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First Flight


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As per Lindsey's request:

I had my first flight today, not counting an intro flight I went on a few years back, and it was AWESOME. I guess we didn't do anything spectacular, it's just SO much better than riding in the back of an airplane, which is what I've been doing for the past 6 years. I remember having "perma-grin" on my intro flight, and I was a little surprised that I still had it this morning. I've always wanted to fly helicopters since I read "Chicken Hawk" in middle school, granted I'm not flying a Huey into hot LZ's or even able to hover, but I still think being at the controls in straight level flight @1500AGL&65kts is the most exciting/fun thing I've ever done. I can't wait until tomorrow.

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Oh my God, Chicken Hawk is an AMAZING book. Nonfiction! I have a bunch of those from the Vietnam era written by Army Aviators about their experience. Chicken Hawk, Dustoff, Firebirds, Taking Fire, etc. You should look into those! Check out your local library's online catalogue.

 

Fun to hear of your first experience!

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@1500AGL&65kts is the most exciting/fun thing I've ever done.

 

 

Wow, I dont think I've ever flown at 1500 AGL, and I'm not kidding. Guess I'm the low flying type.

 

Goldy

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I remember early on going to 3000'AGL in an R22(doors off). My instructor wanted me to see how the helicopter acted OGE high up. It was pretty wierd, I almost didn't want to look down. :o Of course at that altitude 30kts feels like a hover. Since then the highest I've been in the R22 is about 5,500' AGL, but that was at night, and so its really hard to tell. :rolleyes:

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As per Lindsey's request:

I had my first flight today, not counting an intro flight I went on a few years back, and it was AWESOME. I guess we didn't do anything spectacular, it's just SO much better than riding in the back of an airplane, which is what I've been doing for the past 6 years. I remember having "perma-grin" on my intro flight, and I was a little surprised that I still had it this morning. I've always wanted to fly helicopters since I read "Chicken Hawk" in middle school, granted I'm not flying a Huey into hot LZ's or even able to hover, but I still think being at the controls in straight level flight @1500AGL&65kts is the most exciting/fun thing I've ever done. I can't wait until tomorrow.

 

congratulations! I still have my permanent grin after 2 years since my first flight!

 

cheers

 

Rotorrodent

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Thanks. Yeah, I'll have to check out some of those books. I've never played Chopper command, but I have played a flash game that's basically the same thing. It's amazing how far games have come. I think Battlefield 2 is probably the best when it comes to video games where you can fly helicopters.

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I liked battlefield Vietnam's helicopter physics better, but BF2 is still amazing.

Thanks. Yeah, I'll have to check out some of those books. I've never played Chopper command, but I have played a flash game that's basically the same thing. It's amazing how far games have come. I think Battlefield 2 is probably the best when it comes to video games where you can fly helicopters.
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12,500' in a 47 several times doin' MFF (Military Free Fall) :D

 

 

No matter the aircraft, i love it all though!

 

 

 

CHAD

 

The 46 may be able to struggle up to that altitude if there's a high pressure system in the area. :P

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I liked battlefield Vietnam's helicopter physics better, but BF2 is still amazing.

 

Check out the operation flashpoint 1 and 2 and Arma 1 and 2 series, better helicopter flight then in the battlefield games, and all in all a more realistic military simulator.

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The 46 may be able to struggle up to that altitude if there's a high pressure system in the area. :P

 

 

crashed, do you fly the 46?

 

We make it up to 12,500 with no problem, just need to be careful how much we have onboard. Damn structural limitations!

 

 

CHAD

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crashed, do you fly the 46?

 

We make it up to 12,500 with no problem, just need to be careful how much we have onboard. Damn structural limitations!

 

 

CHAD

 

I was a crewchief on them. The service ceiling is 10,000, but occasionally you could go maybe a couple thousand higher if the DA was low. It wasn't so much engine limiting but that was all the further the blades would lift us. The blades on a 47 have a much larger surface area and you have 5000+ HP per engine to back them up vs our 1870 HP per.

 

Was your unit in New River about a year and a half ago? I remember an Army detatchment there and I thought their call sign was "hooker".

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Crashed, Yeah, I never knew until about 2 years ago that there is such a big difference between the 46 and 47. If we watch our airspeed, weight, yata yata we can make it alot higher... probably around 18k on a good day. What limits us at 12,500 is actual the structure of the aircraft, not power.

 

As for the call sign... they call everyone who is aircrew on Chinooks as "hookers" due to our hooks on the bottom of the aircraft that we use so much. There is a unit out there with that callsign, but I'm not sure what unit that is.

 

 

 

CHAD

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Crashed, Yeah, I never knew until about 2 years ago that there is such a big difference between the 46 and 47. If we watch our airspeed, weight, yata yata we can make it alot higher... probably around 18k on a good day. What limits us at 12,500 is actual the structure of the aircraft, not power.

 

As for the call sign... they call everyone who is aircrew on Chinooks as "hookers" due to our hooks on the bottom of the aircraft that we use so much. There is a unit out there with that callsign, but I'm not sure what unit that is.

 

 

 

CHAD

 

Ah, learn something everyday.

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