I have always been curious about aviation for as long as I can remember. When I was 10 I picked up a book about military aviators in the Second World War. From that day forward I could not get flying off my mind.
I enlisted in the Army National Guard in 1980, I was 17 and Cobras and Hueys were still the backbone of US Army Aviation. Until then being a pilot had always seemed just out of reach. Now, up close, it suddenly seemed possible. The birds were tough olive green brutes...raw, powerful machines with no frills, and the sound of those blades reverberated right through to your bones. When they were armed, the guns were mounted outside in the wind and they flew wherever they pleased. I thought, “I can do this!” I became a Warrant Officer at age 20 and flew Hueys for 550 hours with combat veteran Army Aviators turned offshore pilots and national guardsmen. Their lessons echo in my ears to this day.
I finished college and transferred into the regular Air Force. I thought I wanted to fly fighters but a few weeks into T-37 training I realized I missed my old UH-1H. Later flying T-38s I missed it even more. Hard to believe but those jets (and the Air Force in general) just had too many limitations, long runways, start carts, never enough gas and radar vectors for everything. None of the freedoms and sense of independence I’d known as a helicopter pilot. After three years as a T-37 instructor I volunteered for AF helicopters but it was too late...they were over manned and underfunded.
So I spent 10 years in C-130s and loved it. Crossed oceans, landed on all types of runways, air dropped all manner of people, equipment and supplies in over 35 countries. But I still have to go outside every time I hear a helicopter.
Now with over 6000 hours, like those writing in above, I still smile every time I ease a ship into the air. While I’ve often thought about separating from the military, I’ve never considered another job outside flying. I rented a H-269 a few months back just to see if I could still hover. As I eased the collective up and rolled in a little throttle I grinned so wide my instructor had to comment! I was a bit wobbly at first but an hour later I was doing touch down autos again and I knew I was home.
I’ll retire soon and my first goal will be to get recurrent in helicopters and get my ATP (H). I’d love to fly offshore or fight fires...or both.
Fly safe...