Yesterday was a proud one for the helicopter division of East Coast Aero Club. Brad Pretzer and Dale Zeskind passed their checkrides and added helicopter ratings to their existing pilot’s certificates. Paul Cantrell, Mike Rhodes, and I were relieved, but not surprised, when Don Cody (16,000-hour helicopter hero and FAA designated examiner) blessed our students’ 180-degree autorotations, slope landings, confined area approaches, etc. Paul Edmonds had come up from Florida to learn how to fly the Robinson R44, so we had a lunch to celebrate his SFAR 73 pilot-in-command signoff and the new ratings for Brad and Dale.
I’d like to thank Brad (Boeing 767 pilot) and Dale (Beechcraft Baron instrument flying hero) for being such easy students to teach and Paul and Mike for their supervision and assistance through this process. As a novice CFI, it is great to have the experience of 10- and 20-year CFIs available in the same hangar. I also should thank the guys who trained me for my CFI: Paul Cantrell, Jeroen Alberts, and Ben Fouts. Thanks are also owed to Josh Maciejewski, who got the school rolling with a summer of hard work, and Mark Holzwarth, for keeping East Coast Aero Club operating for 20+ years. Mostly, I guess, we owe our lives and fortunes to Rob Brigham, the helicopter expert on the East Coast Aero Club maintenance team, as well as Adam Harris, Ross, Rick, and Greg.
Aviation is one thing that you can’t accomplish by yourself (at least not safely).
Photos:
- Philip, Brad, Alex, and Dale
- Philip and Paul
- stuffing Samoyed into helicopter: Phase1; Phase2
Is Alex wearing the harness he wears when in the Cirrus? I can’t tell what that red wire is, even though I was once aboard the Robinson.
I thought Alex objected to the shaking and noise of the helicopter (not my favorite, either). Does he have to be sedated?
I probably would have enjoyed the ride over Boston if I’d had a cup of wine — but because I had to drive back and forth from Cambridge with the four-year-old (endless questions — need all my faculties), couldn’t imbibe.
Famous quote (around our family) from Philip from 1992 when he visited our home in Cairo, Egypt, and spent a few days with his two nephews, ages 3 and 5: “I’m never having children. They ask too many questions.”
Alex was only in the helicopter for a photo, so he is not wearing his seat belt. The red leash is just his leash. He hasn’t been in the helicopter yet because the only long trips that I’ve done in helicopters were ferry flights from the California factory back to Boston. I don’t think he would mind the R44; it is quieter inside than the Cirrus, I think, due to the reduced airspeed (110 knots instead of 150).