Agree. Seahawk, you have my vote.

I have never had any interest in flying helos. Heard an interesting statistic once.

Number of items in a B737 that the failure of any single item would doom the aircraft...... 170-ish.

Number of items in a Bell Jet Ranger that the failure of any one item would doom the aircraft....... 1200-ish.

I know, I know, I am biased. They are amazing machines, flown by amazing people.

I'm just not cut out to be one of them.

Two flavours of the Lear with hard points:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1138564730.jpg


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1138564761.jpg

I have been fortunate to have flown jets, props and helos...I was just looking to get some love for the helo bubbas!

To risk a "Brokeback Airplane" moment, Lead Sled Drivers, especially around the boat (where it all begins and ends) have my unending respect.

One more pic: During the first Gulf experience, I was the Air Boss on an Amphip that deployed the Desert Ducks, who flew H-3's. I was able to get a bunch of flight time in the old "White Winnebago". Nothing serious, mostly ass and trash. This pic is the last flight of the Ducks flying H-3's

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1138566519.jpg

Superb thread guys. I've passed the link on to a buddy who flew F-111's out of England back when Ronnie was President. Jimbo is one of those guys who has many adventures, then never writes about them. Right now he's a senior pilot for American, anxiously awaiting retirement while finishing up the building of his RV-7 Alpha kit plane. I doubt he'll post, but I'm betting he'll enjoy the hell out of the read. It was a sad day for him when he aged out of the air national guard, no longer able to fly fighter jets at the taxpayer's expense.

pwd;

My Mom is the one that convinced me to start writing about my crazy life. My Dad was one of those BTDT guys too. So much of what he did died with him a couple of years ago. He would have said his life was boring too. The last thing I ever wanted to do was talk about my boring life. But too much has happened to me to believe that someone somewhere might not get a chuckle out of it. So for her, and for him, I'm starting to write it all down. You guys get a bit of it from time to time.

You might get him to do the same. Maybe his kids would enjoy it someday.

Michael,

Am doing much the same thing as its worth saving. Also, take photos of every airplane you have flown. Later on in life you always smile and think of that plane and what you shared with it. I have a pic of most of them...

My Father gave me his logbooks before he headed West. Still have them and am trying to track down the airplane he solo'ed in or flew years ago. Would love to fly one of them sometime.


Joe

I don't know if you guys realise it or not, but just in case: You guys are doing / have done what the rest of us can only dream about.

I for one would love to hear any stories you guys want to share. Just try to remember that us "dreamers" have pretty much no idea what these anachronisms mean.

I can remember an airshow at Chanute AFB in the early '80's. They had a C-5 on display. My Uncle was a sargeant, and taught hydraulics. Everyone either called him sgt. Horn when they were mad at him, or "The Old Bastard" when they weren't. He fanagled a guided tour of the flight deck for me. They had to swing the nose down, and move the ropes just for us. I WAS King **** that day. I even returned the Captain's salute as I walked off of his fight deck. I don't think my feet touched the ground for a week after that. I couldn't have been more than 10 or 11, but I still remember the sea of instruments in that thing. Needless to say, I have a great amount of respect for you guys, and what you do. I have a hard time keeping up with a steering wheel, volt, oil pressure, and temp gauges on ONE engine, on the ground!

I probably crewed that jet at some point. The 'Stars & Bars' are from the 163rd TFG (/TRG/ARG/ARW/AW/RW) of the California Air National Guard.

Ryan,

Now you have a photo for your records! Bet you never forget the F-4, I sure will not!

The F-15 will out preform the old Rhino but for me will never have the soul of the old airplane...

Joe A

Funny, our guys used to go to Red Flag against the F-15 boyz (The F-4E days). They had their asses handed to them when they tried the same A2A tactics. But when they changed it up and flew right at them balls to the wall, they kick those young fighter jocks butts. Not bad for a bunch of old weekend warriors in has been jets.

Ryan!! Welcome back dood, where have you been hiding?

- Brad

Crazy couple of years brother.

I've been lurking when I can. The car is still running strong, although in need of tires. This next year will still be a bit crazy, but all is well.

Hurry up and move back to CA so we can have BBRV!

Experience counts for a lot in the air. Found that out as a young pup, and have dished a bit of it out as an old fart. Its our job and duty to pass this knowledge and experience along to those new guys. Hope that they are having as much fun as we did !

joeA

This is becoming quite the interesting thread. Tons of "Phantom-mania" going on. Figured I share a little bit. These are some shots of the Phantoms we flew in my very first (and the all time VERY BEST) Marine squadron.

Welcome to Ghost Town!

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1138604325.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1138604338.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1138604370.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1138604386.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1138604398.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1138652951.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1138652975.jpg

Randy

Seahawk,

The other week, I had a ringside seat for some SAR practices. A Cormorant was dropping a couple of SAR Techs into the river in front of my home (The Annapolis, partly salt and, strangely for January open this year) circling and recovering them by using slings and basket. Recoveries were done from what I would guess was 60 - 80 feet, but the drop-offs were from a hover about 10 feet up (in ground effect?)
At that height, a great quantity of water was being displaced off the surface of the river and you could barely see the aircraft for the 'fog'. Since the air temp was a few below freezing, it brought a couple of questions to mind.
I suspect at some point, about 15 - 20 degrees below freezing, you might have to concern yourself about icing on the rotor, or are there enough other factors such as centrifugal force and vibration which lessen the risk?
It looked like the engines (3) were ingesting a lot of water. While I suppose it wouldn't be as much as they would be getting, say flying through a heavy rain, would the pilot be watching his intake temperatures a bit closely at a time like that?
All in all, it was a hell of a display. I don't know what impressed me more: the SAR Techs jumping into (almost) freezing water, or the co-ordination between the guy at the door (Liftmaster??) and the pilot to bring the slings/basket to the position of the guy in the water without causing a casualty for real. They did the whole evolution,( check out the area, insert 'team', clear area, prepare equipment from downwind, recover, clear area) with variations four times in an hour.

Les

Cormorant is a great helicopter...a version of which was selected to replace the US Presidential helicopter (a good friend of minbe manages the program).

Cormorant has heated blades if required...the bigger risk is much in the pitot static system, which provides flight information to the displays. That system is heated as well.

Salt water in the intakes is always a problem...that's why the drops are done in a slow flight rather than a low, ten foot hovers. Recoveries, at least in the 60, is done from above the spray.

Lastly, the SAR guys are amazing...so that others may live.


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1138640270.jpg

Cormorant is a great helicopter...a version of which was selected to replace the US Presidential helicopter (a good friend of minbe manages the program).

Cormorant has heated blades if required...the bigger risk is much in the pitot static system, which provides flight information to the displays. That system is heated as well.

Salt water in the intakes is always a problem...that's why the drops are done in a slow flight rather than a low, ten foot hovers. Recoveries, at least in the 60, is done from above the spray.

Lastly, the SAR guys are amazing...so that others may live.


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1138640270.jpg

Living on the water, I see (and hear the fenestron) of the Coast Guard Dauphins all the time, practising the same manuever. Is pretty impressive. They don't worry about the icing here, tho.

Ryan! So glad to see you again, been a long time!

Wow
You guys are leading a life most of us are extremely envious of. All that being said, this can't be said enough.
Thank you for your service and sacrifice!
Steve

I thought I was paying attention, but...

What's a hard point?