Flying a Helicopter?

[Redneck in training]

I was working in Russia 1978 on construction of a pipeline. One day we needed some cards for Speedtronic we wanted to cannibalize from another compressor station. Direct distance was about 120 km but by road it was two day trip because the closest bridge across the Volga river was in Volgograd or we had to take a ferry in Kamyshin. Since our compressor station was near by Russian one we knew they had a heli there so we asked if we could use it. The answer was to find the pilot and ask him if he would take as there. No paperwork or anything was required.
We took of and in less then an hour landed on a soccer field at our compound by another station. Since we had a store supplied with stuff Russians just heard of we asked people at the compound to let the pilot buy whatever he wanted and just take care of him. Well when we returned back to the compound we found the pilot sitting slumped in the bar holding several plastic bags full of stuff and totally drunk. Guys thought it was funny, they told us we just took care of him. Some time later the pilot perked up, stated talking and said we could fly back. We hesitated for some time and then decided to go. Needless to say the helicopter had zero navigation gear. There was just compass, radio and rest of the gauges were related to the engines. The pilot followed the pipeline that was visible like a scar in the land. We flew about a half of an hour when colleague of mine said to pilot hey where is the pipeline? Pilot looked down and said s**t we lost it and made right turn flew for some time made U turn and flew for some time and said look here it is. We made it safely back with drunk pilot.
BTW we were not allowed to take taxi Monday or day after a holiday because of the taxi drivers were still drunk. It was different world by then.

 

[prichard]

Good story, Ladia. From what I've heard Russia is a different world as well.

 

[ray66v]

I've met Bob Hoover too and I don't think he was a bold pilot, just one that really knew what he was doing, how to fly and had a ton of experence. He probably had more stick time hours than I had lifetime hours. That guy was really great.

Was? He's 94, but not dead yet!

Bold, depends on your definition.

I think, Webster should have Hoovers picture there, when you look up "bold".

bold
adjective
Not hesitating, or fearful in the face of actual or possible danger or rebuff; courageous and daring.


Hoover has a level of experience, no one today could hope to get. But, he wasn't born with it.

 

[ray66v]

Yep crop dusters are a crazy lot for the most part.

I got a ride with a helicopter crop duster once.

Because it's more costly, choppers usually only get called to do fields that you can't do with an airplane. So, it's often real tight.

We dropped in, and went roaring across the top of the crops, a few feet above them, heading straight towards a line of trees. What seemed like the last second before hitting them, he pulled straight up, until all the forward speed was lost. Then, the tail was rotated around, and we literally fell back down, in the other direction.

Since they have minimal forward speed, and not a lot of altitude, there is very little to convert to the energy they would need to save them, if anything goes wrong during these maneuvers.

 

[mjarrels]

Crop dusters are in a world of their own... any aircraft that has wire cutters on the wing leading edge isn't for me.

mark

 

[ovrszd]

During the '60's, while working for Fish & Game in AK, we were fortunate to have the services of the Army to provide access to remote locations. They would chopper us in, set up a base camp and provide any and all transportation needed. I still remember riding in the choppers called "the flying banana". Made my 'ol butt pucker up and trade places with my belly button. The Army justified these excursions as field training operations.

Chinook. High respect and admiration for that craft. Have rode them many hours.

 

[ovrszd]

It all sounds like fun, until you get the the part where you are being shot at.

The guys I have talked to, who flew Huey's in Nam, say you kind of get used to it?

I flew as a passenger a LOT under those circumstances and NEVER got used to it.

 

[MossRoad]

Was? He's 94, but not dead yet!

Bold, depends on your definition.

I think, Webster should have Hoovers picture there, when you look up "bold".

bold
adjective
Not hesitating, or fearful in the face of actual or possible danger or rebuff; courageous and daring.


Hoover has a level of experience, no one today could hope to get. But, he wasn't born with it.

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

 

[MossRoad]

I flew as a passenger a LOT under those circumstances and NEVER got used to it.

I could never imagine anyone ever getting used to getting shot at. Familiar, yes. Controlled response, yes. But used to it... man.

 

[k0ua]

I flew as a passenger a LOT under those circumstances and NEVER got used to it.

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