Note: Anchorage native Rachel began keeping a diary of her helicopter flight training experiences when she started her flight training with Mauna Loa Helicopters. These are excerpts from her diary.

July 2009

At first I didn’t know where the rest of the money was going to come from, I didn’t know if my medical was ever going to be approved, and I didn’t really feel that worried about it. I should have been more worried about it but I had the confidence of someone walking into a romantic comedy with a bag of popcorn. Hawaii is the setting for a lot of feel-good movies. My life had joined the ranks. Like I had pointed out to those who noticed these serious flaws in my plan, “The risk is that I might end up broke in Hawaii. Somehow I think I could handle that.”

I was so nervous about that first flight. New airport new helicopter four months since I’d even touched one and I wanted to make a good impression on my intimidatingly-brilliant instructor. So that day I finally got to fly, it was drizzling a bit, half-cloudy half-beautiful, the sun streaking between the clouds the way it does on the cover of every inspirational pamphlet ever published by man. There was even a bit of a rainbow. Mike (aforementioned British instructor) seemed apologetic, like, your first flight in Hawaii and it’s raining, that sucks. I was like, no, this is incredible. I kept glancing out the side, incredulous that no door separated me from all this air distance freedom beauty. Nothing to apologize for.

Further flights and ground lessons and trips to the beach proved that this was definitely the best idea I’d ever had… ever. I mean, what’s credit for, if not to get in debt?

Note: Rachel started keeping a diary of her experiences flight training with Mauna Loa Helicopters. The diary begins in June of 2009 and is updated as Rachel progesses in her training.

June 30 2009

So a lot of my friends think I’m crazy. Like in an admiring kind of way, like gutsy-crazy, chasing the dream with all the will and force of my teeth and fingernails crazy. People ask me a lot, why helicopters, why now, why you? How do you get from doing highlight touch-ups and crew cuts to flying helicopters? The truth is it was a lot of dominoes. Like objects succumbing to gravity, everything fell into place. It felt like a dream at first.

My plane left at midnight on June 29, 2009. I’d arrive in Kona, Hawaii at noon on July first. That’s a five-hour flight, four-hour layover, and another five-hour flight, minus two hour time difference. I think in my mind Hawaii was a lot closer to Alaska than it really is. Hey, did you know? The Pacific Ocean is actually, like, big.

I fell asleep in the terminal at Seattle, and slept most of the flight in, next to honeymooners, while lei-decked flight attendants passed out customs declaration forms and pamphlets about all the great vacation activities. The first thing I noticed when I woke up in the latter portion of the flight was that outside my window was a whole lot of blue, bluesky blueocean blueeverything – I mean, Alaska is gorgeous, but I’d never seen it exhibit this sapphire shade. There was a thin band of paler blue demarking the horizon between the unbelievable blues. I couldn’t get over it. I felt like I needed to point it out to people, share in the reverie. It’s possible some of the majesty was elaborated by the fact that I was half-asleep in the middle of the day after staying up all night and then crashing on the plane, which isn’t a terribly refreshing kind of sleep, half still in dreamland.

When we landed in Kona, I looked out my window, and saw a lot of helicopters, like, more helicopters than I’d seen operated in one place before ever in my life. Robbies and 407s and unnamed larger impressive ones. Taxiing, taking off, doing cool helicopter things. I grinned like a fool. This was right.

Mauna Loa Helicopters allows novices and budding photographers to charter a helicopter for aerial photography.  And what better landscape to shoot from the air?  Whether it’s the snow-capped peaks of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, the verdant valleys along the Hamakua Coast, the stunning color and violence of erupting Kilauea Volcano, or the breathtaking perfection of Kauai’s Na Pali Coast, you’ll find some of the most memorable scenery on earth passing beneath you.

So you’ve made your reservation and today the weather is perfect.  The helicopter is ready and your pilot is eager to get started.  If you’re like many people, you’d like to take home some great images of this memorable event.  Whether you’re using a point-and-shoot camera or high end equipment with interchangeable lenses, there are some basic things to consider when shooting from a helicopter.

First, know your camera.  Although a helicopter generally flies slower than an airplane, things still happen fast once you’re airborne, so it pays to be familiar with your camera to avoid missing a terrific shot.  You should be able to switch from telephoto to wide angle without much fuss, to turn the flash on and off, and to adjust the shutter speed and/or aperture, if your camera allows.

