Why is helicopter time ingored?

[Oh-ryan]

Why do helos have to taxi to/from helo pads or runways. I understand if they are executing a SID or have just completed an IFR approach. I get a chuckle everytime I see it when the guy is on a VFR flight plan. I understand you can't have helos springing up all over the place whenever they feel like it, but come on... why does ATC make it complicated... when they ask for clearance give it to them so they can get the heck out of there. Don't make me "give way to the Bell 212 taxiing on foxtrot"

 

[Cobra]

Why do helos have to taxi to/from helo pads or runways. I understand if they are executing a SID or have just completed an IFR approach. I get a chuckle everytime I see it when the guy is on a VFR flight plan. I understand you can't have helos springing up all over the place whenever they feel like it, but come on... why does ATC make it complicated... when they ask for clearance give it to them so they can get the heck out of there. Don't make me "give way to the Bell 212 taxiing on foxtrot"

Well, at times 48,000 pounds of thrust can sometimes be abit much for certain objects while air taxiing

 

[Quimby]

I worked for Air Logistics. They didn't have a problem with my fixed wing experience. Neither one of the regionals I worked for had problems with my sling wing time. Majors have been a different story (CAL seems to be the most friendly of all-at least for military rotary types).

I flight instructed to build my initial starch wing time. Bouncing around in cessna 152's and 172's doesn't even compare with the rotary wing experiences I have encountered. That is: From a technical standpoint, the amount of SA that is required, and the high degree of CRM and crew coordination that is required. Hand flying an ILS in a light airplane is a piece of cake compared with flying an ILS in a rotary wing aircraft.

For some reason outfits like SWA or AA seems to think that doing multiple traffic patterns in a Cessna 152 is better time than flying night time combat missions, looking through a 1.5"x1" display positioned over a single eyeball and having that as your sole source to fly the aircraft with, and in the mean time trying to not fly into your wingman or the ground while trying to shoot the bad guy and not the good guy. Oh, and if those aren't enough compound complications, did I mention this thing was a helicopter too?

OH, and for you guys who didn't get the jist of the thread; nobody here is saying that helo time should count the same as Part 121 turbojet time. But come' on, Cessna 152 time being counted as total time and not decent helo time? Maybe I could understand this if a guy was giving $20 dollar helo rides in a Bell 47 at the yearly county carnival and that is what the bulk of his helo time consisted of.

This pervasive mindset is pretty dam stupid if you ask me.

Do you really think anyone is getting job interviews & offers (at AA & SWA in your example) because of some extra TT from flying t & go's years ago?

Come on now, I know you know this industry better than that....

 

[Thedude]

For some reason outfits like SWA or AA seems to think that doing multiple traffic patterns in a Cessna 152

I seem to remember that the scantron I filled out for AA back in '98 had a breakout for helo time and little airplane time too. That was a few beers ago but I am pretty sure, I am correct

 

[fastback]

I can say with a clear conscience that I had more fun in half an hour in a Robbie 22 than in any of the two thousand hours I've spent in an airplane with my pants on.

 

[Cobra]

Do you really think anyone is getting job interviews & offers (at AA & SWA in your example) because of some extra TT from flying t & go's years ago?

Come on now, I know you know this industry better than that....

Come' on man. You too are missing the spirit of the issue that's being debated here. Until you have walked a few yards in the shoes we're talking about then maybe you would understand.

 

[Quimby]

I think I've got a clear grasp on the debate. But the "152 time" angle just sounds like something I'd expect to read in a USA Today article. You & I both know the folks getting on far exceed any mins right now, and the light a/c pattern & training time isn't even close to being a factor.

 

[Klako]

When applying for a major airline job, having helicopter time in your log book is like having VD in your medical records.

 

[lookin4better]

Im not complaining......it was just a question to see what people out there thought.....yes CAL is friendly to the RW time! One of the best comments on here was : it should be counted WITH a good amount FW time to back it up ;-) and they do. AND I guess I mis-titled the thread , I should have used 'by some' in there somewhere.

 

[Russ]

"going 15 miles from MCAS Tustin to the ranges at Pendleton VFR"

That's going old school. Bunch of youngsters looking up Tustin now, wondering where it is.

Cobra
If SWA gives me the nod, its because of the 6000 hours of flying that is almost exactly like what they do on a daily basis. Pretty sure they don't care about my piston time from the early 90's. I think all of your helo time should be counted. You have a valid point about it, just don't denigrate those who happen to agree with you that came up the civilian flying route. They may make the long term decisions that effect helo pilots collectively.