The Adventures of Chopper Chick!

A birthday gift from Mammoth to me!!!! LOL. Maybe I should go for a day. lol

2011-05-17T13:43:00.000-07:00

Endless Winter

Endless Winter 2011 is still going strong: another 4 inches of fresh fell on the mountain overnight, bringing our 3-day total to 12". It's still snowing in Mammoth and more is expected over the next few days. But, there'll be a break in the weather on Thursday and Friday - perfect for a quick drive!

With a base depth of 10.5-19 FEET of snow, Mammoth has a lot of skiing and snowboarding left this season -- we're the only resort in the U.S. open daily through July 4th this season.

The Mega Memorial Weekend Party is less than two weeks away! We're bringing the beach party to the mountains with snow volleyball, DJs, live music, BBQ's, drink specials and more. For the truly brave, you can prove your skills to the crowd on a mechanical bull. Head over to MammothMountain.com for all the details.

Chopper Chick embarks on some new adventures..........

2011-05-15T12:23:00.000-07:00

I haven't had any time to blog these past months as I've been not only working nonstop flying a ton of news here in Los Angeles, but I've started some new projects as well. I had started my IFR training, but that has been put on hold due to both myself being too busy and my instructor's availability on my only days I have free hasn't been working for us.

I've also been gearing up for fire season, getting on with new companies and getting started with a new side job outside of flying, more on that in a bit.

I will be flying fires this summer but unfortunately I will not be blogging much about that if at all for privacy reasons for the companies I will be working for. So having said that.......I am starting a new little side job from home.

After years of watching my some of my non-pilot friends enjoy their time off and countless trips and travel, I became curious as to how they seemed to have so much free time and not have to punch a time clock 5 days a week at work. They seem to have it all, free time and the money to go with. For me it's always been no work equals free time, but no work equals no money. LOL. Story of all our lives right?

Well, being a skeptic myself about selling products to your friends and family, I never wanted to push products on people I know. After seeing the success of one of my closest friends I became even more curious and decided to try those products she sells. After being on this product for the past month, I kid you not, I really have seen results and feel a difference.   Yeh, yeh, I know, you think I'm now this crazy sales pitch person, and maybe so, but if you're willing to take a shot at it like I have, you have nothing to lose. This product is 100% completely refundable if you decide after 30 days you do not care for it.

So I gave it a try, and I'm hooked on the results. Now, you ask what is this product. Being the health freak that I am, I do not like anything artificial, no sugar, no chemicals, you know the story, completely natural. For the most part. It does come in a can and also in a plastic bottle, so yes it doesn't grow on trees the way I like to eat my vegan way, but this is an all natural product that makes you feel great!

I am selling energy drinks and a vitamin/mineral supplement.   Working the long and weird hours that I work even on a healthy diet, I was always left feeling drained and tired every day. I'm not a fan of energy drinks. I can't stand the taste or the junk that's in them. I don't believe in taking supplements loaded with sugar and chemicals. This energy drink has non of that in it. It's 100% all natural and it works! The vitamin/mineral supplement is really my favorite, more so then the energy drink. I've always been the kind of person that takes a ton of vitamins and supplements every day anyway since I don't always have time to eat the proper amount of fruits and veggies to get all my nourishment. So now instead of downing a handful or two of pills, I get it all in one liquid shot! So much easier and tastier.

This vitamin drink comes in a shot size and I mix it with my energy drink and start every day with both of these combined. It's actually kind of fun for me to drink this since I'm all about how the product is served. I have fun with mine by pouring the two in a fancy glass. I look forward to my tasty yet healthy drink every morning. I'm like a dog waiting for her treats or that morning walk each day. lol.

I have found that by having all the nutrients I need, I am less hungry, have less cravings for certain bad foods since now my body is not lacking in minerals that it needs every day. I also have more energy and just an overall sense of well being knowing that what I am taking is really good for my body. Now, the bonus!  I love this product so much that I want to share it with everyone and by doing that, I am now a seller of the product which now has become a lucrative side income along side my flying.

