Some years ago, one of those wretched little planes went down with several FAA employees aboard (in the middle of winter?) and the lone survivor was a man who used the skills he learned in a Learn to Return class. (See the flyer.) Normally, FAA employees here in Alaska are supposed to get this training within the first year but because of the end of the fiscal year, etc. Drew hasn't been able to take the class – until this week. I have a friend who sometimes would have to go out to those oil drilling platforms in the ocean (before she became a mom) and her company paid for her to take the class. She said the worst part for her was when they simulated a downed upside down helicopter and she had to swim through these obstacles to get to the surface. (Definitely one of my worst nightmares: drowning.) Anyway you can imagine Drew's very excited to take the class not only because the knowledge is highly practical and useful, but because I think it's just the kind of stuff that guys like to learn.
18 December 2007
Learn to Return
Now here's a scary thought (mostly for me): sometimes those wretched little planes that Drew has to fly around in go down. (Back in the day, before GPS was commonplace, Alaska used to "lose" one plane every 9 days!) Incidentally, a couple weeks ago, a LifeFlight helicopter went down in bad weather flying from Cordova (I think) to Anchorage, about a 90 minute journey. They found one body and I assume the rest – three other people, including the patient – are presumed dead.
Some years ago, one of those wretched little planes went down with several FAA employees aboard (in the middle of winter?) and the lone survivor was a man who used the skills he learned in a Learn to Return class. (See the flyer.) Normally, FAA employees here in Alaska are supposed to get this training within the first year but because of the end of the fiscal year, etc. Drew hasn't been able to take the class – until this week. I have a friend who sometimes would have to go out to those oil drilling platforms in the ocean (before she became a mom) and her company paid for her to take the class. She said the worst part for her was when they simulated a downed upside down helicopter and she had to swim through these obstacles to get to the surface. (Definitely one of my worst nightmares: drowning.) Anyway you can imagine Drew's very excited to take the class not only because the knowledge is highly practical and useful, but because I think it's just the kind of stuff that guys like to learn.
Some years ago, one of those wretched little planes went down with several FAA employees aboard (in the middle of winter?) and the lone survivor was a man who used the skills he learned in a Learn to Return class. (See the flyer.) Normally, FAA employees here in Alaska are supposed to get this training within the first year but because of the end of the fiscal year, etc. Drew hasn't been able to take the class – until this week. I have a friend who sometimes would have to go out to those oil drilling platforms in the ocean (before she became a mom) and her company paid for her to take the class. She said the worst part for her was when they simulated a downed upside down helicopter and she had to swim through these obstacles to get to the surface. (Definitely one of my worst nightmares: drowning.) Anyway you can imagine Drew's very excited to take the class not only because the knowledge is highly practical and useful, but because I think it's just the kind of stuff that guys like to learn.
