Our Next Step After Robinson R-44 Engine & RPM OVERSPEED

Well, let's talk about the next steps after my overspeed incident. I've already told the world about it, put it out to our email list, because I wanted to tell the story and share, you know, what I've learned. And there's a lot of things, you know, a lot of things have happened just in a few days. And I was going to cover in this video what I've had to send in so far. And my communications with the owners, insurance companies, maintenance people, and I got to say that the response has been overwhelming, right? Like, you know, before I clicked publish button, you know, I'm like, should I, you know, is there any reason why I shouldn't share the story? And Heather and I talked about. I'm like, I can't think about. I can't think of any reason why I shouldn't. I'd already contacted everybody that needed to be contacted before I made the video so there wouldn't be any surprises. And I have to say that I'm super impressed. Shouldn't say impressed, grateful. Very grateful for all of you that have sent in, you know, cool messages on the video so far on YouTube about, hey, you did the right thing, you fessed up. The support's been overwhelming. And that makes me realize that, you know, it restores my faith in humanity. I gotta go kick that furnace off. There. Took care of that. So, you know, we live in crazy times, right? In a crazy world. And everybody has been super, super supportive. Fellow pilots, student pilots, insurance company, owners of the aircraft because it is a lease aircraft. Everybody's been wonderful. And it's really cool to see the support when you just step forward and admit your screw up like I did. And there's a lot to learn from it, right? And I think that in the last 24 hours, one thing that's been going through my head is, you know, we talk about low G and we talk about retreating blade stall, and we harp on selling the power and auto rotation and all the really bad things that can happen. And we all learn about overspeeds as well. And we hear about overspeeds and we know to take our time with the checklist and we know to be careful and go slow and smooth and methodical. I understand the problems with an overspeed, which is why I fessed up to what I did and why we're going through what we're going through now. But it just makes me think, you know, we also need to stick. Why we need to stick to the basics too, right? Like, nobody's got, nobody got hurt. We're all fine, right? So number one, everybody's well being is more important than anything else. But luckily insurance does help with an overspeed or at least I'm going to guess in most cases. I didn't even think about that when it first happened. The only thing I could think of is this is going to be devastating. I spent all these years rebuilding my life after helicopter ownership and thrilled to find out that yes, there is help from the insurance company, at least in this instance with me. I will never ever again complain about the high dollar policy that we pay for helicopters. I will never complain again because I am so thankful. Without insurance, this would be devastating. It would be. I wouldn't be able to survive it. I'd survive it, but the financial consequences would set me back. It's not right. Okay, so what I'm getting at is we have to worry about all the, all the stuff that's going to kill you in an RPM overspeed could kill you if you don't take care of it and do the proper maintenance. Get to the point, Keller. God, I just go on and on. My brain scattered and goes everywhere. I will put more emphasis now, more emphasis now on checklist startups. Not that I didn't before. And I feel, still feel good about the ground we did. I feel good about what I was doing with this student. I don't regret any of it because we were taking our time, we were going slow, we were being deliberate. I have no regrets on any of that. I'm just going to say now I'm going to be even more precise on a checklist. I'm going to do the. Go back to the beginning and start over or even figure out a good place to go back to if something gets disrupted, especially once the blades are spinning. I can't stress enough about pausing. Let's go, let's stop for a minute, let's back up, let's figure out what we just did and where is an appropriate place to go back to. I somebody email me, say, hey, you know the checklist in foreflight has you put checks beside everything as you go through it. And I thought, great idea, I don't use it, but I think I will. Now I mentioned in the video the other day I've got another knee board coming and he's going to send me some options because I'm, I'm actually communicating with the gentleman that sent me these. He sent me two a while back. I gave one away in a video, this one I've been using, but it doesn't have the Little strap on it. So he's sending me a couple different options because again, a strap on your knee board to help you keep moving the checklist is a great idea. Somebody else has an idea and they're sending us something that they purchased off Amazon just because a member wanted to be helpful. So moving forward, there'll be a lot of good that comes out of this unfortunate incident. So I'm going to hammer more now on, as I did before, checklist startup, but staying with the checklist, not diverting from anything during that checklist time. And if you make a mistake, there has to be something in place. And probably the best thing is to go clear back to the beginning. And I remember hearing it at some point in the past, in the years where they somebody has said, you know, when you screw up the startup, just go back to the beginning and start over. Maybe that really is the best. But for sure to take the extra caution when you've