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The pilot must have been a "natural". I wanted to learn to fly helicopters back in my younger days. A book I read years ago about the helicopter pilots in Viet Nam was called "Chickenhawk" by Robert Mason. While reading certain parts I found myself leaning and rocking to the storyline, that's how vivid his depiction of flight is. I highly recommend it if you enjoy a good read. You can even use your thumbs to flip the pages.

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I got to admit the only way Im watching that show is on video but then Ive seen one too many accidents.

 

Guy flying on this vid is unreal, but the next guy mmmm dunno but its a great show.

Just keeping orientation during all the acrobatics so close to a crowd makes this amazing.

Think two are in the cockpit as its definitely a team effort but damn wish I had gone to Ft Rucker now.

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That had to be so damned loud, but I would love to see something like that. I been waiting to see an airshow for a few years now. Last one I saw was around the time that video was made. It was at Stewart AFB in NY before it closed. 

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I know the Army used to have a precision helicopter flight team.  There were pics at the Ft. Rucker Museum.  They were doing things like flying a plumb bob through a maze "Operation" style, and eggs on spoons.  Wonder if they became the rumored "H9" special ops helicopter unit?

 

First in, Last out.  Aeroscouts are what it's about!  Soldier ON!

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A very cool demonstration of pilot skill and powerful recruiting tool!

 

I see helicopters as being more fragile than airplanes, when it comes to malfunctions because, they are more sophisticated. Am I wrong?

 

Too many people want to live in a "safe bubble" now. "Just watch the scary stuff on TV, instead".

 

I had a friend who's family owned a helicopter. He said that it was fun to buzz the tree-tops hauling ass!

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My parents' house was in the path of the final approach for landing at our local hospital for its' life flight operations. Those guys would come hauling ass into the hospital when there was no patient on board, and sometimes on the way out too. I don't remember what they had, but they were fast, and they would come in at nearly full speed then whip around the hospital, quickly flare and set down. There is nothing cooler than watching a fast helicopter with a skilled pilot do its thing in a hurry. A lot of those guys had to have been Vietnam vets at the time, doing what they knew how to do best.

 

If I could go back in time and do something in the mil I might have wanted to give that a shot. Loved them as a kid. Just sort of forgot about it by the time I became an adult.

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A very cool demonstration of pilot skill and powerful recruiting tool!

 

I see helicopters as being more fragile than airplanes, when it comes to malfunctions because, they are more sophisticated. Am I wrong?

 

Too many people want to live in a "safe bubble" now. "Just watch the scary stuff on TV, instead".

 

I had a friend who's family owned a helicopter. He said that it was fun to buzz the tree-tops hauling ass!

Jet Ranger's (OH-58) like the one in the vid are not something you want to crash in.  The Hughes 500 (OH-6) is the one you want to crash in!  The egg shape handles the forces better.  But choppers aren't much different from fixed wing if something goes wrong.  Just pray you aren't over trees when it happens!  My father lost his best friend a month before he was going to retire from the Guard.  Tail rotor gearbox went tits-up at NOE altitude and 0 airspeed over the trees.  Of 4, only one survivor.  That was my unit's only Class A accident. (loss of life/aircraft)  With that, there was no airspeed to keep her from spinning and no possibility of a run on landing.  58's handle like really touchy overpowered sports cars, and you have to be smooth and steady on the controls.  Loss of the gearbox at hover will get you into a violent spin right away.  She spun and then pitched nose down, so she hit the trees.  That ravine is a good hidy hole to call artillery from in a 58, but a deathtrap if shit happens.

 

NOE flight in a UH-1M standing on the skid in a monkey harness is the ultimate!  Add being behind a M-60D/M27 mount with 720 rnds for more fun!  Only thing better would be a M134 and 2K of ammo!

 

Yup!  Sure looks like it sucks down there!

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A very cool demonstration of pilot skill and powerful recruiting tool!

 

I see helicopters as being more fragile than airplanes, when it comes to malfunctions because, they are more sophisticated. Am I wrong?

 

Too many people want to live in a "safe bubble" now. "Just watch the scary stuff on TV, instead".

 

I had a friend who's family owned a helicopter. He said that it was fun to buzz the tree-tops hauling ass!

Jet Ranger's (OH-58) like the one in the vid are not something you want to crash in. The Hughes 500 (OH-6) is the one you want to crash in! The egg shape handles the forces better. But choppers aren't much different from fixed wing if something goes wrong. Just pray you aren't over trees when it happens! My father lost his best friend a month before he was going to retire from the Guard. Tail rotor gearbox went tits-up at NOE altitude and 0 airspeed over the trees. Of 4, only one survivor. That was my unit's only Class A accident. (loss of life/aircraft) With that, there was no airspeed to keep her from spinning and no possibility of a run on landing. 58's handle like really touchy overpowered sports cars, and you have to be smooth and steady on the controls. Loss of the gearbox at hover will get you into a violent spin right away. She spun and then pitched nose down, so she hit the trees. That ravine is a good hidy hole to call artillery from in a 58, but a deathtrap if shit happens.

 

NOE flight in a UH-1M standing on the skid in a monkey harness is the ultimate! Add being behind a M-60D/M27 mount with 720 rnds for more fun! Only thing better would be a M134 and 2K of ammo!

 

Yup! Sure looks like it sucks down there!

At least with wings and altitude you have time think.

 

No time, is a good time, for the tailrotor to go, in a heli.

 

The Russians have some good rotorless helis.

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At least with wings and altitude you have time think.

 

No time, is a good time, for the tailrotor to go, in a heli.

 

The Russians have some good rotorless helis.

 

Even with a rotor you have time to think.  It's altitude that's your friend in any aircraft!

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Impressive skills.... reminds me of this old video.

(70's soundtrack is awesome! lol)

 

 

That's what I used to call a "worm-burner!"

 

"2 things you can never use: air that's above you and runway that's behind you."

-Dick Samuels, ERAU

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