Fernando Quinones

Looking for a Used on good conditions back mounted vest to Fit 175Lbs Operator and Alos I know some of you guys still have Modulus Antennas I need at least 1 for my 3000 Thanks You can E mail me to Steadiview@hotmail.com FErnando Quinones

HI Gordon: To add Also to the Good list that Erwin Made You can Also Contact Jerry Hill. HE is Great; An Also he was a 3A Owner. I was on your same situation some Time Ago, so HE can Help. You can E mail Him Or call Him his page is WWW.Steadimoves.com You can Find his phone NUmber Also. What I did Was a MK-V post. This People Also make every modification you want. Hope this helps also. Fernando Quinones

Yes This Happens Just a month Ago I was Asking to make the Steadi "Shaki" I always make my Self unconfortable Because This is not what this is made For (But just for my Self) So inmidiatly A Began taking The post by my hand Grip & Trying to Operate with My entire hand holding the Sled. But The Director was not confort; He wants me to hold the Sled by the Botton part of the Batteries, worst than a hand held camera. He was happy even I was thinking always of taking out the camera and make it Hand Held, but He has his point Of view. Somebody Explain ME Please!!! What is the Point??? FErnando Q

You are Right Steve. I think this is the Porpuse of this Site of disccussion, Share With Others About what we Love and Do every Day. I am Not an Expert but I encourage every body to Put their Experiences in the Good will of Future People that is doing This type Job. Thanks Also Eric & specially Stephenn you sound like My mind. Always Ask first and is better feel like One like Die like One. Safe Fly you guys

B) Hi Guys Still In My Mind And Sorry To bring Back this Topic but I was back And Yes I will Reopened. Just I did read About if Somebody Can Post some Safety Tips when you shooting from a HElo. This Remind me An Article that I did read on 1994 About Steadicam Inventor Garret Brown about safety thing on Steadicams. Here Some Tips From my perspective of been a steadicam OP and a Helicopter Pilot/Instructor, Hope this will help many of yours questions. 1. If you are afraid of Been in a Helicopter Do Not go for a Ride and less for a Shooting, remember this is a Job and you can refuse to do it at any time. There are Many people with experience or good training that can do it 2. Make A Meeting with the Director, Client or Producer and Ask then what specific shoots they Want. 3. Always ask for a briefing with the Pilot, Take some time for This. Make A list for Possible shoots you are going to make it. Ask the Pilot if he is familiar with the Area. It is not Good to fly with somebody that is not familiar with the area you are filming. 4. Brief the Pilot about if you planing to fly low and check if the Area has a lot of electrical wires. Wires Strikes are the #1 cause of HElicopter fatalities. Do not be dangerous, remember safety first. Director can do the Shoot with Another instrument; do not try to put your self to the limits. 5. Do not Push the Pilot. Pilots has the ultimate responsability of the aircraft and also for all passengers. 6. Use as much as you can any Helicopter mount like (Tyler, Wescam, etc.) but because this is for general users Topic; if you go hand held, make your self comfortable and make shure there no restrictions to the camera. Ask the Pilot about what you can do and Do not. 7. Make shure you always have two way communication with the pilot at all time, Prove your head set before start up. 8. How many people come inside? MAke shure to bring at least people as possible. Pilots will say thanks if we are flying as much lighter as we can. Bring all accesories you need but not over fill the aircraft. Remember to secure all Item Inside because at one point you are going to open the door or you are already flying with out doors. A good thing is to put things in BAgs and secure then with safety straps. 9. When you are already on the air, try as much to not change the plan if change please let the pilot know with some anticipation and always with his approval. 10. Do not challenge or let any body to challenge the Pilot skills. Sometimes we can do great things but depends in the Pilot experience and confort with the manuever. I had one time this situation and what I did was to get back to the airport and ask then to look for another crazy pilot, I never will put my life and the crew life in danger because the Producer wants to pass under a cable about 30 feets from the ground. This is not ethical and against all good will of a good job. 11. Tell the pilot when you are shooting and when no, This helps a lot. 12. If you fill your self like seasickness or strange (remember you are looking a viewfinder or monitor and Everything is moving fast) ask the Pilot to land as soon as practical and do not hesitated for a minute of rest. He would do it if he find a place. 13. If you are have to exit the Helo, be at all times at the eyes of the pilot. Always exit by sides and in the Front of the Helicopter, never exit going back of the HElo there is a Tail Rotor, so Always side and Front 14. If you are flying low( Must of the time for shooting is Yes) make shure the Pilot knows the area well and if possible make him a high recon first before go low(I know he would do it). LOw means Flying altitudes below 300 feets. 15. 4 eyes see better than 2 If you see something strange or any obtacles tell the pilot about it I do not think he will be mad if you tell him. 16. Finally HE is the Pilot In Command at all time do not be rush by any Producer or director and less for money things. If they are Using a Helo they can not rush things. Helicopters are expensive and require Money from Producer and time to make the perfect shot. If they do not have enough money please do not use helicopters for filming. Filming takes time. Well could be more But This was the Ones that came out of my Mind by now. I know there must be several ones and I am shure some Of you guy are pilots and can recommend some other. Remember Do not put a Steadicam On A helicopter; They Are Uncompatible!!! :o Fly Safe!!!! Fernando Quinones Steadicam Operator since 1995 Mk-V/PRO Hibrid Steadicam Owner Helicopter Pilot/Instructor

