Posts by user "Chiefttp" [Posts: 10 Total up-votes: 15 Page: 1 of 1]ΒΆ

Chiefttp
February 12, 2025, 12:43:00 GMT
permalink
Post: 11826692
From a US Military helicopter pilot. I asked him if there were lateral limits to these helicopter routes? Here’s his answer,
There are routes and zones around DC. The routes you have to stick to, if you need to deviate laterally you're supposed to get permission to deviate. The zones, you can fly wherever your heart pleases but you have yo stay below the maximum altitude. You're never supposed to go above the altitude listed on the map.

As for the lateral confines for the routes, they're marked on the map buy a solid blue line. Otherwise known as the route.

Last edited by T28B; 13th February 2025 at 15:13 . Reason: fixed bad formatting

Subjects: None

2 recorded likes for this post.

Reply to this quoting this original post. You need to be logged in. Not available on closed threads.

Chiefttp
February 16, 2025, 23:48:00 GMT
permalink
Post: 11829547
The debate about how the altimeters could have been calibrated wrong seems like they are looking for an excuse that most pilots won’t believe.

Subjects: None

1 recorded likes for this post.

Reply to this quoting this original post. You need to be logged in. Not available on closed threads.

Chiefttp
February 17, 2025, 14:24:00 GMT
permalink
Post: 11829932
Those helicopter routes NO NOT HAVE LATERAL BOUNDRIES. According to a few military helicopter pilots I spoke to, there is no listed lateral BOUNDARIES outside of common sense and following the charted route. , but there are HARD ALTITUDE BOUNDARIES.

Subjects: None

1 recorded likes for this post.

Reply to this quoting this original post. You need to be logged in. Not available on closed threads.

Chiefttp
February 17, 2025, 20:46:00 GMT
permalink
Post: 11830143
Just to clarify, The Military helicopter pilots I spoke to told me that when you fly one of these “routes” you adhere to the Altitudes, and laterally, you just fly along the route. In this case it would be along the Eastern shoreline, not the center of the river…

Subjects: None

No recorded likes for this post (could be before pprune supported 'likes').

Reply to this quoting this original post. You need to be logged in. Not available on closed threads.

Chiefttp
May 01, 2025, 19:56:00 GMT
permalink
Post: 11876695
BFSGrad,

I saw that interview as well. I still find it hard to believe that after many years flying, to only accumulate 400 hrs seems very low to me. But maybe flying DC dignitaries and politicians isn’t considered a special assignment. At no time in my 28 years in the military did I see brand new pilots assigned to those type VIP squadrons.

Subjects: None

No recorded likes for this post (could be before pprune supported 'likes').

Reply to this quoting this original post. You need to be logged in. Not available on closed threads.

Chiefttp
May 02, 2025, 16:59:00 GMT
permalink
Post: 11877260
Originally Posted by Euclideanplane
I have supervised a PhD in Statistics, and I assure you they have an amount of training and certification requirements that supersede most professional pilots.
I\x92m sure they do, as far as training and certifications, however the big difference between Pilots and other professionals is anybody with a modicum of intelligence can study, train, and earn multiple degrees in a given subject or profession. The difference is a Pilot must also execute \x93physically\x94 what he studied in a book \x93mentally\x94. For example, You can read a book about Pele, or Michael Jordon, or a Red Arrow pilot, where they describe what you need to do to become a superstar athlete,or a Red Arrow, but can you actually score a basket or goal in a professional soccer match, or fly 18 inches from another Jet? Big difference\x85.so I\x92m not impressed with certifications and degrees as much as some folks are.

Subjects: None

2 recorded likes for this post.

Reply to this quoting this original post. You need to be logged in. Not available on closed threads.

Chiefttp
February 18, 2026, 03:17:00 GMT
permalink
Post: 12038952
The Helicopter Pilot flying the helicopter flew 56 hours the previous year prior, a little more than 4.5 hours per month! Only 4.4 hours in the previous 60 days! And She was on a checkride! Any military pilot will attest to the fact that when your due a checkride you try to get some practice flying prior to the checkride. I guess all the additional duties precluded that .Tough to stay proficient flying so little…..

Last edited by Chiefttp; 18th February 2026 at 03:49 .

Subjects: None

5 recorded likes for this post.

Reply to this quoting this original post. You need to be logged in. Not available on closed threads.

Chiefttp
February 18, 2026, 13:19:00 GMT
permalink
Post: 12039167
I was just quoting from the final report, Page 12“

”with 56 hours in the previous year and

4.4 hours in the previous 60 days. The pilot had 136 hours of NVG time, 2.9 hours of

which were in the previous 60 days.”

Last edited by Chiefttp; 18th February 2026 at 14:14 .

Subjects Final Report  Night Vision Goggles (NVG)

Links are to this post in the relevant subject page so that this post can be seen in context.

No recorded likes for this post (could be before pprune supported 'likes').

Reply to this quoting this original post. You need to be logged in. Not available on closed threads.

Chiefttp
February 19, 2026, 14:01:00 GMT
permalink
Post: 12039715
Island Airphoto,
NVG\x92s are vision enhancers, by multiples at night. Also, This was an evaluation flight/checkride, so the other pilot was performing EP duties, not IP duties. She wasn\x92t a student on this flight, She was to act as the PIC\x85.

Subjects: None

4 recorded likes for this post.

Reply to this quoting this original post. You need to be logged in. Not available on closed threads.

Chiefttp
February 20, 2026, 10:23:00 GMT
permalink
Post: 12040136
Island Airphoto,
Agree with your comment about NVG blooming and excessive cultural lighting in the DC area, far from ideal. In this case it would be interesting to see if identifying other airborne traffic is enhanced with NVG’s or diminished. I always felt my vision was enhanced, especially looking at airborne traffic, even with an excess of cultural light. Having said this, if the traffic your trying to ID is not the correct aircraft, the advantages of NVG’s are a moot point.

Subjects Night Vision Goggles (NVG)

Links are to this post in the relevant subject page so that this post can be seen in context.

No recorded likes for this post (could be before pprune supported 'likes').

Reply to this quoting this original post. You need to be logged in. Not available on closed threads.