You may want to shoot some images before you even get in the aircraft.  Follow your pilot as he does the preflight and see what angles and composition work best for the situation.  Ask your pilot to reciprocate and take a few shots of you seated in the aircraft.  Generally, he or she will be happy to oblige if time permits.

Once you’re airborne, you’ll have the aircraft vibration and motion to contend with as well as the wind coming through the open door.  A higher shutter or “film” speed setting and a wider angle on your lens can help minimize this.  Also, it’s never a bad idea to brace your arms against your chest while shooting to help reduce camera movement.

If your camera accepts filters, use a skylight filter to help reduce any haze that may be present, and a polarized filter to bring out the color of the sky.   If you see something of interest, ask your pilot to circle the area to allow you to shoot from different angles, comparing how the light plays off your subject.

Digital cameras offer the luxury of being able to take hundreds of images without changing disks.  Take advantage of this and shoot lots of photos.  Photographers for National Geographic magazine routinely shoot thousands of images for one pictorial, and these men and women are some of the most talented shutterbugs on the planet.  So take a cue from the pros and fire away.  You can edit the so-so shots later, but you’ll be pleasantly surprised to have many good shots from which to choose.

With a little planning and preparation, you can return home with some stunning images of Hawaii from the air.

P.J. O’Reilley
Honolulu Manager

Okay, you’ve decided that a career flying helicopters is for you. You’ve gone online to see what students and professionals are saying about flight training, you’ve studied the job prospects and you’ve done your homework and found a flight school with a good reputation that meets your personal criteria.

The next step in achieving your goal is to arrange suitable financing for your training. I’m going to take a wild guess here and assume that you don’t just happen to have 70- to 80-thousand dollars in a suitcase under your bed, and, unless you have a wealthy aunt who’s willing to underwrite your training, it will be up to the good graces of a lender to help you get where you want to go.

No matter what various schools will quote on their websites about the total expense of obtaining your private, commercial, certified flight instructor, instrument and instrument instructor ratings, it’s going to cost you about $75,000. No one’s trying to deceive you with low-ball figures: those optimistic estimated costs you find on websites are based on FAA minimums. But the overwhelming majority of helicopter students require more hours than the bare minimums required. Besides, you’re going to need at least 200 hours total time before you can start teaching anyway.

The costs for an R-22, fuel, oil, maintenance and labor do not vary tremendously across this country of ours, so when all’s said and done, most flight schools will cost roughly the same. One school may charge less per flight hour but charge more for other items that make the total expense similar to other schools.

How do you get the $75,000? We’re going to rule out the stocking-over-the-head/handgun solution to suggest the answer is probably with a lending institution. The more you know about the process the better. And that leads us to Step #1:

Read and study all that you can to develop a good understanding of the loan and lending process. Will you be able to pay it back? You must be thoroughly familiar not only with the terms and conditions of the proposed loan; you also must have a solid grasp of what will happen if you don’t fulfill your obligation to the lender. Failing to honor your commitment could ruin your credit for years to come.

Step #2: Once you understand what it takes to establish credit and how to properly complete a loan application, you’re going to want to shop around to see which lender will give you the best rate and terms. One lender that has proven popular with our students is Sallie Mae, the nation’s leading provider of student loans. Mauna Loa Helicopters enjoys a favored status with Sallie Mae in that they will allow MLH students an extended deferment for payback of the loan. In other words, the lender will allow you 36 months before you must begin repaying the loan; the normal grace period is 18 months.

Naturally, Sallie Mae isn’t the only game in town. It may be that your hometown bank or credit union will lend you the money for less. Another consideration is to enroll in an institution of higher learning, such as Utah Valley University, in order to take advantage of their avenues of financial aid. One nice thing about these loans is that students who remain enrolled can take up to 48 months before being required to begin repayment.

Alaska residents should investigate the Alaska Advantage program for training funds. You also may consider applying for any and all flight training scholarships that you discover. There’s more than one way to skin a cat, so be patient, be creative and consider all your options before making a commitment.

Step #3: When applying for a loan, be thorough and provide as much information as possible in completing your application. Missing information and incomplete applications are the main reasons loans are delayed. Naturally, your lender will request more information and documentation from you if there are any portions of the applications that are incomplete, but it holds up the process.

People often ask me how hard it is to learn how to fly helicopters and I answer, “The hardest part of the equation is coming up with the money to train.” Obtaining financing may be the most difficult maneuver you master, but it’s a necessary step in making your dream come true.

