First ride in a helicopter

[rock]

WOW. What a trip. I don't rally care for flying but I am so glad i did this. One of my employees and I were standing outside the shop today watching a copter going in large circles. He must have done this 20 times or more in about an hours time.He seen us watching and to my surprise he headed toward my lane and proceeded to land. Turns out it was a friend of mine that is a crop duster. I knew he had a copter but I thought it was a Viet Nam era machine he was going to dust with. This was a very small machine. He motioned for me to come with him and to say the least I was very hesitant. We boated together 20 years ago and at that time I had a 90mph Stream he would not get in and he had a 65mph Checkmate he could not drive. When people wanted to run against his Mate, I would drive it. Now I guess it was his turn to show me something. I made him promise to keep it as gentle as possible and if I said enough, he would take me home. It was unbelievable. Straight up and in a hurry. Once I got over the rush it was pretty cool. It's strange cuz this thing is small and it moves around alot. I compared it to riding in my Allison in that movements in my boat I am used to probably unerve the passengers a bit. We only went for about 15 minutes but in that short time I seen alot. Never seen my place from in the air before and that was real cool. We flew at about 1000 feet and were going 85 knots and it felt like we weren't even moving. I am sure a lot of you have done this but for those that have not, if you get the chance, go for it. Sure is different than being in a plane.
Rock

[Bogman]

Sounds fun, I've always wanted to try that...one day I'll get my chance

Dan

[mercpunk]

did ya'll do a banked turn ??? it feels like your slipin in the turn but really your not man its a rush:D

[The Bilge Idiot]

I've ridden in choppers before (my Dad was an airshow promoter for many years) But a few years back we were in Phoenix for the Drag boat finals and there was a copter selling rides at the track. Me and my buddies paid the fee and strapped in, before we took off I gave the pilot a $100 bill and told him "we want the Rambo ride" HOLY CHIT!!!! did he deliver!! Turns out he was a combat pilot in Viet Nam! He really put that thing through the ringers, hell I about lost my nourishing churro/Budweiser breakfast:D

[rock]

did ya'll do a banked turn ??? it feels like your slipin in the turn but really your not man its a rush:D

As a matter of fact, he did. I was freaked out enough just cruising along but when he decided to turn I felt like I would fall out. 1000' in the air and he put that thing on it's side. I'll bet he's a blast in his dusting plane. Probably a good thing those are so expensive or I'd be signing up for lessons. Hope to get to do it again.
Rock

[bahamatrama]

Just wondering couldn't drive a checkmate, but flys a chopper.

[rock]

Just wondering couldn't drive a checkmate, but flys a chopper.

And he is a crop duster. And it wasn't a very fast Checkmate. I guess it's a matter of what your comfortable with. I don't like fast on a bike yet I have gone nearly 130 in my boat.
Rock

[1BadAction]

I've ridden in choppers before (my Dad was an airshow promoter for many years) But a few years back we were in Phoenix for the Drag boat finals and there was a copter selling rides at the track. Me and my buddies paid the fee and strapped in, before we took off I gave the pilot a $100 bill and told him "we want the Rambo ride" HOLY CHIT!!!! did he deliver!! Turns out he was a combat pilot in Viet Nam! He really put that thing through the ringers, hell I about lost my nourishing churro/Budweiser breakfast:D

thats awesome.. i can fly an R/C heli. :D

[CDave]

They are fun aren't they. I've ridden in so many helo's so many time I can't even start to total up all the hours.

[david laser86]

The bank turns are awesome!:D
Nothing like a heli ride...

[Jay Smith]

I rode in a Heli on "one" of my Honeymoons in Hawaii ( Forget which one , SOOO many Marriages , SOOO many Honeymoons :eek: :D :cool: ;) LOL... ) and its was fun but a bit unnerving. The constant osolating side to side freaked me out ! And the thread like cables that went to the controls kept we worrying till we sat down. The next week after returning home I read where the same company that we rode in had a tour Heli crash in the cane fields and all were lost !

Once was enough for me !

[pyro]

My parents also went on that heli ride in the gorge in Hawaii the week before the fatal crash.

[stokernick]

hmmm,helo rides are cool,but for the ultimate experience try launching and landind on an aircraft carrier.one of the many perks of USMC duty on a birdfarm!

[JADED]

Choppers are definatey awesome:cool: , the missus bought me a lesson in a wee Robbie for christmas, I was to chicken to book until July. The pilot gave me full control at 1000ft and let me fly around for 10 15 mins:D . I had a few failed attempts at hovering just above the ground, he had to take over. Truly awsome experience!!! the movement of the controls was suprisingly natural. except you turn the throttle the other way compared to a bike.
There are few similarities with boats the tail rotor stops the body spinning in the oposite direction to the rotors and the faster the rotor goes the more pedal you have to put in-like the faster a boat prop is turning the more it wants to spin the boat. Well it made sense to me any way.
It made me think that i this age of puters someone would have invented pivoting skeg that was linked to the speedo?????????

[The Bilge Idiot]

I've ridden in choppers before (my Dad was an airshow promoter for many years) But a few years back we were in Phoenix for the Drag boat finals and there was a copter selling rides at the track. Me and my buddies paid the fee and strapped in, before we took off I gave the pilot a $100 bill and told him "we want the Rambo ride" HOLY CHIT!!!! did he deliver!! Turns out he was a combat pilot in Viet Nam! He really put that thing through the ringers, hell I about lost my nourishing churro/Budweiser breakfast:DHere's a pic of Firebird Lake that I took from the copter