Texas Fall/Winter thread!

[Bird]

The old Bell 47s were what we had during my relatively short tenure as Commander of the Helicopter Section of the Police Department (1973-74).:laughing:

 

[robbyr]

Y'all always talking about rain so thought I'd share this.

 

[wcampbell47]

Wcampbell47,
I got into helicopters in 1979 and into rebuilding them in 1980. When my son was born, I was helping a coworker and my sheetmetal mentor rebuild a Bell 212's fuselage. We spent about 6 months on it. The longer I rebuilt helicopters..............................the more I didn't wanna fly in them. Last helicopter flight was a Bell 205 that the mechanics were doing trim flights on. The next day, a crack from the leading edge to the trailing edge in the main rotor blade's skin was found. Last flight!

Now, I turn wrenches with a lot of retired helicopter pilots. They saw too much too.

I see you have bell 47 in your user name. Is that for the helicopter or something else?
hugs, Brandi

No reference to a helicopter, just last name and year of birth.

 

[houstonscott]

The last draft was in 1972 and I was out by then. You would have been a "peace time" pilot. My oldest son became an A&P mechanic in the early 90's on the OH58A. His CO recommended him to Warrant Officer Candidate School after a tour in Korea. Got his wings in '95 and transitioned into the AH64A and later to the D model. Two tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan. His tour in Afghanistan he supported the 75th Rangers of Blackhawk Down fame at 6,000 ft elevation and above in the mountains. He retired after 22 years and is now flying life flight missions. Don't know how your career would have turned out other than to say "different".

My son in his Apache, modern day Darth Vader. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PrU5XD2Ypo - Video Tube for YouTube - iPhone/iPad Sent from my iPad

If you saw this special on the apache, this my son. HS

 

[bindian]

I know naught of aeronautics but since you're on the topic, my stepdad was a cropduster for many years. Around '79 he got a Bell 47 and started burning for timber companies in East Texas. I was a teenager and went on many trips and mixed the Alumagel while he was on a run.

Robbyr,
I know what Alumigrip is, but what is a Alumagel?
hugs, Brandi

 

[bindian]

The old Bell 47s were what we had during my relatively short tenure as Commander of the Helicopter Section of the Police Department (1973-74).:laughing:

Bird,
Really? Wow. Birdcage bubble and all? I didn't know they were still used into the 70s.
hugs, Brandi

 

[bindian]

My son in his Apache, modern day Darth Vader. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PrU5XD2Ypo - Video Tube for YouTube - iPhone/iPad Sent from my iPad

If you saw this special on the apache, this my son. HS

Hey HS........................do me a favor. Thank you son for me for his service and kicking *** over there. Awesome video too!
hugs, Brandi

 

[robbyr]

Robbyr,
I know what Alumigrip is, but what is a Alumagel?
hugs, Brandi

Alumagel was a white powdery material we mixed with gasoline. The more you used the thicker it got like a jelly. His "torch" was a 30 gallon barrel with Alumagel and a coil that hung below the helicopter. He could ignite small batches of the jelly and drop them. I would be mixing some in a 55 gallon barrel with a pump circulating it for his next trip.

 

[robbyr]

My son in his Apache, modern day Darth Vader. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PrU5XD2Ypo - Video Tube for YouTube - iPhone/iPad Sent from my iPad

If you saw this special on the apache, this my son. HS

That's awesome and thanks to all military for their service.

 

[Bird]

Bird,
Really? Wow. Birdcage bubble and all? I didn't know they were still used into the 70s.
hugs, Brandi

Brandi, the Dallas Police Department only got their first helicopter in 1969. By 1973 we had 6 (all Bell 47s) and were keeping one in the air 24/7. But not long after I moved on to other things, they cut back on hours due to budget restrictions.