Pilot fighting wildfire killed in helicopter crash west of Edmonton: RCMP

If I authorized a clearance during my dispatching career and an member of the crew was killed, I don't think I could live with it - I'm fortunate no one died under my control. I did have incidences where I had to call in helicopters to save lives.

This incident had me worried. I considered the guy who died may have been you as its within your territory.

"UCOR" The "Unified Code of Operating Rules" - Know it inside out - It saves lives and the Bible in respect to Transportation.

I had to go to school for 2 months every 3 years just to keep up with the amendments in spite of constant updated office memorandums.

I'm sure their will be an amendment to the UCOR after the investigation into the death of this pilot.

A Traffic Controller's life is an extremely Hi-Pressured and Nerve Racking - Not many are suited for it.

We are not on the ground but we give the orders - Transportation Canada does stipulate that Controllers physically inspect territories every 3 years. I was licensed to Dispatch 7 territories in Ontario and being a relief Dispatcher was on call any time within 24 hours after 8 hours rest. I was lucky to get 8 hours sleep between shifts. You required at least 20 years in service to hold a steady Day, Afternoon or a Midnight shift - That was repetitive boredom - At least you were in one location with 16 hours of rest between shifts for 5 days and you got national holidays off. There were very few jobs in my field. No one could take orders from just anyone. Your name had to be registered.

Shift work destroyed my sleep habits. Even to this day - I don't know when to sleep and find myself still doing a night shift - I have no idea what day or night is and have no clue what a National holiday is.

Most Transportation Controllers burn out before 10 years of service. I did for 18 years before I had enough.

Guess what I was 36 when I quit and got married at 38 - Hard to say which was more grueling - Gotta say the job paid extremely well but then my Wife spent it all - LOL

I hear it's Canada Day tomorrow - Forget it - I would be at work - Social life be damn.

Jim: you could not get Air Born without orders and clearance from a Registered Dispatcher while operating under the UCOR Canadian Transportation Rules and the Train Engineer or Pilot also has to be registered.

Kinda hard to explain what we do being bound to Canadian Transportation Operation Safety Rules. It's designed to save lives.

We have a Union but CAN we go on Strike being Essential Workers - NEVER - Yet we as individuals train and pass Gov't scrutiny and are paid simply offering our services for the rich to get richer, political corruption with no regard.

I could make a 1 second mistake (Actually its 5 minutes) with my orders were a person gets killed and I will be fired and charged with murder from the time I give clearance like RGD (Real Good Dispatcher) followed by the time and my initials which is a legal bond it the eye's of the law.

And if we delay a Hi-Value load we face an inquiry and smitten with Brownies and enough Brownies can lead to dismissal and being fired.

Scary, Dangerous and Nerve Racking Profession to be involved with Gov't regulated Transportation.
Makes you wonder why some Dispatchers will push the limits, that will confuse men in the field in order to NOT delay a Hi-Priority Express shipment. Been there done that and thankful it's over - Yet I can not go to sleep without thinking about being at the Dispatch Traffic Control Desk playing GOD 35 years later. One of my lines as a Train Dispatcher to an Air Traffic controller: For God's sake Man (Woman) do your job, authorize and give clearance for Helicopter into my territory - Lives depend on it.

Granted if there was no Chief Dispatcher you had to take matters in to your own hands - I have been a Chief Dispatcher on numerous shifts. Most likely on Holiday weekends when older more experienced colleges with more seniority have the day off.

There's something WRONG: 2304 and 40 seconds/RGD.
 
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For shit sake when you can not get a hold of your Superiors to consult a situation as they will not answer their pagers, not even the RCMP or SCIS - Most probably because they are all drunk on new years eve (In the 80's). I had all 3 Hi-Priority Express trains robbed at gun point in my territory at Ferland - Just imagine what the crews were going through. We all agreed they had rifles - Just let them do their thing - "Stay Safe" and put the trains back together after their done - Here's a Rule 266 Copy that "Time"/RGD.

I did manage to contact a Girl Operator in Flagstaff Arizona regarding what was happening but she could not get through to anybody of authority either, I kept her connected - I don't know if she believed what she was hearing - LOL

We made it through the episode with no casualties - There was never a mention in the Canadian News regarding the biggest train robbery in Canada history and I was Commander in Chief and did not get fired.

In the spring when doing my mandatory review of the territory, I specifically told the crew of train to set me off at the Jack Fish River Bridge where I watch Float Plane after Float Plane loading cargo from the Reserve.

The Natives knew who I was and needless to say we got rather drunk parting for a few days and I missed most my territorial coverage. Who the F%@K cared. No doubt rich people arguing with their Insurance Co's and the Canadian Gov't had a dither.

