Category: Auto-biographical (tuna helicopters)

A Blip on the Radar (Part 24 D) Part 24 D: “I’m good. I don’t need your help. Can’t you see that, numb nuts??” As we readied ourselves for another Tuna Boat take-off, I watched my… (student?)(candidate?)(ward?) carefully. My hands were very close to the controls. I knew, in my heart, that I didn’t trust…

A Blip on the Radar (Part 24 C) Part 24 C: “A local jolly over the Rain Forest” Needless to say, armed with my increasingly lengthy notes on my young friend’s “problem areas”, I started asking more and more theory questions. Especially aerodynamic theory. Why? Because these are Good Questions that have Good Answers. Which,…

A Blip on the Radar Part 24(B): “What I mean is that some people do stupid shit…” My new plan, formulated in all sincerity, was to postpone further flights until we got into port. I reasoned that perhaps he was getting so stressed up because he was (literally) at sea. I thought that if we…

A Blip on the Radar (see also www.tunaboathelicopters.org) Part 24 A: “I have CONTROL!…JESUS! “ Given a choice, I can’t imagine a Tuna helicopter company not much preferring a 5,000 hour pilot over a 500 hour pilot. Or a 2,000 hour pilot over a 200 hour pilot. I hired a few real high timers, 8,000…

A Blip on the Radar Part 23B: “Eggs and Psychopaths “ “Come into my parlor, said the Spider to the Fly; the place is very comfy, the ceiling nice and high. Your wings could do with leisure, they look quite beat to me come in and fill your measure of jam and toast for tea.…

(kind of a really BAD DAY) A Blip on the Radar Part 23A: “Birth of a Psychopath ”   Every so often, I would think of some useful word that I might need some day, in the execution of my duties, and look it up in my Chinese -English dictionary. Then I would go to…

A Blip on the Radar Part 22: He not like to eat with crew… I was doing a ‘holiday relief’ on a new boat. It just meant that the boat had a long time regular pilot, who was off on a three month break. I got to cover for him. It was a fine boat.…

A Blip on the Radar Part 21: Flipping the Bird Alcohol on tuna boats is all right. Up to a point. It lowers the inhibitions. Makes a good time easier. Helps you relax. Blow off steam. But there is a time and a place. Whilst in port, that’s one thing. Offshore, with serious work to…