Pilot Techniques in Heavy Seas and Surf – 2 – Responsive and Smooth 

In Pilot Techniques in Heavy Seas and Surf – 1, we examined the qualities of effective hoisting: responsive, smooth, stable, and appropriately assertive. In this follow-up, I want to focus on the first two qualities, responsive and smooth, and share a couple of practical techniques that have helped me over the years. 

The psychological and physiological elements of aviator performance parallel athletic performance. As a competitive athlete early in my life, I learned that peak performance required a balance between relaxation and tension. Too relaxed, I reacted too slowly; too tense, my reactions were stiff and ineffective. Hovering a helicopter to hoist in a dynamic maritime environment requires the same balance; pilots need to be mentally sharp but, at the same time, physically relaxed. 

Breathing and tension are two cues that I concentrate on to help me stay relaxed in the helicopter.  In tense situations early in my flying career, I often caught myself holding my breath, shrugging my shoulders, and gripping the cyclic and collective with a full hand (trying to “squeeze the black out of them”). Not surprisingly, I was not flying smoothly or responding well to my flight mechanic’s conns. After more than 20 years of flying in challenging conditions, I have learned to control the MH-60T with no more than fingertip pressure. Even now, I occasionally need to remind myself: breathe slowly and deeply, drop the shoulders. When I reset with those small cues, my control inputs become smoother, my response to the flight mechanic’s conns improves, and the entire crew benefits from a more stable and effective platform.