I love Northern Ontario and her People ;o)
 
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Jim:
Considering the robbery happened on a New Years night on a Reservation, I can't stop thinking it was an inside job - Someone with access to train schedules, manifests and way bills as they knew exactly when and what to hit ;o)

The Canadian National Railway (CNR) is a Gov't owned Railway and it was all hushed up to save embarrassment for the incumbent Political Party.

I never did or want to know the leak.

I really feel for that Hello-Pilot and his Family plus the Dispatcher (Traffic Controller) that issued the orders under watch.

Between the Engineer or Pilot and Dispatcher there's a trust as we are always in communication (Hopefully) to get the job done Safely.

With all our advanced tech, communications can fail and then we are left to our own interruption of the UCOR.
 
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I watch "Air Crash Investigations" on TV. I find the technical side of aviation very interesting. I know air travel is a very safe way to travel, but that show is almost enough to put you off flying.
Aircraft designers, maintainers and air crew keep coming up with new ways to crash aircraft despite the advances in technology. But hopefully the number of crashes per mile flown is always decreasing.
 
My 16yo sone laughs at my interest in the 'daggy' Air Crash Investigations! I too like the thinking and science behind the hunt for causes. My dad died in his RAAF Gloucester Meteor in 1955 - maybe my fascination stems from having a father who was gone before I was born.
 
Laverda SF said:
Shift work destroyed my sleep habits. Even to this day - I don't know when to sleep and find myself still doing a night shift - I have no idea what day or night is and have no clue what a National holiday is.
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yep .... same boat.

re. accidents though, it's fair to say that in the end most accidents are the pilot's fault but that is after the fact ... we all reach a point when shit just happens and you don't have control of the situation, as much as you are trained or capable. Way too many accidents are contributed to 'pilot error' after contributing factors have been ignored.

Then again, like every other profession, there are way too many 'not suited to the job' positions these days ... but that is our world now 😕
 
Have found in the Navy (and I guess in other services) that an over-reliance on automation has crept in. We always practiced operating systems in manual control for when the computers crashed.
Always 100% safety conscience on submarines with an old saying 'Submarines are not dangerous until you forget they are'. Suppose that stands for most things.
 
When I see video's of helicopters battling massive wildfires in B.C. I worry about you !

Looks like the Okanagan tourist trap. I much preferred the Kootneys.

I got family in Nelson: They own the Hume Hotel. Free room and board for me with a hitch ;o)

My jobs required that I travel Canada but now retired I don't have free passes anymore and think about the times when I was younger and all the beautiful people I've known ; in good times and hard times.

My Grand Mother was a Hume and taught me and my sister to do the Scottish Highland Sword Dance by 6 (1954) on her living room rug with real swords, kilts and fox furs ;o)

Being of Irish, Scott and Dutch descent, I really hate the sound of Bag Pipes but have to salute them - LOL

That Girl in the Red Kilt gets very close to the Swords, She's Great !
 
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1200 JOTA said:
re. accidents though, it's fair to say that in the end most accidents are the pilot's fault but that is after the fact ... we all reach a point when shit just happens and you don't have control of the situation, as much as you are trained or capable. Way too many accidents are contributed to 'pilot error' after contributing factors have been ignored.
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Pilots weigh a lot less than shares in Boeing or Airbus as well.

Paul
 
Ron, I have stayed at the Hume Hotel in Nelson B.C. A fantastically restored historic hotel in a really cool town in a beautiful location. And they found us a good parking spot for the motorcycles.
 
1200 JOTA said:
it's fair to say that in the end most accidents are the pilot's fault but that is after the fact ...
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Unless after the fact it turns out a faulty part failed and the pilot had nothing to do with it .....

I prefer to NEVER make a judgement until the investigation is complete as it rarely is even close to what the armchair analysts have to say.

I'm totally choked when someone dies because of a faulty part. In this case they have grounded at least 20% of this type of helicopter as they were found to have the same faulty part.

Jim
 
Jim: I love Nelson B.C. - Not that far from Napsuk, where Wolfgang lives, in the Kootneys. From 1970 to 73 I lived in B.C. and Alberta. Although I was attracted to the coast with her Islands and Orca's, I preferred the mountains. Winters can be rather harsh but I was a skier and photographer back then working for an American Co., Chromolex, a division of Photoroid.

I was armed with the best cameras and video equipment of the time. Although locally sponsored back in Ontario I had to buy my ski equipment in B.C.

Nothing like being young, eager and adventurous.
 
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Aviation fails....the global black market in inferior quality engine and airframe parts. I hope this
event cannot be traced to counterfeit parts. Jim,I'm assuming you're flying within short distance
of me and making a difference. Thanks.

Greg
 
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