We all know the adage, “A mile of highway will take you a mile, but a mile of runway will take you anywhere.” But how about no runway? This spring, NATA President and CEO Curt Castagna and VAI (Vertical Aviation International, formerly Helicopter Association International) President and CEO James Viola set out on a cross-country flight in a Robinson R44 Raven II helicopter— over 2,000 miles traversed, no runways needed.
Viola’s purchase of a new helicopter on the west coast with a home base on the east coast necessitated the trip, so the two association leaders decided to make an adventure of it. The flight departed Torrance, CA, with overnights in Tucson, AZ; Saint Angelo, TX; and Mobile, AL; ultimately landing in Jacksonville, FL. Total flight time was approximately 23 hours, with stops every few hours.
“Our trip demonstrated a unique privilege we have in this country. The U.S. is exceptional in the ability to move around freely. General aviation airports are instrumental to that exceptionalism, and we need to protect that privilege,” said Castagna.
Completing a cross-country trip in a general aviation helicopter was a “bucket list” item for Viola while highlighting the benefits of rotorcraft in the United States.
Broad Use Case for Helicopters
The trip gave the two pilots an opportunity to observe first-hand the broad use cases for helicopters in the United States.
“We saw helicopters inspecting solar farms, natural gas pipes, wind turbines, and more, as well as helicopters used for medical flights and training flights,” said Viola. “One of the most eye-opening operations was a powerline inspection. Using helicopters means no roads cut in for trucks and no destruction of the natural environment to get access to the powerlines.”
And while a helicopter is not generally the aircraft of choice for a cross-country flight, the flexibility of general aviation—with access to exponentially more airports than commercial airline service—gave the two options to easily identify and meet up with association members and to choose overnight stops with hotel availability.
“The infrastructure for vertical aviation is so much less than what you need for airplanes and even though a long cross-country is an unusual use case, you get to see a lot more scenery,” said Viola. “An airline could cross this distance in 5 hours, a general aviation jet could cross it in about 6 hours, but passengers in either aircraft wouldn’t really see anything.”
Safety is Paramount
Castagna and Viola also saw the benefits of helicopter capabilities and new safety equipment when unforecasted weather on one leg of the trip resulted in a diversion to avoid worsening conditions.
The pair had the opportunity to demonstrate “Land and Live,” VAI’s safety program urging rotorcraft pilots to use good aeronautical decision making when confronted with unexpected conditions.
“Helicopters have more options for diversion. One day we landed at military installation heliport to wait out weather, regroup, and replan,” said Viola.
“Land and Live” encourages pilots to take a pledge that they will make the safety of their passengers, crew, aircraft, and people on the ground their highest priority by making precautionary landings when necessary.
“Wait for conditions that are proper for the flight you want to conduct rather than pushing through it,” said Viola.
Besides coordinated aeronautical decision making between the two pilots, equipment improvements make a cross-country mission like Castagna and Viola’s safer and more comfortable.
“New helicopters have the latest of every safety aspect to include impact resistant windows for bird strikes, autopilot, and video monitoring of cockpit,” Viola explained.
In the case of the R44, a modified vertical stabilator made the trip considerably more comfortable and stable, especially when crossing the Rocky Mountains.
General Aviation as Economic Driver, Jobs Creator
Both Castagna and Viola saw the opportunity to engage with membership across the country first-hand as priceless.
“By stopping every few hours in diverse towns and cities across the U.S., we really got to learn the local issues. How can we help? What can we take back to our organizations?” Castagna said.
“There are around 5,200 public-use airports in the United States. Seeing small general aviation airports in action demonstrates the importance of bringing government officials and leadership to those airports and helping them understand the economic impact. We also saw how general aviation airports are working to be good stewards and good corporate citizens,” Castagna added.
While communities are generally familiar with airlines and have concerns about congestion and noise, it’s important to share the story of general aviation job creation and economic contributions to a region.
Castagna and Viola also met the next generation of aviators who are working the line while learning to fly, showing how FBOs are a grassroots environment.
“We need to appreciate the freedom to be able to transverse such a large span of area and different topography. General aviation is not about the one-percenters – it’s about a wide range of use cases that benefit surrounding communities, create well-paying jobs, make significant economic contributions, and train our future pilots,” said Castagna.
Once-In-A-Lifetime Experience
NATA President and CEO Curt Castagna and VAI (Vertical AviationInternational – formerly Helicopter Association International) President and CEO James Viola reunited for a much shorter but very special flight on May 11, when they participated in the National Celebration of General Aviation D.C. flyover. The event marked the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association’s eighty-fifth anniversary.
Fifty-four aircraft departed Frederick Municipal Airport in Maryland and flew over Washington, D.C.’s National Mall at 1,000 feet. The flight occurred within Prohibited Area P-56, requiring months of planning and permission from 11 government agencies.
Participating pilots agreed it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, as the flyover told the story of general aviation in the U.S. in 15 different segments, including vertical flight, seaplanes, business aviation, airshow performers, and more.
