Narrative:

I started working for company in van nuys, ca, in the latter part of april of 1997. On may 1997, I was sent to their sister company in fairbanks, ak, because they were having difficulties training pilots for upcoming contracts. (Lack of pilots to train.) with over 50 drilling personnel and laborers to be briefed and organized for a safe operation, including proper shuttle techniques, helipad improvements, safe long line operations, etc, with all new faces I slowly became absorbed in my new surroundings. I was also averaging about 4 or 5 hours flight per day, and answering unlimited questions. Apparently the office staff was just as busy covering other jobs and were not always available in the office. As a result, when I returned to fairbanks in july for a 100 hour inspection on my aircraft, I was asked for a copy of my latest flight physical. It was then that I realized that I was overdue. In fact, towards the end of may I had an office worker schedule me for a flight physical, but I was unable to keep the appointment because I had to leave for the field sooner than expected. During my time in the field the staff at tundra was also very busy and thought that I had gotten my physical as scheduled. I immediately got a flight physical that afternoon, because I had to return to the camp the next morning as soon as possible. I think the situation occurred because no one was prepared for the fact that all of a sudden qualified pilots had become an endangered species, as well as mechanics, for the operation required. I believe the company is taking steps to make sure that the supply of pilots will meet or exceed the demands of the contracts in a much more timely fashion in the future.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HELI PLT IS ASKED FOR CURRENT PHYSICAL PAPERWORK WHEN BRINGING HELI IN FOR 100 HR INSPECTION. HE THEN DISCOVERS HIS FLT PHYSICAL IS OVERDUE.

Narrative: I STARTED WORKING FOR COMPANY IN VAN NUYS, CA, IN THE LATTER PART OF APRIL OF 1997. ON MAY 1997, I WAS SENT TO THEIR SISTER COMPANY IN FAIRBANKS, AK, BECAUSE THEY WERE HAVING DIFFICULTIES TRAINING PLTS FOR UPCOMING CONTRACTS. (LACK OF PLTS TO TRAIN.) WITH OVER 50 DRILLING PERSONNEL AND LABORERS TO BE BRIEFED AND ORGANIZED FOR A SAFE OP, INCLUDING PROPER SHUTTLE TECHNIQUES, HELIPAD IMPROVEMENTS, SAFE LONG LINE OPS, ETC, WITH ALL NEW FACES I SLOWLY BECAME ABSORBED IN MY NEW SURROUNDINGS. I WAS ALSO AVERAGING ABOUT 4 OR 5 HRS FLT PER DAY, AND ANSWERING UNLIMITED QUESTIONS. APPARENTLY THE OFFICE STAFF WAS JUST AS BUSY COVERING OTHER JOBS AND WERE NOT ALWAYS AVAILABLE IN THE OFFICE. AS A RESULT, WHEN I RETURNED TO FAIRBANKS IN JULY FOR A 100 HR INSPECTION ON MY ACFT, I WAS ASKED FOR A COPY OF MY LATEST FLT PHYSICAL. IT WAS THEN THAT I REALIZED THAT I WAS OVERDUE. IN FACT, TOWARDS THE END OF MAY I HAD AN OFFICE WORKER SCHEDULE ME FOR A FLT PHYSICAL, BUT I WAS UNABLE TO KEEP THE APPOINTMENT BECAUSE I HAD TO LEAVE FOR THE FIELD SOONER THAN EXPECTED. DURING MY TIME IN THE FIELD THE STAFF AT TUNDRA WAS ALSO VERY BUSY AND THOUGHT THAT I HAD GOTTEN MY PHYSICAL AS SCHEDULED. I IMMEDIATELY GOT A FLT PHYSICAL THAT AFTERNOON, BECAUSE I HAD TO RETURN TO THE CAMP THE NEXT MORNING AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I THINK THE SIT OCCURRED BECAUSE NO ONE WAS PREPARED FOR THE FACT THAT ALL OF A SUDDEN QUALIFIED PLTS HAD BECOME AN ENDANGERED SPECIES, AS WELL AS MECHS, FOR THE OP REQUIRED. I BELIEVE THE COMPANY IS TAKING STEPS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SUPPLY OF PLTS WILL MEET OR EXCEED THE DEMANDS OF THE CONTRACTS IN A MUCH MORE TIMELY FASHION IN THE FUTURE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.