Max talks with New Zealand helicopter pilot Billy Watson about flying in some of the most dramatic terrain in the world, from Queenstown and Milford Sound to Papua New Guinea and the Western Pacific.

Billy flies for Over The Top, a Queenstown-based helicopter company that specializes in bespoke scenic helicopter experiences. In this conversation, recorded aboard the Milford Explorer cruise boat in Milford Sound, Billy explains why weather plays such a major role in New Zealand helicopter operations, especially around the fjords, mountains, cloud, wind, and rain of Fiordland.

Billy also shares how he first became interested in helicopters while working as a government-paid hunter controlling feral goats, then moved into venison recovery, Hughes 500 operations, tuna spotting, Papua New Guinea seismic flying, and BK117 work. Along the way, he learned hard lessons about low-level helicopter flying, passenger briefings, risk, and decision-making.

Max also discusses several recent helicopter accidents, including a Hughes 369D accident in Hawaii involving high-frequency vibration and loss of yaw control, plus final reports involving an AS350B2 in flat light, an R66 hover taxi distraction, and an R22 dynamic rollover.

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