made a mistake. You got out of sequence, you got to go back. You got to go back and go. Okay, let's think about this before we proceed. So nothing bad happens. So the maintenance guys have been great. The insurance company's been great. Our members have been great people. You know, making comments in the video have been awesome. So here's what they had to do. You know, the insurance company reached out to me yesterday. I'm happy with talking to the insurance company on the phone. You know, I'm just on the phone telling him what happened. He's like, it's okay, Kenny. It's all right. He could tell I was stressed on the phone, right? Who wouldn't be? He's like, it's okay. That's why you have insurance. Things happen, right? And again, I'm so thankful for the insurance. So, of course, what are they going? What are they going to want? Great conversation. And Buddy sent me an email. Okay, we need copies of your licenses. So today, that's what I'm doing. On a Saturday. I'm in here because I want to get all this paperwork caught up, sent off. Even though it's the weekend, I don't want to worry about the rest weekend. I want to get my documentation all done, sent in. So they want copies of my license. Got it. Copy of my medical. Got it. Already copied. And I put all these attachments in the email. It's already sent off to the insurance company. I did the finished the email, first copy of the overhaul on the aircraft, both the engine and the airframe. So this is going to go. I left it out So I could show you. It's going to go back here in the maintenance logbooks in a minute. That's for the airframe and that's for the engine. Because they know it's got 135 hours on it and they were happy about that. They're like, that's good, right? Because we know a lot of the components are going to get to be reused. So as far as they were concerned, it's a good thing that it only has 135 hours on it. And I get the thinking right. So license, medical, last inspection or actually overhaul. He specifically asked for the overhaul. He's like, oh great, it's only got 135 hours on it. That's actually a good thing. Send us copies of the overhaul. I have that in there. And send us a copy of your flight review. So I went, my logbook, made a copy, you know, found it, it included that. Just think for a second if I goofed and my medical is expired or what if I goofed and I was just over on the flight review. You know, this was, I had my flight review in February of this year. So we all try to keep our stuff updated, right? Think about it, right? That's why this is one of those times where if I went, oops, I'm just, I'm a day, I'm a month past my flight review. Think about if anything was expired or something wasn't, right? The kind of hot water you could be in. So everything is sent off to the, to the insurance company. All the documents are done. I need to. I already told him it's 135. He said also the time on the aircraft. I told him on the phone, I'll do a follow up email and say, hey, I forgot to put it in black and white, that the aircraft's at 135 hours. And what else? I'll send him that. So what's going to happen with the aircraft? It's going to get picked up Tuesday. So the. Here's what's going to happen with the aircraft because I'm sure, you know, it's. I've never been through this before. I know that the aircraft has to be inspected. So it's going to go back to the guys that did the overhaul. And I think there's a lot of good reasons for that. Right? They already did the overhaul. So it's their work that was performed on the overhaul. They've done all the endorsements. Why not go back and they're going to ship a truck up here. They're going to be here Tuesday morning here early Tuesday. I'm going to have a helper providing one ladder. They're bringing another ladder and they're going to show up and we're gonna take the rotor blades off and they'll have a box and we'll pack them up nice in the box. We'll load the helicopter on the trailer and heads back down to Tennessee. And I might as well tell you who it's Sevier County Choppers. You know, we've been a fan of Sevier county for a long time because one of our first superstars did their CFI off the street to CFI in six months at Sevier County Choppers. And we've had quite a few students that went through the school down there. So they have a great school. Help you get through in a month, in a, in a. At a fast pace. And for the right people, they put them right into to work and further their career. And I've seen it happen. I've watched it happen. I know that's a real deal. And they do. Their hangar's full of Robinsons. They do so much maintenance down there and they're respected, you know, for what they do. So the thinking was that's the right place to go. The guys already know the aircraft. They did the overhaul and then they left it up to me where the engine needs to go. And I had two choices and it was engine could. After the engine comes out, it can go to California or it could go to North Carolina, where there are two choices. The owner of the aircraft has actually been phenomenal. You know, it was a. I want, I want to say it's always a hard call to make, but it really wasn't because I knew I just had to do it. And I've talked to him before and I know he was awesome. When I first set up the lease and got the aircraft, he was like, kenny, we'll always take care of you. Customer service is our number one. We don't even have a website because we're, we believe on, you know, the best customer service. So the owner was awesome, completely cool. Called him up, told him what happened and he even said, I feel so sorry for you and I'm going to help you out whatever I can to. Let's get this thing fixed, get it back in service for you. You