Helo with flotation deployed (katc.com)
It’s a beautiful March day 300 feet or so above the Gulf of Mexico. Why does it so often start with “beautiful day”? The weather is clear, but just a little breezy. 30 knots worth.
Today’s flight is fairly standard. Some light cargo and a few passengers to move. Just two passengers on board this leg between oil platforms. The headwind is making the transit to the next platform around 25 minutes instead of a more typical 15, but it’s not a problem. Plenty of fuel reserve and the southerly wind will get our pilot home safe and on time. Careful, wind is not just about transit time, especially in a helicopter.