Best Picture I Ever Took

[WFTW]

I hope you all like it.

Location: Air Assault School in Ft. Belvoir, VA
Date: June 1994

 

[adventureduo]

Pretty neat photo. Those helo's scare me. They call them hewi's right? I flew in one for my fire dept training one time, felt like the thing was going to rattle out of the sky at any moment. Felt like a huge beer can flying around up there. It was my first time ever in my life in the air.

 

[WFTW]

Huey's, yes. It's a UH-1H helicopter. If you think riding in one is nerve racking, try going up 90 feet in one as it hovers, step out onto the skid, and then repel on down to the ground...niiiiiice.

Blackhawk helicopters are a bit better ride. A rougher ride than a Huey is a Chinook (huge beast of a helicopter with dual roters)...thing rattles like you wouldn't believe! Over here I'm in a helipcopter every few months...I like going up in them.

 

[Ryanmb21]

that is a sweet pic, the dude in the for ground looks pissed.

 

[Bergger]

that is a sweet pic, the dude in the for ground looks pissed.

He's most likely just very tired. I went through Air Assault School back in the 90's out at Schofield Barracks Hawaii. It was one of the most demanding two weeks I've every experienced. We got PT'd to death.

 

[Spikepretorius]

It's been about 25 years since I cruised around in a chopper on an almost daily basis. I still get gooseflesh when hearing a chopper.
Nothing beats the rush of going on ops over foreign turf while sitting in the doorway of a chopper with your rifle lying across your lap

 

[WFTW]

that is a sweet pic, the dude in the for ground looks pissed.

As Bergger noted, he wasn't pissed, just exhausted. This part of the school was on the last day of a VERY long first week (two week course). The school is mentally demanding (sling loading is no easy task and requires very close attention to detail) and physically demanding (daily runs and 3 road marches a week with the final road march being 12 miles).

 

[Spikepretorius]

Off topic: That wheelers for the wounded thing that you're involved with is a fantastic idea. Ten points.

 

[WFTW]

Off topic: That wheelers for the wounded thing that you're involved with is a fantastic idea. Ten points.

Thanks! With a few exceptions, it's been well received.

 

[Bergger]

As Bergger noted, he wasn't pissed, just exhausted. This part of the school was on the last day of a VERY long first week (two week course). The school is mentally demanding (sling loading is no easy task and requires very close attention to detail) and physically demanding (daily runs and 3 road marches a week with the final road march being 12 miles).

Yes the first week is hell. We had about 6 people drop out just from ingestion so much muddy water they got violently sick! Not sure what the overall drop out rate was but it was high. The second week is not so bad. In comparison!

It's been about 25 years since I cruised around in a chopper on an almost daily basis. I still get gooseflesh when hearing a chopper.
Nothing beats the rush of going on ops over foreign turf while sitting in the doorway of a chopper with your rifle lying across your lap

I could not agree more. However it is a little nerve racking when you find tree branches in your landing gear upon post flight inspection. Or you have to make an emergency landing because your rotor tips hit a tree branch. None the less I really miss Army flying.

 

[Spikepretorius]

Or you have to make an emergency landing because your rotor tips hit a tree branch.

Had the rotor tip hitting the bush experience deep in gook territory. (Angola)
Not fun.