IIMC Recovery at the Bell Training Academy

By WG#2387 Lucy Passaniti

As the Stewart 'Stu' Dietrick Memorial Scholarship recipient, I had the opportunity to attend the Inadvertent IMC & Helicopter Upset Recovery Course at the Bell Training Academy in Fort Worth, TX. 

Upon arrival, I was immediately greeted by my instructor, Jose Piedrahita, who had already laid out all the necessary course materials.  We spent all morning in the classroom discussing contributing factors, avoidance, and recovery of IIMC.  The classroom session included review and discussion of several case studies. 

After a tour of the facility, we moved on to the simulated portion of the training. The simulator experience was amazing. The simulation-based training helped reinforce what was taught in the classroom.  Once I had familiarized myself with the simulator, Jose proceeded to guide me through a series of maneuvers. The “freeze button” feature of the simulator allowed for immediate feedback. 

The course provided a great learning experience, reiterating how one can never be overly prepared for a flight, and how important it is to not only trust your instruments but to also be able to interpret them. The knowledge I obtained will be used throughout my everyday flying and future career. Once again, I want to thank Bell and the Whirly Girls for this wonderful training opportunity.