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**herpa2003** · 2003-07-14, 20:17

Well, I have never been on a real chopper before, but a few years ago I was able to spend 2 hours in a UH-60 training simulator at Fort Bragg, NC with a UH-60 pilot. Every instrument was there, and the simulator twisted and turned in reaction to your inputs on the controls. I was able to practice landing on a ship and even avoiding hostile fire. Those were some of the most exciting 2 hours of my life.

On another note, I'm planning a trip to the ramp at Fort Drum sometime soon. I should be able to get some jetphotos.net worthy photos of the UH-60s, OH-58s, and UH-1s there and their cockpits with my new camera.

**hkgspotter1** · 2003-07-15, 03:40

I've been in 4 now.

1) GFS S-76 around Hong Kong for 40 mins

2) Jetranger over the Great Barrier Reef for 10 Minutes

3) Heli Hong Kong Jetranger for a 1 hour taking pics of Kai Tak airport.

4) East Asia S-76 from Hong Kong to Macau.

**AIRLNRGUY** · 2003-07-15, 05:53

A few years ago I took one in Black hills, SD. I don't have any pics that I can find right now. It was really cool. I still like jets better than choppers.

**G-TDTW** · 2003-07-23, 11:03

I've only been on a helecopter once and that was with British International from Lands End to the Isles of Scilly

**CO66** · 2003-08-12, 14:03

Back in January I did a Huges 500 chopper ride on Kauai.

**philb** · 2003-08-21, 18:04

In the 1970s and early 1980s I was Conference Officer for Greater Manchester Council. One of my duties was the planning of trips for VIPs and this often involved helicopters to give British and European Ministers a bird's eye view of the County. I often accompanied the VIPs on the visits and have flown in and out of public parks, on and off pontoons in Manchester Docks, on and off the lawn of a convent surrounded by trees and two main roads (see below).

I used two companies, one from Manchester, the other from Liverpool, both flying Jet Rangers, and got to know the pilots well. One of the Manchester based pilots would hover taxi to the terminal and took great delight in scooting along taxiways at around two feet at in excess of 40 mph. Once, having completed a VIP trip in the Liverpool helicopter, we took the opportunity to use the "dead" trip back to Liverpool to view a recently collapsed cooling tower at Fiddler's Ferry power station. The Emergency Planning Officer, who had requested the trip, asked how close we could get, given the other towers were working. Well we got close enough to rise like an express elevator as we passed through the plume of a working tower and the ex-Army pilot took great delight in the green faces of some on board.

The trip to the convent was in preparation for the Pope's visit to Manchester in 1982. I'd suggested it would be possible to put 2 S-61s on the lawn. BCal, who the Catholic Church had chartered to fly the Pope, sent their Chief Pilot and we flew from the airport to the convent in a Bell 206. Many measurements were taken, discussions held with the Fire Brigade and Police and it was decided the feat would be possible within certain wind limits.

On the day the first helicopter with VIPs landed and hover reversed and turned across the line of arrival and parked parallel to one line of trees over which it had just landed. The second, with the Pope, landed on from the same direction and parked. Now, to the front of the Pope's helicopter were six 70 foot trees, to the rear six similar trees and the other helicopter and the departure direction was 180 degrees from the way it was facing so, on departure, the Pope's aircraft lifted vertically to 40 or so feet, then reversed before accelerating into wind, over the trees in front and turning 180 degrees once a reasonable flying speed was reached.

The second helicopter with a road sixty feet in front with houses on the far side, lifted, turned 90 degrees right, edged forward, lifted to 40 feet, reversed then went forward lifting over the trees, following the example of the Pope's machine.

I've not had a helicopter ride since 1984 but well remember the joy of flying over lines of standing traffic in and around Manchester, the superb views from a Jet Ranger and the fun of operating in and out of unusual and often tight locations. I envy my son in law, a petro-geologist, who regularly flies to oil rigs in the north Sea and North Atlantic.

**Eagle_Driver** · 2003-08-22, 00:04

The most interesting helicopter ride I've been on would probably be the one hour tour around the island of Oahu in Hawaii on an AS350 A-Star.

