Joel Struthers

But a guy with 6,000 hours could be, you know, shittier than a 3,000-hour guy, right? It's not really a variant. But it was interesting that you'd have guys that you would think they go out for the first day and they go for an hour training and they come back. They're like, I'm good. I don't want to do this, you know? Respectable, right? You can respect that if a guy calls it.

Or you've had the other guys that will go out and the training pilots find it's like, dude, man, this, you know, you're not... You're not dialed. You're not getting it right. Not what we're looking for here. And that might be, you know, a guy that's experienced. He's been, I don't know, logging, doing other stuff. And the ego, it's hard on the ego. But it's done for a good reason, right?

Or you've had the other guys that will go out and the training pilots find it's like, dude, man, this, you know, you're not... You're not dialed. You're not getting it right. Not what we're looking for here. And that might be, you know, a guy that's experienced. He's been, I don't know, logging, doing other stuff. And the ego, it's hard on the ego. But it's done for a good reason, right?

Or you've had the other guys that will go out and the training pilots find it's like, dude, man, this, you know, you're not... You're not dialed. You're not getting it right. Not what we're looking for here. And that might be, you know, a guy that's experienced. He's been, I don't know, logging, doing other stuff. And the ego, it's hard on the ego. But it's done for a good reason, right?

And the environment itself is, you know, I mean, those big alpines can be fucking, what's the word? You know, it's... Not scary, but, you know, if you're... Intimidating? Intimidating, yeah, exactly. So a lot of guys that have experience, you know, we've had guys that did, you know, search and rescue type stuff, like singing guys off the side of the hill.

And the environment itself is, you know, I mean, those big alpines can be fucking, what's the word? You know, it's... Not scary, but, you know, if you're... Intimidating? Intimidating, yeah, exactly. So a lot of guys that have experience, you know, we've had guys that did, you know, search and rescue type stuff, like singing guys off the side of the hill.

And the environment itself is, you know, I mean, those big alpines can be fucking, what's the word? You know, it's... Not scary, but, you know, if you're... Intimidating? Intimidating, yeah, exactly. So a lot of guys that have experience, you know, we've had guys that did, you know, search and rescue type stuff, like singing guys off the side of the hill.

A lot of ex-skiers, guys that have been in the mountains before. I think my time in the mountains and the Alps with the rep, you know, doing our stuff was helpful just for understanding avalanche winds and stuff. But so what they do is you go out, and the big thing I'm sure you'll be interested in is for the flying side of it, they're really focused on the approach.

A lot of ex-skiers, guys that have been in the mountains before. I think my time in the mountains and the Alps with the rep, you know, doing our stuff was helpful just for understanding avalanche winds and stuff. But so what they do is you go out, and the big thing I'm sure you'll be interested in is for the flying side of it, they're really focused on the approach.

A lot of ex-skiers, guys that have been in the mountains before. I think my time in the mountains and the Alps with the rep, you know, doing our stuff was helpful just for understanding avalanche winds and stuff. But so what they do is you go out, and the big thing I'm sure you'll be interested in is for the flying side of it, they're really focused on the approach.

And any time you're heli-skiing up there, certainly in our company and in Canada, it's pretty much across the board the same, is you have a minimum of two flags. And those are stuck in the snow or into the rocks or whatever. So for your visual? Yeah. So it's got a flag on it. And initially, that will give you your wind direction.

And any time you're heli-skiing up there, certainly in our company and in Canada, it's pretty much across the board the same, is you have a minimum of two flags. And those are stuck in the snow or into the rocks or whatever. So for your visual? Yeah. So it's got a flag on it. And initially, that will give you your wind direction.

And any time you're heli-skiing up there, certainly in our company and in Canada, it's pretty much across the board the same, is you have a minimum of two flags. And those are stuck in the snow or into the rocks or whatever. So for your visual? Yeah. So it's got a flag on it. And initially, that will give you your wind direction.

Because as you know, obviously, in the Alpine, it could be changing, as long as you're not frozen in one direction from a storm that came through. But you've kind of judged. You've flown over your spot. You see the flags are flying. You've kind of figured out on your own what downwind is. You set up.

Because as you know, obviously, in the Alpine, it could be changing, as long as you're not frozen in one direction from a storm that came through. But you've kind of judged. You've flown over your spot. You see the flags are flying. You've kind of figured out on your own what downwind is. You set up.

Because as you know, obviously, in the Alpine, it could be changing, as long as you're not frozen in one direction from a storm that came through. But you've kind of judged. You've flown over your spot. You see the flags are flying. You've kind of figured out on your own what downwind is. You set up.

And that's why they start you off in the B2, the S-stars, because you're a little more less committed. You have that power, and you can kind of abort closer. And the 205 and the medium, you're committed way back. And if something goes wrong, you're just fucking going for those flags. So the flags are there as your reference. But the snowball is what can be your, you know, to your detriment.

And that's why they start you off in the B2, the S-stars, because you're a little more less committed. You have that power, and you can kind of abort closer. And the 205 and the medium, you're committed way back. And if something goes wrong, you're just fucking going for those flags. So the flags are there as your reference. But the snowball is what can be your, you know, to your detriment.

And that's why they start you off in the B2, the S-stars, because you're a little more less committed. You have that power, and you can kind of abort closer. And the 205 and the medium, you're committed way back. And if something goes wrong, you're just fucking going for those flags. So the flags are there as your reference. But the snowball is what can be your, you know, to your detriment.

And we get some big snowfalls in that part of the world. And if, let's say, you know, it's been snowing all day, you come into that first fucking landing, a lot of times you'll fly over it slow the first time if you can, but you come in, there's a fucking massive snowball, right? So if you stick to those two flags, the idea is that first one's there, you get an idea of your rate of closure.