For years I have wanted to always have some other side income outside of flying so I could make extra money but just couldn't figure out what job would not require a considerable amount of time since flying is my full time job. I thought about so many other kinds of jobs I could do but they all seemed to take too much of my time which as a pilot, there's not much free time. lol. Selling this product does not take alot of time, so if you want to make money and feel great this is a great opportunity for all of us to have that cool side job you've always wanted.

For my good friend, this is her life, she works from home, very little time each month and does not have a full time job. This is it for her! I can't wait for the day when I am selling enough product that I can fly part time and not have to work 5 days a week for the rest of my life. I'll never walk away from flying as it is my passion, but having a lucrative side job will certainly make life more enjoyable as we all could use alot more money in our lives. So if anyone is interested just let me know and I will soon post the link to my website where you can get started and give this product a try and start selling it yourself. :-)

Once you try it and decide you like it, you start selling it, spread the word, and it just takes off from there, the more the product gets out, the more money you will make, the more your friends will make, and everyone will benefit. It's a win win for everyone. :-)

2011-04-24T15:28:00.003-07:00

2011-04-24T15:28:00.001-07:00

2011-04-23T23:11:00.001-07:00

PHPA's Lunch & Learn Event

2011-03-27T15:29:00.001-07:00

We had a great turn out yesterday. Somewhere over 50 people came out for our event held at Burbank Airport just outside Atlantic Aviation sponsored by Hollywood Helicopters.

Pat Carey, Tom Short, and myself were the three speakers at the event. Pictured here is Bill Graham who hosted. We did lose a few guests early due to the cold temps outside as I think they had planned on the event being inside and were not dressed for the outside, but overall it was a huge success.

More events to come! Including the Heroes Airshow at Hansen Dam in July that I am supposed to fly into with our SKY 9

2011-03-27T15:28:00.001-07:00

Pat Carey talking about airspace

2011-03-27T15:26:00.001-07:00

PHPA's tent of guests was packed. Most were standing outside or seated in additional seats just outside.

2011-03-27T15:06:00.000-07:00

Tom Short of L.A. County Fire speaking at PHPA's Lunch and Learn

And so it finally begins..........

2011-03-24T21:32:00.001-07:00

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After 21 years of flying helicopters without an Instrument Rating, I'm finally adding my Instrument Rating to my certificate! Pretty much all of my colleagues and friends who started flying helicopters a while back have never had the need for their instrument rating unless pursuing an EMS career. And all of the long time fire pilots I've met over the years on fires and become friends with do not have their IFR either. It was just one of those ratings not needed then. Over the past five years or so I watched many of my long time buddies finally add their Instrument Rating to their certificate since the recent economy where jobs have been going away. More pilots were forced into markets that now require an Instrument rating where before they and myself have been in markets that did not require it.

Just the other day another pilot friend of mine and I were talking and I discovered even more long time helicopter pilots that do not have their instrument rating. I had no idea. lol. They have all been tossing the idea around about getting it because Insurance Companies will give operators a discount if their pilots have the Instrument Rating.

When you talk to younger, newer helicopter pilots, they always are shocked and in disbelief that we do not have our Instrument. lol. Things are always changing, and now when you sign up for flight school, it's unheard of to not get the Instrument Rating if you are going to pursue helicopter flying as a career. So basically for those non pilots reading this, all newer pilots have their Instrument Ratings.

Today I did my first sim flight. Actually, FTD (flight training device). Spent over and hour just getting used to flying something that has no actual movement but the screen moves as well as fully functioning instruments, so it felt like relearning flying all over again, or at least a new kind of flying. Currently with my work schedule and other obligations I will probably only train a couple to a few times a week, but this is far more then I have ever spent training as compared to when I first learned to fly with only a few lessons a month that I could afford. Hopefully I can knock this out in the next couple of months or less. :-)

My heart goes out to Japan now

2011-03-11T11:11:00.000-08:00

What a wild night. Spent most of our eve chopperazzi'ing over Sheen's mansion with all the other news birds all the while, watching on our chopper TV the mass destruction in Japan. Our morning crews have been guarding the coast line watching for waves and water recession like in the last tsunami watch. These large scale quakes need to stop. Too many in such a short time. Too many lives lost.

Very funny ending to a long police pursuit turned following in the end.....

