I will be flying in Hawaii... yeahhh...

For the blog... first English and then German

Hey you all... 

I wanted to tell you that I got a job offer from Mauna Loa Helicopters after all. 

It is not official yet, that is why I waited a little longer to tell you these great news.

It looks like they changed their mind after they initially told me "no".

Well, I actually didn't let go of it and kept on sending them arguments why they should hire me. 

And of course the unsolicited references I got from you guys in response to my "open letter to the situation" must have helped tremendously.

Thank you very much for those.

So, now for all my instructor colleagues...

just that you know, this position is not a normal flying position. It is.... ahhhh.... you guessed it, a combined ground/flight.... well, office.. not janitor ;-) position. 

You all know how much I like to teach. And honestly, I don't really care for the big ass helicopters.... I love the R22s and R44s, and as far as I am concerned I will fly them until I am old and grey. 

So, since I know how many of you love to teach ground.... especially WEATHER... ;-) I don't think you should be too mad about me. 

This job again is not about the hours, it is about loving to teach people to fly and wanting to be an instructor. And that is me!

And of course I am going to network for you with the tour helicopter companies out here, as soon as I get to know them better. It always helps to have somebody local as a contact person.

As always, I will keep you informed about anything new. 

I would appreciate it if you would do the same. 

Ciao

Olli

Hallo Ihr Lieben,

ich wollte Euch nur schnell mitteilen, dass ich ein Jobangebot von Mauna Loa Helikopters auf Hawaii nun doch bekommen habe. Es ist aber noch nicht offiziell. 

Sie hatten mir erst "nein" gesagt, aber haben dann Ihre Meinung geändert. 

Ich hatte Ihnen aber auch wirklich ein wenig zugesetzt mit emails, die denen Erklärten, dass Sie keinen besseren Fluglehrer finden werden, und dass Sie eine einmalige Gelegenheit verpassen wenn Sie mich nicht anheuern. 

Ich hatte allerdings auch ein paar Referenzen von meinen Studenten bekommen als Antwort zu meinem "offenen Brief zu der Situation",  ohne dass ich Sie darum überhaupt gebeten hatte, 

Diese Referenzen haben bestimmt was ausgemacht, denn es stand in manchen, dass ich einen sehr grossen Einfluss als Lehrer auf Sie hatte, und Sie mich als einen der besten Lehrer einschätzen den Sie jemals hatten..... uhhhh... was für Komplimente.

Der Rest der email oben in Englisch ist mehr für meine Pilotenkollegen, die natürlich jetzt alles sehr neidisch sein werden. Ich habe Sie halt beruhigt mit der Tatsache, dass es halt keine "nur Fliegen" Position ist, sondern halt auch ground school / office Arbeit damit verbunden ist. 

Das ist mir sowieso viel lieber als den ganzen Tag zu fliegen. 

Die meisten Piloten sind meistens mehr um Ihre Flugstunden besorgt als um den gesamten Job. Ich aber nicht.

Ich liebe es Menschen das Fliegen beizubringen. Es ist eines der schönsten Erlebnisse zu sehen wie ein anderer Träumer plötzlich auch seine Flügel kriegt und etwas was so schwer zu erlernen ist dann auch beherrscht.

Ausserdem liebe ich die Robinson Helikopter R22 und R44. I habe nichts dagegen keine grossen Helikopter zu fliegen bis ich alt und grau bin. Die meisten meiner Kollegen können es nicht abwarten bis Sie endlich die dicken Bienen fliegen...... Sie sagen, dass die Moskitos, die ich fliege, doch keine richtigen Helikopter sind.

Das lustige daran ist allerdings, dass der R22 Helikopter der schwerste zu fliegende Helikopter auf der Welt ist. Viel schwerer als jeder andere inklusive die dicken Blackhawks. 

Das ist ja gerade das geile daran... das Ding ist wie ein Sportwagen im Vergleich zu den Trucks, die sich dort oben auch tummeln. 

Einen R22 muss man fliegen wie ein Motorrad der Lüfte. Man kriegt keine Pause. Jede Sekunde muss man was checken. Das ist ein Arbeitspensum beim Fliegen wie in einem Kampfjet. Das einzige, was fehlt ist der speed.... so ein Mist aber auch..... na ja, dafür mache ich später dann halt noch meine anderen Lizenzen um den Speedtrieb zu befriedigen.....;-))

Oh, sorry, ich bin jetzt total abgedriftet ins Schwärmen übers Helikopterfliegen. 

Und dann habe ich natürlich angeboten für meine früheren Kollegen hier mit den Helikopter Tour Firmen einen guten Kontakt aufzubauen damit Sie vielleicht mal eine Chance haben hier auch zu fliegen.