know, I was afraid to go, you're, ah, we're pulling it. Fix that thing and bring it back because you're, you know, a dummy and you should never let this happen. Wasn't like that, Very, very supportive and I appreciate that because anybody could have, you know, made the comments they may would want to make. And he said, you know, it's your choice on what you want to do. And then he also lifted up with the guys that are going to do the maintenance. I talked to him yesterday and they said, so anyway, the owner of the helicopters, he really prefers a shop in California and that one's a little cheaper, but that one maybe takes longer than. There's another option that's, that'll happen quicker but costs more. And I said, let's go with the owner likes that specific shop. And it's the same shop that did the overhaul on the engine specifically. So the aircraft's going back to the people that did the overhaul. The engine's going back to the same guy that did the overhaul. Right? So I think that makes complete sense. I feel good about that. And I even thought about, I've hauled helicopters on trailers before and the price they gave me wasn't even that bad, right. I know what it would cost me to go rent a trailer, borrow a truck, pay somebody to help me if we tried to move that thing. I'd spend every, I'd spend the same money that they have offered to come pick it up. So it was a no brainer. They're going to be here Tuesday morning. And you know, the owner of the company, Jim's like, you know, I first called him, he's like, what did you do? You're not supposed to do that. And I go, I know. And he goes, you won't do that again, will you? And I said, I will not do this again. It will not happen again. No way. Right? Because I'm going to be so fricking careful from now on. And I'm going to talk about it in video and let's use it as a learning experience anyway. But he was cool and he said, you know, Kenny, I feel bad. Everybody's like, I feel bad, I feel bad. So bad for you. And I appreciate that. Right? I just appreciate everybody's attitude. It's been incredible. So on the phone conversation with Jim, he said, well, you know, and he got his maintenance guy in there and he goes, yep, engine's got to come out, rotors, blades got to come off, drive system has to be inspected. And he went through the list and told me everything that has to be done. And of course he said, it's gonna be expensive. I go, I know. Been playing the game helicopters long enough. I know it's gonna be expensive. And he was the first second one I think to go, well, you probably will get help from the insurance company so that you know that's gonna be a help, right? And turns out that's true. The owner said that, maintenance guys said that. So never again. I'll never complain about the cost of insurance again because it's saving me. So. So there you go. That's. That's what's going to happen next. Got my documentation in, sent everything off, with exception of letting him know it is 135 hours. I need to put that in black and white. It's going to Tennessee on a truck Tuesday morning. And he said, kenny, I'll get on it as fast as I can. And we'll ask the engine guy, we'll say, hey, can you push this one through a little bit? He goes, I'll do my best to get this thing done as fast as possible for you and get you back in service. And that's phenomenal, right? I know I'm already prepared. I know it could take a couple months, you know, could be longer, I guess. You know, videos go on too long. Right. I'll wrap it up with. I feel good about. It's got 135 hours on it. I feel good that it was on the ramp during a startup. It's still bad, right? Helicopter still has to come apart. If it would have been a major overspeed during an auto, I could see where that. It would only make sense that that would cause even more damage. But I feel good that it's a fresher, it's a newer aircraft or, I mean, it's a fresh rebuild. Aircraft's going back to people that did the overhaul. Engine's going back to people that did the overhaul. The guys that are doing it know how to do it. Right. I feel good about all that part of it. So for a bad situation, a lot of good has come out of it. And you know, we'll keep you updated as things progress, but that's all I can really tell you right now. So keep your documents in order. Stay on top of your medicals and your flight reviews. Document everything you do. Take your time with checklists. Step by step. Think about overspeeds. We all know it. We all know not to let it happen. We all know it needs to be consideration. But I'll wrap up one more time with. I've. I've over. You know, I've played, replayed the event in my. In my mind, of course. Right. I'm not beating myself over. I'm not losing any sleep over it. But I think about it right And I and I keep thinking back to what you know, what the heck how did I not catch this? You know and it was inattention and it was inattention from getting distracted and ever have that problem again I will definitely be you know anything near that I'm going to be RPM RPM rpm. The governor is not nice, right? The governor is nice. Very helpful. You know, I feel like all the times I flew instruments I knew I they had no governor so maybe I got a little lax because the governor takes care of it for me but it doesn't stop it from going too high, you know and you can still overpower that governor. It can still happen. So we'll continue to hopefully learn some lessons from it. Leave your comments down below. A like and a subscribe doesn't hurt if you want to follow along with the journey of life after an overspeed but I feel good I feel good about it for a bad situation Everything is went real well after the fact so keep tuning in and we'll see you next video Peace out.