by PAUL RAYNER

If anyone in and around Boissevain hears a sound reminiscent of the old TV show M*A*S*H in the next little while, it will just be Trevor Hicks in his new airborne machine.

On Tuesday, September 18, Hicks got his new Robinson 44 helicopter back to Boissevain. He had picked it up in Torrance, California, part of the Los Angeles metro area, with a necessary commercial pilot, prior to flying through the Rocky Mountains to Thunder Bay, where it was imported into the country. From there, he flew it solo home.

The four-seat helicopter has a capacity to fly as high as 14,000 feet, which Hicks said he would never have a need to do out here. He is obviously quite happy with his acquisition.

“It’s a beautiful machine,” Hicks gushed. “It has lots of horse power to get up and out. Here in the prairies, it is more power than you need.”

The chopper saga had its beginnings fairly recently, during a vacation in Hawaii. Hicks said his father-in-law, Bryan Tyerman, suggested he give flying one a try, and he did. In January 2007, he got his helicopter license.

“The license is no good without something to fly, so I ordered one and it took about 6-8 months for it to be ready.”

Hicks said he made his choice of machine due to the fact it was a Robinson he trained on. That led to going through a dealer in Thunder Bay, and led to the Torrance connection, where he was able to tour the company plant.

Flying is not new to Hicks. He received his regular pilot license in 1991, and has 500 hours on airplanes. Now that the delivery trip is finished, he now has 86 hours on the helicopter.

A helicopter comes with obvious advantages over an airplane. With vertical takeoff and landing, it does not need an airstrip, and can be brought down almost anywhere with landowner’s permission. It even has weather related benefits.

“I really enjoy the aviation side of it,” Hicks stated. “You can land anywhere. This is the luxury of helicopter flying. If you do run into bad weather, you just set it down and wait it out.”

He added with his model he could go about 300 miles on a tank before refueling.

For the most part, it will be a pleasure craft. However, it could have an impact on the job with Goodon Industries.

“It is a pleasure machine, mostly for fun. But if we were short something, or if I had to inspect a building or meet with a supplier, it would come in handy there too.”

The helicopter is stored at Tyerman’s on the far west end of town. It is in that area outside of Boissevain Hicks expects to do much of his practicing.

“I still need some practice time,” he said, “to practice different maneuvers, to get things brushed up.”

As for curious people, Hicks reminds them to keep their distance. Although the top rotor is high, the back rotor is practically invisible when running. So he does not want people running toward the machine when it is running or on the ground, as this could result in disastrous consequences.

Already having flown the machine home, he has experienced seeing places like Disneyland, the Rockies and cities like Phoenix from this unique vantagepoint. Locally, he will be noticeable.

“People will hear a lot of me.”