So, wie immer werde ich Euch auf dem Laufenden halten.

Ich würde mich freuen, wenn Ihr das selbe für mich tuen würdet.

Ciao

Olli

Blogging in Enlish and German now...

No news career wise.... I am bored of talking about it anyway.

Please check out what I needed to tell you below.

Keine Neuigkeiten kariere mässig, ich bin sowieso gelangweilt darüber zu reden.

Guckt Euch lieber mal an was ich Euch unbedingt zu erzählen habe.

Deutsch ist gleich da drunter. Bitte runter scrollen.... 

English part:
Hi my dear friends !

From now on, I am going to write my emails in two languages and will try to keep them short.

Did you know that sharks have an essential role for the ecological balance in our oceans? Did you know that "sharkfinning" (shark get their finns cut off) is a million dollar business and is going on all over the world?

I just had my first dive with sharks in Hawaii. You have to experience that, or it is kind of hard to grasp how incredibly fascinating sharks are.

I just bought the movie "Sharkwater". It is a real eye opener.

The politicians of this world have to be forced to end any kind of justification of illegal million dollar businesses.

This movie explains that there is no one officially in charge of protecting animals like sharks, sea turtles, dolphins, seals, or any other species or the eco-system that is endangered beyond the 12 nautical miles range where there is no law.

Just like slavery was eradicated through the pressure of the public, after they have been made aware of this injustice for decades by individuals like Matin Luther King,
we have to make the public aware over the coming decades of things that must not be allowed to proceed like they do right now.

Watch this movie and make up your decide for yourself. Your children would like to have a place of their own where things are somewhat still intact, don't they?

http://www.sharkwater.com/

Hallo meine Freunde !
von nun an versuche ich meine mails sehr kurz zu halten und in zwei Sprachen zu schreiben.

Wusstet Ihr, das Haie sehr wichtig sind für das Gleichgewicht im Meer? Wusstet Ihr, dass auf der ganzen Welt den Haifischen die Finnen abgeschnitten werden für ein Millionengeschäft?

Ich bin ja jetzt gerade erst auf Hawaii das erste mal mit Haien getaucht. Das muss man mal erlebt haben, ansonsten ist es schwer zu begreifen wie unglaublich faszinierend diese Tiere sind. 

Ich habe gerade den Film "Sharkwater" gekauft. Er ist echt augenöffnend. 

Die Politiker dieser Welt müssen gezwungen werden endlich Schluss zu machen mit jeder Art von Rechtfertigung von illegalen Millionen Geschäften. 

Diese Film erklärt ganz gut, dass es niemanden gibt, der sich offiziell um den Schutz von den Tieren, sei es Haie, Schildkröten, Delphine, oder Robben, oder, oder, oder.... das ganze Ökosystem dort draussen halt jenseits der 12 nautischen Meilen wo es keine Gesetzte gibt kümmert.

Genauso wie Slavenhandel durch den Druck von der Bevölkerung ausgerottet wurde, nachdem die Bevölkerung von einer paar Individuen wie Martin Luther King auf das Unrecht über mehrere Jahrzehnte hin aufmerksam gemacht wurde, 
müssen wir jetzt über die nächsten Jahrzehnte die Bevölkerung auf der ganzen Welt aufmerksam machen, dass verschiedene Dinge einfach so nicht mehr ablaufen dürfen wie sie ablaufen. 

Schaut euch den Film an und entscheidet selbst. Eure Kinder wollen doch auch noch eine Welt haben in der alles einigermassen funktioniert. 

http://www.sharkwater.com/

One definition of a friend...

I am sorry to have made you all so concerned about me. 

Wow, it is amazing how many of you actually show a lot of empathy and want to help. I love it. You guys and girls out there rock. 

I just wanted to tell you that you don't have to worry about me.

Writing this stuff down in the open letter was long overdue, since it is important to let things out. That's what I did..... try it sometimes, it feels good and is important to find closure with certain unpleasant things in life.

And if you do, send it to me too so I can reflect on it. 

This is actually what some of you did. They told me their stuff and I reflected on it. Made me feel a whole lot better.

I am actually happy and appreciative about my life. I feel blessed for all the good things that I have.

On a very positive note, I am in awe, how many people I can consider my friends. Well, some may say that it is impossible to have so many friends. 

Well, look at it like this. 

If I look at my list of people I met over the past 4 years through silver state, I can truly say, that even with the ones I didn't connect to as much as to others, that I wouldn't hesitate to call them for help any time. And the best part is, that I am convinced that most of them wouldn't actually mind offering help. 

Now that is at least one definition of a friend or isn't it. It is about what you decide in the moment to do for another person.

By the way, if any of you need my help, I will always try to give you everything I can give you.

