The North Pacific Ocean is still producing massive storms, Even though it is Spring Time! Hawaii was bombarded with several late season swell episodes on the North Shore. Pipeline was the best ever even in May!

The Jet Steam has been over Oregon which translates into a natural storm track for these massive disturbances. Yesterday had heavy rain showers and gusts up to 25knots. Pretty mild but still sketchy.

The below video was taken during a lull in the squalls. Then I immediately returned to the hangar. I certainly don’t recommend flying in between squalls during a 450NM long frontal passage! But, I need to keep current ha ha!

Robinson makes a good little ship she handled the wind and weather very well.

Note: the wind sock is horizontal and the turbulence behind the hangars was interesting. Video always seems to understate the weather.

Named this video “Gale Warning!” Note the two flags in the YouTube Title:

Great choice of music! I would have watched you put it away and close the doors just for that! Keep them coming......

Ken is wantin to gogo wrote:Great choice of music! I would have watched you put it away and close the doors just for that! Keep them coming......

Thank you Sir!

My Adobe Premier crashed on my Microsoft Windows machine so I’m struggling with free editing software on an Android! My video is a hack, sorry about the abrupt ending! Hopefully, my learning curve will get better.

Note: There are some really weird free apps out for download. Be careful when choosing.

Aloha!!

Got out in the Water for the first time in two months Monday. I had planned to go down and bounce around the pattern in the Pacer. While checking Foreflight I decided to check surfline. OB ( San Diego ) was 4-5 foot ( Not Hawaiian 4-5 feet, California 4-5) I also noted the negative tide and started throwing board, towel, wetsuit and wax in the car.
A fun day was had by Me. Im glad I went in the ocean instead of the sky

sierrasplitter wrote:Got out in the Water for the first time in two months Monday. I had planned to go down and bounce around the pattern in the Pacer. While checking Foreflight I decided to check surfline. OB ( San Diego ) was 4-5 foot ( Not Hawaiian 4-5 feet, California 4-5) I also noted the negative tide and started throwing board, towel, wetsuit and wax in the car.
A fun day was had by Me. Im glad I went in the ocean instead of the sky

Excellent, 4-5’ is enough energy to have a great time!

Personally, flying satisfies my intellectual needs and surfing satisfies my spiritual needs. Right now, super heavy rain is hammering the Oregon Coast! Ocean is blown out and the State is towing cars and closing every freaking access point. In Hawaii access to ocean was never denied. Which promotes health, which proved undoubtedly to work. At least for me.

Keep the stoke Bradah!!! Mahalo for the updates...

Flying and mountain biking here (OK...an e mountain bike) are keeping me on an even keel. I feel guilty though

Speaking of surfing: on one of my trips to visit my X on the Big Island, I got up early and went to a black sand beach, that I don't recall the name of but do remember it as being very off the beaten track. Not a single other person was there, and it had a very strong undertow, which I had been warned about. Dead calm wind, and while I was doing my lame ass boogie boarding, I noted TWO water spouts about 1/4 to 1/2 mile off shore. They didn't seem to be moving much, and I just kept an eye on them and just chalked them up to the Hawaiian experience. The total lack of wind on the beach, the black sand, the undertow, and no other people, all made it one of the eeriest experiences.

courierguy wrote:Flying and mountain biking here (OK...an e mountain bike) are keeping me on an even keel. I feel guilty though

Speaking of surfing: on one of my trips to visit my X on the Big Island, I got up early and went to a black sand beach, that I don't recall the name of but do remember it as being very off the beaten track. Not a single other person was there, and it had a very strong undertow, which I had been warned about. Dead calm wind, and while I was doing my lame ass boogie boarding, I noted TWO water spouts about 1/4 to 1/2 mile off shore. They didn't seem to be moving much, and I just kept an eye on them and just chalked them up to the Hawaiian experience. The total lack of wind on the beach, the black sand, the undertow, and no other people, all made it one of the eeriest experiences.

I’m glad you mentioned mountain biking. It’s an excellent way to keep in shape for flying! I’m finding as I get older and sitting in the R44 for extended periods there is definitely a need to get sufficient exercise. We all must accept our endorphins need a boost.

Yes, Hawaii does on occasion get waterspouts!!! Typically not as violent as let’s say Tornado Alley in the midwest, however. The air needs to be unstable which does not happen very often. Because the Pacific High Pressure dominates the weather down there. Trade winds have an inherent stability and even an inversion at times. 90% of the time expect Trades.

