Helicopters were NOT naturally beautifully machines.
When we speak of beautiful machines I think of the Jaguar XKE; the Gulfstream Jet; Raymond Loewy's Greyhound Scenicruiser. (Yes, the big bus!)
While I was in ARMY Primary Flight School I lusted after the Bell UH-1 Huey. Not because I thought it was beautiful, but because I knew I'd likely be flying that aircraft while getting shot at.
At Ft. Wolters, Texas, one evening I went to the Post theater and saw a movie called "The President's Analyst" starring James Coburn.
Near the end of the movie one of the characters comes onto the scene by landing in an aircraft similar to the one pictured above- A Bell JetRanger model 206.
I'd never seen one before. It took my breath away.
I couldn't have imagined at that time that I'd end up getting nearly 1600 hours total time in that model aircraft.
Other helicopters in the "nearly beautiful" category?
The AH-1G Cobra.
The Bell 222, (like the machine in "Airwolf".)
And the Sikorsky S-76.
Beautiful?
Well... in MY eye they are!
8 comments:
I like them all. Just never was able to hover one.
Beautiful machines for sure. I started with Navy Searanger/206, into the Huey for advanced and H-3 in the fleet. Army Guard back in the Huey for 12 years. Offshore for a few years in the 206 and S-76. Finally several years EMS. Thirty years flying these beauties, loved it all. Retired rotorhead.
Your experience is not totally unlike mine, CNF. I had 26 years EMS exposure, flying the 206L1, BO-105 CBS and "Lift Ship", and 20+ years in the BK117.
The only machine I hated was the 105. Tough bird, but I flew it AFTER some experience in the BK, and the BK spoiled us all.
All my EMS experience was 206L-3 and AS350. I much preferred the 350 over the 206, more power and higher mgw if I recall.
They ALL look good when they are coming to pick you up... :-)
Old NFO-
Right... even the old Sikorskys with the round motors!
Oh Boy, we sure do live in interesting times!
Americans have a need for things now that we are bunkering down for the duration of this Cardona Virus thing. Boy God has created a very strange world. We seem to be in the need for Toilet Paper more than we are for food.
Personally I loaded my house up with Pizza, and Hot Dogs, to the Hell with Toi;et Pater. We have lots of trees out where I live and I can always use the leaves from the trees to wipe myself clean.
I haven’t seen emptied store shelves at least here on the west coast since I was a teen during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
My mother’s words that she often uttered haunted my head as I waited in line at the grocery store. I only needed some milk. She said as we looked around at the empty shelves” the bloody alarmists” . She had lived through and survived the Blitz in Lndon as a teen.
Many Americans have become alarmists, I personally rely on Michele Obama’s words as important reminder to have faith and rely on God.
She always said, “The hell with Toilet Paper, we need lots of Lobster, and Caviar” But Caviar has become So Damn Expensive, that I think I’m going to give it up.
Also, I amused my self in the Grocery Store line to noted the items chosen by people that appear to be their secret stash for the end of the world, like Rice and Beans, and plenty of cigarette. Good Luck to us all. And by the way as Robert the Nero so correctly said. Fuck Trump.
Thanks for stopping by, Freddy.
I tried to stop by your blog to leave a comment about Bozo.
Couldn't do it. Your's is "Profile Not Available".
That's brave. (Snarc).
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