The World Record Helicopter Team Flies Again
Monday, May 03, 2010 - By Travis Reid as told to Donna Reid
The World Record Helicopter Team lands at French Valley Airport in Murrieta, Calif. about an hour after its world-record-setting landing at LAX. Photo Courtesy of Donna Reid
When I was 16 years old, and two weeks shy of my private rotorcraft pilot rating, the USA Academy of Aviation in Murrieta, Calif. offered me the opportunity of a lifetime: flying with three other pilots (including USA's owner and multiple world speed records holder, Johan Nurmi) from San Diego to Savannah Hilton Head and back in an attempt to beat the existing record. The chance to fly almost nonstop across the country with the World Record Helicopter Team was so exciting; I thought nothing I'd ever do could possibly be more cool or challenging. And we beat the record, to boot. That was in 2008.
Then, Johan asked me to fly with the WHRT again this spring, on a similar route, this time from LAX (Los Angeles International Airport) with a goal of beating the existing record by 25 hours! I'd gotten my commercial rotorcraft rating just seven days earlier; I could afford to miss a few days of school; my always-supportive Dad said he'd subsidize it; and we would be flying to benefit St. Jude Children's Hospital. I had to go. This was an adventure I had to check out.
So, in the wee hours of the morning on April 9, 2010, backed by a big crescent moon and my mom's applause, chief pilot Johan Nurmi, Brent McNevin (owner of the Robinson R44 Clipper that we flew in) and I departed from French Valley Airport, and headed for L.A. International.
At LAX, we landed at the rooftop helicopter pad, parking structure 4, where Brent and I finished our post- and pre-flight inspections and checked our checklists, while Johan raced to the tower to secure signatures for the paperwork that officially started the Race Clock at 6:04 a.m.
Under the intense lights of a local TV crew covering our takeoff, and determined to beat the existing record, we were psyched up and ready to fly: LAX to Savannah/Hilton Head and back, IN RECORD TIME, or bust!
As we lifted off and headed toward Thermal, Calif., we talked about the days ahead and the ever-present, critical topic of weather. We had chosen our departure date because we needed a three-day "clear-weather window" between California and Georgia, and April 9 showed near-perfect conditions over our entire NAA-recognized course.
When you're flying that long in a vehicle the size of the Clipper, you really appreciate its celebrated smooth, balanced handling, plus great seats and amenities, and you also appreciate calm winds aloft. Let's face it, even in a craft as fantastic as a Robbie 44 Clipper, when you're flying for 55 hours, your spirits stay maxed when the turbulence stays minimal. So, we hoped the weather would hold.
It's easy to describe what we did during the next 55-plus hours, but tougher to describe how it felt. As for the former, we did all the basics: we flew two to three hours a hop, landed, fueled up, rushed to bathrooms, searched for vending machines, did pre-flights, and took off again. And again. We napped when we could; shared navigation and PIC responsibilities; discussed fuel consumption; studied maps; kept our eyes on the topography; monitored the dark with our NVGs; and took a variety of steps to fight off fatigue.
That's what we did. But how did it feel to be doing these things around the clock and across the country? I won't say it was easy, and we never assumed it would be. We knew there would be high and low moments, and that our resolve and as well as our endurance would be tested. We knew we'd get tired of beef jerky and energy bars, and eventually savor the glorious taste of a vending machine hotdog. We figured we'd man up and deal with no time for showers. Above it all, we were determined to stay positive, think strength, and rely on our knowledge about, and confidence in, our R44.
There were moments of major gratefulness for good Samaritans along the way who helped us out, such as the airport employee in Savannah who offered us a ride that saved us a 10-minute walk to the tower. Or the guy in New Mexico who helped us with operation of a fuel pump when we were really nervous that we wouldn't be able to get it going and thus not be able to get fuel there. And the mechanic in Texas who drove 80 miles at midnight to do an inspection and then pronounced us ready to resume our world record flight attempt.
There were moments of high anxiety when we fought never-ending high winds that slowed us down and taxed our energy; and, there was a great moment of elation when we finally made it out of there. There were hours of trepidation when we flew in almost complete darkness above areas with no highways to offer the orientation of guiding lights. There were times when our fatigue threatened to get the better of us and someone would suddenly declare, "Your controls!"
There were minutes when our patience wore thin and we'd debate subjects that weren't otherwise controversial. There was one time when I cursed the fact that I'd forgotten to charge my cell phone. And all of us were thankful, all the time, for a connection to home and family in the form of our cell phones.
On Sunday afternoon, April 11, 2010, we were so happy when we set down at LAX and learned we'd set a new world record. From the beginning, our goal had been to achieve a time that would be virtually unbeatable in the future. The existing record, set in 2005, was 88 hours, 43 minutes. Ours turned out to be a record-buster at 56 hours, 24 minutes, beating the clock by more than 30 hours. (Note: at press time, official time was pending final certification from NAA and Federation Aeronautique Internationale.)
All three of us feel satisfied that we achieved our goal, and we hope the flight was good publicity for St. Jude Children's Hospital as well.
This year, for my 19th birthday, no presents were necessary: this adventure with my mentor, Johan Nurmi, and new friend and flight sponsor, Brent McNevin, with the ticket paid for my dad, Bruce, was the gift of a lifetime. Again.
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