Heroes of the Cherry Orchards

Hi, my name is Drew O'Hara and I'm a pilot for the cherry drying season. When rain gets on the cherries, the cherries absorb it. Between the excess moisture and the heat, it causes the cherries to split. What the helicopters do is we act like a big fan and the downwash from the helicopters blows the water off and it also shakes the trees causing the excess water to blow off or shake off.
We use these Sikorsky S-58's. Because they are a larger helicopter they cover more area while we are drying so we don't have to make as many passes and it's quicker. We're going to keep these cherries safe by hovering high enough that we don't damage the trees themselves but low enough that we get all the water off immediately so they dont split so we are getting the best yield off the crop. Sometimes we fly during the rain, though its kind of a preemptive strike. I know if the sun comes back out immediately then we have a shorter amount of time but if it stays cloudy or overcast we have a little bit more time. It just depends on how much rain there is going to be and when the sun is going to come back out. When we're not flying, we are maintaining these helicopters. We are greasing them, we're making sure that everything is flight or air-worthy so we're ready to go as soon as we get the rain. In the off season some of us go back to flight instruction. There's a guy that goes back and herds buffalo in montana. I know people that are down in texas herding cattle. It's just a little bit of everything whatever people can find to do.
My favorite thing about being a helicopter pilot is it's always something different and the views just never get old.
I'm drew ohara and i'm a pilot here in brewster for the cherry drying season.