**a78jumper** · 2003-09-25, 14:44

Chopper flights

Many many flights in military choppers- Twin Hueys, Single Huey(US Army-Maine NG), Chinook, Kiowa, Bell 412(Canadian Forces and Slovenian Army) and Mi-8, in Zagreb Croatia in 1999. I jumped em all except the Kiowa. Also memorable was learning to rappel out of a Twin Huey when I was Airborne.
________
Uggs

**uy707** · 2003-10-01, 21:26

All flights were interesting, which was the best is too difficult to cast a vote
as each featured some exclusive assets.
- First was over New York City and one round above Liberty Statue then back to 47th street helipad, with an Island Helicopter Bell 206.
- #2, New York again as the scenery provider, ISLAND hELICOPTER again as the operator, type was an Aerospatiale (now Eurocopter) Dauphin
- #3. Over Saint Louis, with a Bell 206.
- #4. Over San Francisco and Alcatraz, Commodore Helicopter, Bell 206.
- #5. Heathrow-Gatwick, Gatwick Airlinks, Sikorsky S.61N, G-LINK
- #6. Over Deauville/Normandy, with an Eurocopter Ecureil/Squirrel/Astar for the US market. Operator was H�liFrance.
- #7. Over Deauville-Trouville, again courtesy of one HeliFrance Astar
Both Deauville opportunities occured during a Tourism trade show, this was free, so I wouldn't have been smart in forgoing these !
- #8. From Lognes (one of numerous suburban areas surrounding Paris)
to Troyes and over a reservoir dam and back to base, with an Helipac
Ecureil/Squirrel/Astar .
Regards
Alain

**N674UW** · 2003-10-09, 03:11

My one and only chopper flight...

Here's a brief TR of my only helicopter flight...a brief whitewater rafting ferry flight to get us to the put in site...the locale is Far North Queensland, something like 40 miles or so southwest of CNS...

July 23, 2001
Bell 206B VH-CDS
Mungalli Falls-Beatrice R./N. Johnstone R. confluence
Left front seat

Our bus drove up to the "pad" which turned out to be a farm, and Bell 206B VH-CDS came into view. Once the bus stopped, I took my gear off and immediately headed over to the chopper. The pilot was nowhere in sight and there was no "No touching" signs in sight, so I did a walk-around of the chopper, and spent some time peeking in the cockpit-I noticed a distinct similarity to the FS cockpit, but one thing I still dont understand about helicopters is the controls (cyclic, collective etc.)...

Anyway, within about 15 minutes the pilot showed up and gave us a quick safety briefing and then did a walk-around. The first flight was a sling-load of gear and some of our guides. Same with the second. I managed to get on the third flight, persuading my trip leader that I should sit in the front seat. The chopper made its return from the second flight and made a hot loading, without shutting down. I ran to the left side, hopped in and was strapped in. My camera was at the ready. We then took off and made a 90 degree turn to the left out over a cliff, where the pilot dipped the nose to pick up speed. I was using my time to take pictures and stare at the instruments. He flew low to the ground and about 4 minutes after take-off he made a sharp 90 degree right hand turn and flared for landing on a very small patch of land. I unbuckled, then waved my thanks, and tried to shut the door, but it wouldn't shut because the seat belts were jamming it. I got it on the second try. Me and the three other passengers ran away from the chopper and gave the thumbs up to the pilot, who the departed to make another run.

I really enjoyed the experience and am sad that I havent had a chance to repeat it...also if anyone has pics of VH-CDS please let me know...my film roll from that flight was subsequently destroyed during the rafting trip and not processable so I have no pictures of it...

Greg

**CheckSix** · 2003-10-09, 04:34

I flew in a helicopter with no doors. That was fun. (MD500 just in case your wondering)

**WhisperLiner** · 2003-10-09, 17:03

Flew in a Papillon Eurocopter AS350BA over the Las Vegas strip at night last year. Spectacular flight.

**MauwieAir** · 2003-10-14, 17:42

never flew on a helicopter but i do my best to get on a helicopter soon!

**LRJet Guy** · 2003-10-15, 00:56

Got an intro flight in an Enstrom. I got where I could hover it pretty well, but it was still a bitch. Lots of work going on in a helo cockpit. I had a great time though, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

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