Glad you didn’t have an issue staying safe in the water! Hawaii has a gentle “Siren Song” which has lured many to their demise.

I flew today, it was still gusting to 22Kts. I mean like windshear gusts from 10 to 22Kts! In the helicopter that means you must watch out for a drop out of ETL real quick with no warning. The R44 has plenty of power at sea level so I really have a great time in stronger winds. I was blessed to have trained well so far.

Tomorrow the Coast of Oregon is forecasted to be calm and clear! Lincoln County was OKed by the Governor to enter PHASE I reopening. So things are getting better.

I’m definitely landing off airport in some remote LZ tomorrow if all goes well!

This LZ (below picture) is called “No Name” only a helicopter or a boat can get here!

I finally had to google LTE to find out what that means in helicopter lingo. It brought back a 48 year old memory for me.

I was in the back seat of a Hughes 500. Heavy with four people on board, we were landing on the edge of a cliff at a fire lookout at 6100 feet elevation on a hot day. The engine suddenly went very quiet. We touched down soft as a feather. We asked the pilot, "What just happened". He replied "We just lost one of our variables".

After we got out he explained it as a touch down auto rotation. The helicopter had started to spin as he was coming to a hover so he just rolled the power off to stop that.

Edit: My bad, You used the term LTE in a different thread. It was ETL you mentioned in this one. I had to google that too.

tcj wrote:I finally had to google LTE to find out what that means in helicopter lingo. It brought back a 48 year old memory for me.

LTE generally is when the torque of the main rotor blades is too much for the tail rotor to control. “Loss of Tail-rotor Effectiveness”. Wind angel and DA can add to the issue.

tcj wrote: I was in the back seat of a Hughes 500. Heavy with four people on board, we were landing on the edge of a cliff at a fire lookout at 6100 feet elevation on a hot day. The engine suddenly went very quiet. We touched down soft as a feather. We asked the pilot, "What just happened". He replied "We just lost one of our variables".

You have a guardian angel my friend! Not a good time to lower torque! But, sometimes we need to.

tcj wrote: After we got out he explained it as a touch down auto rotation. The helicopter had started to spin as he was coming to a hover so he just rolled the power off to stop that.

Excellent pilot. Again, glad you made it!

tcj wrote: Edit: My bad, You used the term LTE in a different thread. It was ETL you mentioned in this one. I had to google that too.

ETL is “Effective Translational Lift”. Moving away from ships downwash.

Thank you for checking out the thread! I just got back with some early morning video....

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8GCBC said
"Excellent pilot. Again, glad you made it!"

Yes, he was a young Vietnam vet.

Backcountry flying and getting down below the RADAR:

“...it’s a hard life to live but it gives back what you give..”, " Ridin' the Storm Out" REO Speedwagon, 1973

Interesting morning...

Coast of WA, OR...AIRMET Low Level Wind Shears, Strong Surface Winds

As a weather front approaches, winds aloft were a little bit funky this morning. Experienced moderate turbulence at about 1000’ (and above) but, very calm on the surface. I was heading up to the mountains to do some off airport landings but decide to turn around because of the unstable air. I ventured from the airport because it was calm on the surface. Not good judgment, I should of heeded the AIRMET.

During the flight I recorded a short VIDEO (below) as a reminder to factor the forecasts even though they are wrong a lot of times around here.

My friendly neighbor, the MH-65 was working the pattern and the ILS also. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurocopter_MH-65_Dolphin 01:34 in below video:


NOTE: Winds aloft forecasted 50kts at only 3000’ MSL

Poor Dauphin. He’s trying so hard to be a real helicopter!

CamTom12 wrote:Poor Dauphin. He’s trying so hard to be a real helicopter!

The USCG Helicopters around here do not have ADSB. They see me on TCAS but, I do not see them with my equipment.

It’s a “real” helicopter when you need it! But, the range is very limited for the Pacific Ocean! Friendly folks however.

Are you PCS’n to Hawaii anytime soon?

Unfortunately no, heading to VA this fall!

CamTom12 wrote:Unfortunately no, heading to VA this fall!

I used to hang out at https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Belvoir. Friendly folks those Virginians. Good per diem, expensive however. Hope they give you more COLA!

I appreciate you following my copter threads. I have a lot to learn! Aloha!!