I got great responses from all of you. It's amazing how much passion and love is out there. Thank you

Your friend

Olli

Addendum to the open letter..

Oh, just that you know.... besides that I am really pissed off at what's going on in my life right now....... 

funny enough, I know.... and I mean it... I know that I will be back in the air within the next 6 months.... isn't that weird?

My mother told me once that she was shocked that when I was a little boy, I said to her... "and even if only my head is left in a wheelchair, I will never give up".

What a powerful statement of me huh.... 

so, cut my arms off, sever my torso....... well now..... don't forget the wheelchair you cruel folks ;-)

I am just adding this so that you don't think I am going to take flying lessons from a bridge soon.

By the way, I slowly but surely get all of you off your buds and actually write your own updates to me.... hey, it's work to keep your friends in the loop, isn't it?

Sincerely 

Your crazy German

Olli

Open letter about the situation....

It is up and down right now. I am pretty sure that you remember how it is when you don't have money anymore and things are just tightening up.

I know that I am not the only person suffering right now, but I think I lost more than others... at least from my perspective.

If the Hawaii deal would have worked, I would have probably have something at least similar to be looking forward to than I had with Silver State.

For the last 9 years I have been working on one goal and one goal only, and that was to become a good teacher and pilot. And it happened that I became one for Silver State Helicopters. At the time, the best helicopter school in the world in my opinion.

It took me 5 years to find it... well, I actually had to wait for it to exist, because by the time I wanted to transition from Stunts to Flying, SSH didn't even exist. 

I lived for this and only this......

I did what ever I had to do.... to become part of that operation... 

but, the fact that it was all for nothing, is something that I find myself having great trouble with.

I don't want to work for just anybody in this industry. I don't want to work for people I cannot trust. 

That's why I was proud to work for Silver State, for Jerry, for Michael and Yvette and Reed and Travis.

I was proud to work with hundreds of individuals who shared the same dream. The dream of a better life, the dream of flight. 

I am exhausted and depressed that all my work has not paid off to be part of something extraordinary anymore.

I am so close to just throw everything away. My spirit is broken... although don't worry, I am working on a new one an even better one... I ain't a quitter, that's for sure.

Ever since my bankruptcy in 2003, I have not been late on a single bill. I have a perfect payment history. I wanted to make things right again in my life. 

But now, I am deeper in financial shit than ever.... 

It took me 5 years to get my credit score up again. 

Another 5 years and I would actually qualify for decent loans etc.... to be able to buy and maintain, for example, something as simple as a good car, so the ones I can buy would actually stop falling off my ass around every corner I take ;-) 

But no, I am facing shit again..... I am sick and tired of it. No health insurance, credit score plummeting, and the next late payment is just around the corner. 

Friends who are willing to help me will eventually run out of patience with me.

I did everything right.... I did everything I could. 

This was the first time in my life that I refused to except that I couldn't fulfill my dreams just because I don't have the money. 

I had no boundaries, I wanted to get a chance to show how I can work and show how much I could contribute and be part of something so great. 

it was easy this time.... since I knew why and what I did it for. A company never seen in the history of helicopters. A company that actually gave a real opportunity to the ones who where willing to seize it. An honest, fair deal to get more than you could ever bargain for as a helicopter pilot. 

This deal began to turn sour at the end of 2006. That's where they changed the student contracts. 

That's where Jerry sold his company out to a false and fraudulent concept in my opinion.

This time it was a no brainer to go all out..... to go for broke again. 

It was easy to work 80 hours a week, to be on my knees scrubbing the floor and being happy about it. 

Since this time, I was already on the other side of the fence... the side of the fence where the helicopters were ;-)

Ok, now I can say it... after ground school when everybody had left, I actually sat in the helicopters  and flew them around the hangar. I remember doing this with the race cars in the shop I worked for when I was an aspiring race car driver back in Germany.

And yes... I made the sound of them while dry flying them.... I knew you would ask that. ;-)

Even if I wouldn't have gotten a chance to fly for another 3 years, I would have still cleaned the offices and hangar floors and took out the darn trash..... Sweeping that hangar floor cost me my back that's for sure.... 

I did what ever it took to make this happen.

I am not willing to do whatever it takes anymore. 

Going out to Hawaii was necessary, since I didn't want to have to tell myself that I didn't do everything I can to be part of their operation. 

But other than that.... as far as I am concerned..

Silver State was my everything... my family, my home, my protection... my pride. 

This has all been taken away from me and from us all.... 

Sincerely 

Olli

Hawaii update and more pictures of it..

My dear friends,

My trip to Hawaii was amazing but to no avail in terms of getting back into the cockpit of an aircraft.

