Sorry to hear how things turned out re: training, but under the circumstances you made the right call. 👍
Lester is awesome!!! He’s always got some crazy stories! So glad he’s ok! But so glad you made the right decision on pulling out on that final check ride cause “DJ” doesn’t sound safe at all...
So sad Mover, because Lester is a great guy and we all enjoyed your interaction with him during your instruction. We all hope that Lester gets well soon and gets back to flying once more. All the best from Cyprus. Cheers
We call those kind of pilots “statistics” because it’s only a matter of time before they turn themselves (and most of the time) and their passengers into a smoking hole.
Helicopter time and training is very expensive. It takes perseverance as well as caution and good decisions. Within the first two hours of your return to training you'll be where you were before. Don't be discouraged, if it takes you 50 to 100 hours. Don't be discouraged, if you need to fly with four or five different instructors. It all ultimately adds to your own proficiency. Haste makes waste. Don't waste. Persevere!
10:59 “When things get complicated it’s time to step back.” Probably saved your life Mover. You’ll never know but I’m glad you didn’t have to find out. On the bright side. Welcome to Texas! I live in Fort Worth and this is one of the greatest areas in the world to fly in. We got Bell helicopter here, Lockheed Martin, JRB NAS which flys both the F-18 & the T-38 and a gazillion other awesome reasons. Very few days of the year you cannot fly here. Three weeks of being down here and you might not want to go back. Just sayin’. 😉
Great debrief, based on the factual information I think you absolutely made the right decision. Prayers to Lester and good luck with your heli training.
flying is dangerous,always has been,always will be,probably part of the thrill.ive noticed lately,too much"if this goes wrong,is mummy gonna catch me?"which brings me to another saying,"if you cant swing with the big boys,stay out of the trees"god help us if we were in a war.i can imagine many veteran pilots pissed off at these pussy wannabees telling their commanders"i cant do this mission,it looks a bit windy and ive just washed my hair"grow some balls or take up golf ,chicks get kicked out of nests,not lowered.
Sounds like you made the right move Mover. God speed to Lester and even if we don't get any more helo vlogs we're still looking forward to hearing about it. Hope everything turns out good with this school in Tx. P.s. More DCS helo content!
Feel for you buddy, I’m sure you’ve done the right thing, at the end of the day you safety is paramount, as a fellow pilot I respect you honesty and your decision. Hope it all goes well in Texas. Fly and be safe. Regards Steve (UK)
I hope Lester has a speedy recovery. The flight school I started my training at lost their G2 to an accident a few days after my 18th hour of training. I switched to another school to finish my PPL Helicopter add-on, then started my commercial. The second place is closing their business this week. There are no more G2 helicopters within driving distance so I found a place with an R44 (I’m too big for the R22). I have my first transition flight the week after next. I’ve been fortunate in that everyone I’ve trained with has been great. I completely agree with you. Don’t fly with anyone that gives you a bad vibe. Same goes for the aircraft. Years ago I rented a 182 to take my boss for a ride. During the run-up, the oil pressure (or maybe it was temperature) never went into the green so I canceled the flight.
I just got my PPL a little over a month ago, at a small Part 61 school about an hour from my house. I’ve experienced some of the same things you just talked about. Going to rent the helicopter (in my case, airplane) and knowing somebody else before you was rough with it definitely made me nervous as well. In fact, I wasn’t even open to the idea of owning my own aircraft until I ran into that realization. Things like that effect your piloting and reasoning when in the air. No matter how good of a preflight a check you do, there’s always that thought in the back of your head that’s not 100% confident in the integrity of the aircraft.
A significant reason why I stopped my flight training. Not the school, not the CFI - but the age of A/C - the costs including insurance vs. the enjoyment factor became upside down with concern and no longer worth the money. I miss everyday, but the enjoyment was diminishing rapidly like the a good flight deteriorating in hurry when things go wrong. This channel has give lots of enjoyment factor and Mover has filled in a bunch of mental areas of piloting knowledge I was seeking. My career in aviation continues but the flying aspect may be quickly in my rear view mirror. This video is helping me with the hard decision to set the chocks and step out of the cockpit.
Oh wow! I was looking forward to doing my CPL with Lester in Spring 2021. Best wishes for a speedy recovery for Lester and Best of luck on training in Texas.
As someone that grew up in GA and seeing some dodgy/scary/crazy shit and with a list of people I’ve known who are no longer around... you made the right choice. Maintenance is ridiculously important for rotary and especially with the blade and mast bumping issues. I still won’t get in a Robinson :) Glad you are going to a bigger school. Will be some things that you pick up from different instructors and different ways of doing things.
Good call. I, too, have the regular battle between "Charlie Mike" and my safety officer role when things start to get "sticky". The catchphrase I use to remind myself of the decision point is, "We are *recreational*, not *operational*." In fact, I tell jump students, "If your gut says 'Don't get on the airplane,' then today is NOT the day to get on the airplane."