Winston Churchill once remarked that, “Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.”  Does it ever.  Having a positive attitude can lead to your ultimate success in helicopter flight training much more than intelligence, than circumstance, than skill, education, money or background.  A positive attitude towards your flight training can spark positive outcomes and extraordinary results.  And that same positive attitude can and will give you an edge through your entire flying career.

It’s practically unheard of in our flight school to encounter an individual who simply does not possess the ability to fly a helicopter.  Granted, it has occurred that the occasional student will give up and drop out, but that decision to quit has much more to do with the student’s attitude than it does with his or her skill.

The reverse also is true: a student faced with seemingly insurmountable hurdles can overcome those barriers and achieve success with a positive attitude.

In the time that I have been with Mauna Loa Helicopters, I’ve come to know dozens and dozens of would-be professional pilots.  From the 17-year old fresh out of high school right up to and including a gentleman in his late sixties, all express a desire to master helicopter flight.  And over the years it has become increasingly clear to me that those individuals who possess the right attitude have an overwhelming advantage over those who are taking up space and wasting time.  That’s because the quality and effectiveness of training absorbed by a student is directly proportional to how involved that student becomes in the process.

When a student shows up late for a session, unprepared, distracted and perhaps tired from a late night out, the behavior demonstrates a casual attitude towards the mission at hand.  Even if that student manages to ultimately graduate and land a flying job somewhere, the lackadaisical attitude will haunt his or her every working moment.

Compare that behavior with one that I see in a current student in Honolulu.  Brad (not his real name) is a reasonably bright guy who exhibits a genuine curiosity towards his training.  He frequently comes to the school, even if he’s not scheduled with an instructor, simply so he that can concentrate on his studies.  I found out yesterday that he’s been taping his flight lessons so that he can listen to each lesson later to try to find ways to improve what he’s doing.  With a winning attitude like that, Brad can expect great things in his future.  Even though he just soloed, he’s already a professional at heart.

Adopting a proper attitude and focusing on your training in a positive manner can and will work wonders.  Remember: excellence is not a skill, it’s an attitude.

P.J. O’Reilley
Honolulu Manager

MLH Instructor Drew Stringer sits behind the controls of a Robinson R44

Conventional wisdom has it that you won’t get picked up for your first “real” pilot job in aviation until you have at least 1,000 hours Pilot-In-Command (PIC) time.  Certainly employers have the right to require a modicum of experience among potential job candidates.  And most employers have insurance company guidelines and restrictions to deal with, so the 1,000-hour mark was not simply plucked from thin air.

The 1,000 hour requirement, however, can be a frustrating barrier for many.  After all, by the time you’ve completed your initial helicopter flight training and you’ve earned your Private, Commercial, Instrument, CFI and CFI-I ratings, you’re likely to have just 200 to 250 hours total time.  And that’s a long way from the magic 1,000 hour mark.

That’s why our prescribed path for future professional pilots includes working as an instructor for either Mauna Loa Helicopters or another flight school in order to build the additional time most employers are looking for.  This career path has met with success for many in the last few years.

However, there are indications that the job market for helicopter pilots is robust, even in these stark economic times, and that some employers are relaxing requirements in order to get pilots.  Former Mauna Loa Helicopters instructor Shelley Sailer had just over 600 hours when she was hired to do utility work in Alaska in an R-44.  Shelley has since graduated to flying A-Stars.  Cameron Walker, another former instructor, was hired to herd cattle in an R-22 when his logbook showed about 700 hours total time.  And fellow instructor Justin Fisher landed a job as a MD-500 pilot spotting fish for a tuna fleet in Micronesia.  Justin had just 400 hours when hired.

Please don’t get an unrealistic expectation about how soon you’ll be hired: there’s more to this story than an apparent loosening of the time-honored 1,000 hour requirement.  Each of these pilots could be described as a self-starter and exhibited an admirable determination to get started in their professional careers.  That meant combing websites such as JustHelicopters and VerticalReference for possible jobs, contacting people they had met in the aviation field, sending out resumes and, in general, doing whatever they could to find a place for themselves.

It may very well be that you remain an instructor until you’ve reached your 1,000 hours.  But with a little bit of diligence and hard work, you could get snapped up earlier by a grateful employer.  As with so many things in life, you get out what you put in.

P.J. O’Reilley
Honolulu Manager

Welcome to the new blog for Mauna Loa Helicopter training schools, hosted by the fine folks at WordPress.  Over the next few weeks, you will be getting insights into the world of helicopter training at Mauna Loa Helicopters in Hawaii.  If you’re going to learn to fly a helicopter, why not learn to fly in the most beautiful place on Earth?