Although I really felt that I had a real interview considering that they don't hire from the outside. 

I was surprised that the school didn't even call me back to tell me that they don't want to hire me right now.... but... well... what can I say. 

I found this out by calling them after I couldn't wait any longer.

The funny thing is.. when I arrived at the school the manager told me that they just lost two pilots who moved on, and that one was injured in a bicycle accident. 

I saw all three helicopters on the ground with the covers on.

That's it from my side. I sent out a bunch more resumes and will see what happens.

As to more Hawaii pictures.... ? I don't have the time to post them here with comments... But I put them on the google server.

http://picasaweb.google.com/oliverhanisch

Off to do the dirty deed of job hunting again.... 

Till next time

Adios

Olli

Back from Hawaii

I am back in Neptune Beach Florida.. my little paradise at the beach. 

So far I didn't hear anything back from the companies I am seeking employment with.

Hawaii is beautiful. The water is clear and blue, the air is clean, the people are nice... the prices are... ahhhhhhhhhhh... 

I cannot wait to hear from those companies and get things moving again. 

Enjoy the pictures I took..... 

I always hated it when people told me where they went and threw all those names of the places they went around, but I have no clue where, what, how.... etc. and I have to spend hours of google time to really be part of their experience. That's why I did that googling for you.

Hawaii 101:

To start you out... the state of Hawaii consist of a total of 7 islands.  

Click here to see maps of all the islands

The biggest islands are:

Kauai

Oahu

Maui

Big Island

Two smaller ones are

Molokai 

which is the elongated one right between Oahu and Maui and the little one below it is 

Lanai

And one private island.

The little one all the way west below Kauai is Niihau which is a private island owned by Keith Robinson and Bruce Robinson. How appropriate the name Robinson for an island owner.

The most populated island is Oahu with the big cities Honululu and Waikiki

This is where I went. It's a good place to start to explore the islands.

Check out a map of Oahu here:

map of Oahu

I like the stamp I found

My friend Svenja, who was my host and tour guide and wind surf instructor during my stay in Hawaii, 

picked me up from the airport and gave me a traditional hawaiian welcome with a Lei. 

The traditional Hawaiian Flower Lei (click here to learn about the tradition)

Speaking of wind surf instructor... this is how Svenja surfs. 

and it what she surfs.... 

Before you say anything... try windsurfing and then we talk again.

There is no photographic proof, but I did manage to actually surf. With the wind and against the wind. I got an A from her..... huh... yes... Svenja... was that right? An A just for being able to  also come back to the beach.. huh?? 

In the middle is the Koko Crater, the horse shoe shaped bay to the upper left of it is Haunaunma Bay and to the right of it is Hawaii Kai Town Center (click to see the map)

Diamond Head is to the furthest south point of Oahu (click to see the map)

Parts of Pearl Harbor. The island to the upper left I believe is "Ford Island" Naval Airstation where the USS Arizona was moored click here for map

Ala Wai boat harbor, this is from where we started our SCUBA dive trips and one Friday afternoon sunset sailing event. 

I am pretty sure that you know Robby Naish. This is his family's store on Oahu. 

View over Hawaii Kai from Koko Head

View from Koko Head. To get up there you have to climb 1050 stairs. This is the real stair climber. Check out this video

Sunset Beach on the "North Shore". The North Shore is the famous surf spot. I am standing on "Sunset Beach" which is one beach up north from "Banzai Pipeline" Ehukai Beach. 

This is the place where you can see scenes like this in the winter time: 

Svenja took me around the whole island... and took that shot at the east coast.

Ok, I have to go now.... I'll post a couple of more pictures of Hawaii soon... good bye for now.

Aloha and Mahalo

Hawaii here I come....

I arrived in Honululu this Tuesday just before 12pm. 

Wow, what a paradise. I am a sucker for tropical climate anyway... so, don't look for me in Alaska ;-)

We went for a hike into the mountains... it almost looked like one of the thousand hikes I have done in Los Angeles. Once you are up, you are getting rewarded with an awesome view onto the beach and ocean... wow.

Well, we checked out the beach that was chosen by my friend (ex pro windsurfer) to teach me windsurfing. Photographic proof that I did manage to learn windsurfing will be provided on request later on.... I am almost sure that I will be able to do a beach start without drawing too much laughter, but once up... I cannot turn around.. so look for me somewhere in Australia in a couple of weeks. 

Ok.... 

I just came back from my first SCUBA dive. Oh my god. We dove down to a ship wreck at 90 feet. I saw a sting ray and a beautiful sea turtle. I cannot wait to go again. Diving is addictive. 

I could scream loud... that's how lucky I feel to get to do this.

I love the whole world right now !!!

Stay tuned....