HI Guys Over Here. First Is very interested for me this article because My other Job apart of been a steadicam OP. is had been a HElicopter Instructor & Pilot. I am not an Old HElicopter Pilot ( About 7 Years now, 3 been an instructor) but I want to post some good things that may be could explain some wrong miscomceptions about HElicopters. First: Helicopter are the Machine that Flies in the World that safe more lives than any other Aircraft in the World. So Of course is a machine And the Proble is that is piloted by Human. 87% of all aircraft Accidents had been made by Pilot Error. This Means that They had an accident because a PILOT. So Thats why Helicopters Companys & Of Course People that do Aerial Filming had to be very experience person and with a great training record. Training it is whats make diference between a good pilot and a great Pilot. Always when you going to do a Aereal shooting ask the Pilot about his experience doing filming and discuss any ditail of the shoot. Do not until you are on the air to discuss what you want to do and atc. Second:For you guys with all my respect to you and with my knoledge by know, there is a misconception about which HElo is more safest than Other. I was on one of my many Trainings on The Robinson Helicopter Factory on Torrance CA on Febrary 2004 and Talking about Engine failures R-44 has the History of 0 engine failures in all their life. This helo get it certification in 1993, So I have to talk about Piston & turbine. Bell Jet ranger Became the most popular selling helicopter in 80's. Now that history change Robinson R-44 become in the Top Selling Helicopter in the World and Also the Most Popular One. Recently Discovery Channel Made a Documentary About the 10 best helicopters in the World, Robinson ended #2 number 1 was the UH-60(Black hawk) Military Twin engine HElo compare with a 4 seat Piston Helicopter. The main diference between Helicopter are if they are Turbine or Piston. In simple words If you are going to do a filming in a helicopter one of the important things is weight. Example If you have to do a Shooting in a BEll Jet Ranger this helo has his MAx gross weight and on many filming scene director, DP even producer wants to be on The helicopter. Try as much as posible to make the HElicopter lighter because this make a Great difference to the Pilot. Remember also Pilot has the Final Authority of the Aircraft not the Director, Thats why in the Army they make a new rank of warrant officers that became Pilot, Even If the President of the US is in the Aircraft the Final authority is on the Pilot in Command. So Every Helicopter is a great machine just depend in Who is the Pilot, who are the Company doing manteinance(Extremely important) and what type of job you are going to do. Take and example the Differences between every Steadicam we use. You know PRO, Tiffen, MK-v etc. Helicopters are the same you choose which is better for the type of work you are doing. One thing I can Tell you If you are doing Filming Please Do not Use R-44 Helicopter if for example you are using a ARRi 435 with all the gadjets, batteries Etc. and do not think in put inside an assistant and the Director, Insane!!! So this is a great Helicopter but it is a lite Helicopter. NOw I would do it but with out The Director & assistant & of course with the most necessary equipment I need. This means Finally that if you need to put all this people inside you need a Bigger machine like the Eurocopter or BEll 407. Even the Jet ranger has it limitations. Finally There a lot of conditions that affect ahelicopter on flight but if you have a good well trained pilot he would handle it. Ex LTE (Loss of Tail Rotor Efectiveness) is a condition that occurs on helicoppters but you can recover from it and is simple to recover. So if the pilot have the good training he will handle it as simple as flying it. But difference is about "Vortex Effect" or Settling with Power this means that the Helo is been caugh in his own downwash. this condition mostly occurs on down wind condition with speed less than 30 knots and of course you can recover but you need altitude because if you do not have altitude and you enter on Settling with power you are going to crash. So you guys please do not ask to a pilot to Hover down wing for a shooting if you are less than 1500 feet from ground, you always if you are low my recomendation is kee moving the helicoppter at least 60knots for filming if you are low like 300 feet or less; and if you need to hover for some reason tha pilot has to be up wind always and not descending. This condition can happen in any helicopter does not matter if is turbien or Piston. So There are a lot of explanation that I can share with you guys but may be you would like to go to how stuff works and have a more detailed explanation. For other question may be you can begin taking Helo classes, is easy but a little more complicated than flying a steadicam. The thing that has in common is that you need experience & good training to become a master. So If one of my other loves apart of been an Steadicam OP for 10 YEars. I am 34 right NOw and the Only final thing that I can Tell you Do not ever try to put a Steadicam On a Helicopter they are uncompatible. For now By An great Discussion. FErnando Q Puerto Rico Steadicam OP.

:) Hi If Any one Has One Donkey Box For SAle Please E mail Me to Steadiview@hotmail.com or Give me A cal 787-602-6251 Bye

Thanks I resolve