2011-03-09T13:13:00.001-08:00

Feb. 28, 2011

Very funny ending to a very long police following that Derek Bell and I both covered with a suspect walking and smoking what looked like a crack pipe in the end. I like to refer to him as young heff since he was strolling along in his bath robe. Best interview of a suspect ever in the end....COPS "are you on anything right now?" YOUNG HEFF "just just marijua....., no, no...no, no, i haven't, no, no"

Pursuit Live on KCAL Friday, March 4, 2011

2011-03-08T11:07:00.001-08:00

Wild pursuit week!

2011-03-05T23:08:00.000-08:00

Seems like we had responded to more pursuits just this last week then we usually do. Thanks to my friend Troy he had posted theses photos that he took off the TV from last nights pursuit, so I thought I would share. Thanks Troy.

Upcoming PHPA Event at Burbank Airport!!!! Come join us!!!! Copy of Flyer below......

2011-03-05T21:27:00.000-08:00

GOT EXPERIENCE?

PHPA “Lunch and Learn”

Student Pilots, Pilots interested in advancing your careers. Join Pilots with many years of diverse experience willing to answer your questions.

Experienced Pilots, Come socialize with your Colleagues and share your experiences with up-and-coming Pilots.

Saturday March 26, 2011, 1100-1400

Listen to the “Voices of Experience”

Key-Note Speakers:

Tom Short

Senior Pilot, Los Angeles County Fire Dept.

Desiree Horton

ENG, Fire, and Vertical Reference Pilot

Sponsored By The PHPA and Hollywood Helicopters

Hollywood Helicopters at Atlantic Aviation, BUR

10750 Sherman Way, Burbank, CA 91505

(Fly-Ins welcome on the Atlantic Ramp)

Admission to this event is free for Student Pilots

possessing a current Student Pilot Certificate.

This event is FREE to current PHPA members. $20.00 for adult guests, and $10.00 for guests under 12. All guests must be accompanied by a current PHPA member or pay $40.00 at the door and become a PHPA member.

If joining the PHPA at the door, you will receive membership in the PHPA, good through June 30, 2012.

RSVP, before March 22nd, and receive 2 free raffle tickets. RSVP by e-mail to rsvp@phpa.org, with the name(s) of those attending. You can also RSVP by phone to the PHPA message center (213) 891-3636 with the name(s) of those attending and a telephone number, (Please speak clearly).

Sponsored By The PHPA and Hollywood Helicopters

We’ll see you on March 26th.

PHPA - P.O. Box 7059 - Burbank - CA -91501

213-891-3636

http://www.phpa.org/

Chopperazzi over Charlie's

2011-03-03T12:16:00.000-08:00

Few nights ago it was quite the scene, all of us news choppers hovering over Charlie Sheen's house shortly after his kids were taken away. The residents had to have been up all night with the sound of every news copter in L.A. overhead. Very sad story. Watching the video the next day on TV of the kids crying for their dad as they were taken away was disturbing. This happens to many families but we never see it. We are only witnessing it because these kids belong to a famous person who unfortunately is in a bad situation. I can only hope that he and his ex get it together soon so their kids have a somewhat normal life. I hope the kids are with relatives at least. I have not heard anything on the news about their whereabouts so far. So sad.

Helicopter Pilots and Jet Pilots, NOT FOR KIDS to listen to, lot's of F words

2011-03-03T12:11:00.001-08:00

Very Funny Stuff!!!!!

ahhhh, crazy busy month, almost about to slow down

2011-03-01T09:59:00.000-08:00

been flying a ton in sweeps every day this past month. sweeps will be over on wednesday. should start to slown down. for those of you who asked if i was flying a certain bird, i have only been flying for ch. 2 and ch. 9 m-f for sweeps. i did fly for helinet just this last saturday. was very cool to pick up some extra work with them. then just sunday i flew frost down in thermal and saw so many pilots i had not seen in a while, was like a reunion, so much fun. we didn't end up flying frost that night so i got some sleep then off to work the next day back with kcal/kcbs. so thankful and happy to be working so much. :-)

chicks in da choppa

2011-02-23T19:29:00.001-08:00