I got to a point with one of my "invulnerable" young instructors not only did I rufuse to fly with him anymore, I met with the other instructors and predicted that he would make something bad happen. A month after my pphl and departure from the school, that "invulnerable" hero daredevil crashed and burned killing two passengers in his R44 Raven II. ... The number one cause of helicopter fatalities is collision with electric power transmission wires, not engine failure or mechanical failure or CFIT or bad wind or inadvertent flight into IMC, ... ... but scud running and slackness about electric power transmission wires.
As an r22 CFI I can only say that you made the right call, even though it sucks. You just have to look at it like a speed bump on your way to certification. Best of luck!
As a 2000 hour fixed wing pilot with 40 hours of a Hughes 500 and 10 Robby 44 hours---I totally get what you are doing---AND HAVE THE UTMOST RESPECT AND TOTAL UNDERSTANDING OF YOUR DECISION. I too made the same decision because I knew how complex these machines are and I knew I could not dedicate the time and money to stay as current and fresh as you HAVE TO BE to fly these things safely!!!!!!!! Congratulations!!! Smart Guy!!!!! Total respect for you!!
If you would be willing to come to Chicago I am a CFI and I use my neighbors new R22, who watches your videos, he said we could use his helicopter to finish your training just pay for gas.
Just seeing this after recently joining this channel. I spent 10 years flying helicopters for the U. S. Coast Guard. In the civilian world I acquired an ATP in fixed wing and helicopters. You absolutely made the right decision to not fly with this guy or fly in any aircraft he touched. He is a statistic looking for a date to happen. Nice call Mover.
As a private pilot, I completely agree with your decision! When it comes to flying, safety is first and there are no compromises. When I flew with my best friend, we both did the same pre-flight inspection on the same aircraft we flew together. And I am sorry to hear about all the bad news! I hope you pick it up in the future!
Good on you for making the most informed decision based on all the factors. You can still move forward just find a different outfit and aircraft. Get a good vibe and do it. I did. Have my PPL in R-22, 44, and 66 and love every minute of it.
Tough decision. But it sounds like it was the right one. I always remember that if X-15 pilot Scott Crossfield can die in a Cessna 210, then anyone can. I flew A7's and I enjoy your channel. Keep it up.
Damnit, your training was getting me through the summer. I was looking forward to you going through the check ride and seeing what was going to be on the other side for you with helicopters. I hope the school in Texas works out for you and we get some more helicopter videos. Prayers up for Lester. I wasn't a fan of his in the early videos that featured him. Seemed like a curmudgeon, but as we got to know him, his personality grew on me. Loved the last few that featured him, most of all the t-shirt and his reaction.
That explains a few things with the airspeed indicator. Good to hear Lester is doing ok. The R44 would be a much more useful rating to have than an R22, but great idea to get your CPL in Rotary Wing and that might open doors for you to fly with the Police. You made the right decision. When you have a doubt, there’s no doubt, follow your gut. Wise decision, I wouldn’t fly with that character either.
I used to be a helicopter instructor using Hughes 269a choppers, you did the right thing getting away from "DJ" and sticking by Lester. I miss the flight school I helped run (a tiny amount) with my dad, Joe Green at Greentree Aviation in Cullman county Alabama, Lester probably knew him, he passed in 2006. Wish you lots of luck in furthuring your private and commercial licences and Lester continues to improve!
Bummer! The graveyard is full of people that didn’t trust their gut feeling and wish they had! You seem like the kind of guy that will get it done the right way at the right time!
Not even a gut feeling, an honest evaluation of the risks. Wouldn't touch that aircraft with a galaxy wide pole! Given known maintenance issues and abuse. I'd rather walk.
No hard feelings at all from me. I have learned a lot watching and also been entertained. You impress me so much and with this video even more. One part is over. Stay safe and move forward >>>>
Well that just sucks! I certainly understand your motivation for stepping away from it at this time. Regardless, I'm going for my introductory ride on Monday in an R44. You've inspired me to give it a go. I'm 61yrs old. I'm not trying to get a job in this field (too bloody old), but I will go for my ppl. Onwards and upwards mate. Cheers from Australia.
Hi C.W. Lemoine ! I'm Helicopter Pilot and I see what you going true, this model R22,R44 always have bad record of flying, I recommend you to start with Bell 47 G2( I got 250 hr) and then from semi-rigid to full articulated blades to Hughes 300-C (got 300 hr on this one) this is the way I got my ticket. Stay away from R22,R44 they are very "fragile". You are Fantastic person and don't give it up to be Helicopter Pilot just get right equipment, good luck !............ Wes from NJ.
Perhaps this is for the best, a "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade" situation. It may require more hours and time away from home, but at least the GI Bill will help, and you may be better off in the long run with the additional training.
