Flying a Helicopter?

[PILOON]

Flying a helicopter is kind of like strapping on an outboard motor and jumping into the water!

Fixed wing flying is easy compared to choppers, chopper controls are much more direct with very slight movement resulting in great reaction as compared to fixed wing.
The rotary wing controls are tight while fixed wing seem sloppy in comparison.
Then some are 'touchier' than others, Astar 350 was manageable for me but the Bell 206 had me dancing all over and I have some 1000 hrs of fixed wing time.

 

[ovrszd]

Did you guys actually sit on your helmets for ...er.. protection?

I never saw anyone do that. I kept all my gear properly attached. Didn't want to leave anything behind.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

I met Bob Hoover. Nice guy. Always gave you the eyeball when fueling his plane. Its not a turbo commander! Don't put jet fuel in it!

I missed seeing a Bob Hoover flight back when the Confederate Airwing was in south Texas. I was lucky enough to fly in a turbo commander once. It was one of the most awesome plane rides I've ever experienced. The pilot firewalled it, took off, lifted his wheels staying just off the runway, and I must say, I've never accelerated so hard in my life from about 100 knots to about 200 knots. Then he pulled it up into orbit it seemed. I can't begin to imagine how much faster the military jet jocks can do this.

 

[Garandman]

I never saw anyone do that. I kept all my gear properly attached. Didn't want to leave anything behind.

My cousin was a Huey Crew Chief in Vietnam. He got shot down a number of times. The string pulled tight and he wound up back in the states with a broken jaw.

 

[ovrszd]

My cousin was a Huey Crew Chief in Vietnam. He got shot down a number of times. The string pulled tight and he wound up back in the states with a broken jaw.

The Huey crews had my life in their hands. Thank him for what he did. Very Blessed man to still be here.

 

[ray66v]

He's still alive but had his license yanked for medical reasons quite a while ago.

Technically they don't take your license for medical reasons, just your ability to use it as pilot in command.

Hoover voluntarily sent in his medical certificate, when his health came into question. After completing, and passing the requested medical testing, the FAA pulled their usual crap, and refused to give it back.

Hoover finally did an end run on them, and got a medical certificate in Australia.

The FAA eventually relented, and allowed Hoover a US medical certificate, which he was able to keep until retirement.

 

[MossRoad]

I missed seeing a Bob Hoover flight back when the Confederate Airwing was in south Texas. I was lucky enough to fly in a turbo commander once. It was one of the most awesome plane rides I've ever experienced. The pilot firewalled it, took off, lifted his wheels staying just off the runway, and I must say, I've never accelerated so hard in my life from about 100 knots to about 200 knots. Then he pulled it up into orbit it seemed. I can't begin to imagine how much faster the military jet jocks can do this.

The first day I worked at an airport was at an airshow in Niles, Mi in 1979. The owner of the FBO had a turbo commander. It was blocking some hangar and fuel pump access, so he got in it, fired it up, and backed it up to the fence.... never saw a plane back up before that. Also learned to never stand in front of a plane that's backing up....

 

[MossRoad]

Technically they don't take your license for medical reasons, just your ability to use it as pilot in command.

Hoover voluntarily sent in his medical certificate, when his health came into question. After completing, and passing the requested medical testing, the FAA pulled their usual crap, and refused to give it back.

Hoover finally did an end run on them, and got a medical certificate in Australia.

The FAA eventually relented, and allowed Hoover a US medical certificate, which he was able to keep until retirement.

I don't know the technicalities of the medical stuff. I recall the guy I mentioned above with the turbo commander.... I knew him since I was in about 5th grade. He ended up with heart problems and could no longer fly solo or 1st pilot. He could go along as copilot. But the fight was out of him shortly after not being in charge anymore.

 

[dickfoster]

Did you guys actually sit on your helmets for ...er.. protection?

That's what flak vests were for.

 

[Garandman]

That's what flak vests were for.

Yeah, to slow the bullet down enough to identify the caliber of bullet in your butt.....

I hated those things. Apparently effective against shrapnel but not much else. Damned heavy, must have been miserable in Vietnam.