JOHN CAMPER

John Camper graduated from Bristow Academy in 2005. He now flies for Gulf Helicopters in Doha, Qatar.

I joined Gulf Helicopters in June 2007 after instructing in Denver, Colorado. I had always wanted to fly a Huey at some point in my career and being able to fly a twin engine was more than I could have hoped for. Regardless of the size it’s still a helicopter - cyclic, pedals and, collective. Granted, it’s a big ship with loads of power, but still capable of getting you into trouble.
 
We support the oil and gas industry in Qatar, pipeline patrol, sling, EMS, and photo work. I fly out to the oil rigs – it’s a steep learning curve getting used to the 412-212, flying out to the oil platforms keeps you on your toes, at max gross weight, loaded with passengers, and in a no wind situation with temperatures up over 100 degrees. It all comes down to fuel planning and knowing your A/C limitations. 
 
Flying helicopters - to me that's what it’s all about, and when I look back everything I have learned has stayed with me today. Regardless of how many hours we have we are all students of aviation and you never stop learning.