Styrofoam weights

Other pilots have heard me say, you can be a 1000-hour pilot, or you can fly the same hour 1000 times… 

I wrote to the team:

My goal was to support them in becoming a diverse 1, 2, 3, 4, 5000-hour helicopter pilot. That said, in our organization, we fly similar hours for a lot of our flight time. This is intentional. At an organizational level, we’ve created standards for the foundational/minimum level of proficiency necessary to operate our helicopters (our recurrent requirements – semi-annual procedure minimums, regular evaluations, recurrent training flights, an annual simulator course, etc.). 

These requirements are fundamental to our standardization and safety. We need to be “brilliant at the basics”.  However, unless we are satisfied with mediocre (proficient in the basics), we must augment these recurrent requirements with some additional professional development. Chief pilots in our organization must emphasize a scenario driven upgrade program, a local advanced training program, varied hoist training platforms, short term inter-service exchange opportunities, etc. in order to encompass our “why” – to “develop versatile and skilled aviators capable of serving others and with the knowledge and passion to train the next generation of CG rotary wing aircrews.” Organizationally, it is critical to invest in things like rotary wing power management training, foreign exchange programs, and most importantly, our Advanced Helicopter Rescue School, which is responsible for 30 years of positive iteration in our craft and the reason I have the pleasure to fly in an organization that is one of the premiere helicopter rescue services in the world. However, when push comes to shove you, as a professional pilot and a leader of our crews, need to prevent stagnation in aircrew development.

At times, aircrews leave some training gain on the table. They’ll go through the motions on another recurrent trainer or just shoot the breeze in the helicopter during a routine patrol, missing valuable opportunities to improve as individuals and a crew. In my experience, these missed opportunities are a consequence of a desire to stay comfortable. It takes effort to prepare for a flight. Be transparent and curious in seeking out your knowledge and skill gaps, organize scenario discussions, plan maneuvers and manage risk accordingly.Our infinite potential resides outside of our comfort zone. 

A great analogy (credit to Steve Chandler) is going to the gym to lift styrofoam weights. Why would someone do that? That is ludicrous. Let’s avoid that style of professional development. Instead grind, strengthen your weakness, and sharpen your strengths. – Spiral up