Female Helicopter pilots.....

[SASless]

I started a thread in the Military Aircrew forum about a US Army Blackhawk pilot that got wounded in Iraq....did so after seeing a C-Span interview of her at Walter Reed Army Hospital. If you get a chance to see that program on Television....do not miss it!

Tammy Duckworth is a true hero....hear her talk about her service to the country....her dedication to return to flying duties...one very impressive little Hawaiian girl.

I stand in awe of her courage and indomitable spirit....and I think you will to, if you hear her speak.

Take a wander up to the Military Aircrew forum and see how that thread is progressing.

This little lady soldier and helicopter pilot is welcome at my corner of the bar....I'm buying!



Got the following from an Army Guard pilot from Missouri currently serving in Balad Iraq


It is Standing Operating Procure for us to fly in pairs. Nov 12 was no exception. After what seemed like a routine flying mission over Baghdad. Dan Milberg was leading his flight of two UH-60 Blackhawk's back to our base at Balad. They were about 20 miles from Balad flying over a large date palm grove. The area North of Baghdad is covered with date palms. Iraq is a huge exporter of dates. They were in a combat spread formation flying about 50 above the ground and just few feet over the tops of the trees. Dan was in the left seat and on the controls. They had no passenger on board. Chalk two had one passenger, a Colonel who had only been in country a couple days. Chalk two saw a puff of smoke rise out of the trees.

Then they saw Dan's aircraft start to descend. They attempted to call lead but got no response. There had been an explosion and light flash in Dan's aircraft. The aircraft started to shake. He looked over at his co-pilot and she was unconscious and leaning forward over the controls. All Dan's instruments were out to include electrical power. Part of the instrument panel in front of his co-pilot was gone. Unknown to Dan the co-pilots pedal and cyclic were gone. He did not have communication with either crew chief/door gunners. He continued to fly straight ahead at tree top level. Once they came to an opening in the trees he started to descend and slow down. Trail could not see any damage to the aircraft from their position. There was a single tree in Dan's flight path but he managed to climb over it and land.

This was a perfect example of your first priority in an emergency is to continue to fly the aircraft. Unknown to Dan his stabilator was also not functioning making the aircraft more difficult to land. One of the pilots in the trail aircraft continued to attempt communications with Dan, while the other made a Mayday call to the near by FOB (Forward Operating Base), they then called for any aircraft in the area to respond. Two Blackhawk's from our sister company were only a few miles away and were quickly on the scene providing overhead cover. The FOB which had Medevac aircraft had put the aircraft on alert.

On the ground Dan had shut down the engines and got out of the aircraft. As he passed the gunner on his side and was instructing him to help he realized he had been injured. He had been hit with small arms fire. Dan rushed to the other side only to discover his other door gunner had a severe leg wound. He helped them out and gave them their weapons to provide security. All were concerned that those who shot them down would soon be there. By now the trail aircraft was landing as close as they could do to the rough ground condition. The crew chief/gunner and the other passenger from the other aircraft rushed over. The ground condition made it very hard to walk much less run. When Dan got to his co-pilot he could see she had one of her legs blown off and the other leg severely damaged and well as her right arm. She appeared to be dead.

After seeing the people on the ground struggle trying to move the wounded one of the pilots from the second aircraft also dismounted to help. Dan continued to manage the situation while helping move the wounded. About this time OH-58D's arrived on scene to provide more firepower and security. Once on board the trail aircraft it lifted and headed directly to the FOB at Taji. The injured were provided first aid during the short flight. As they landed the medevac aircraft landed beside them and transferred the three injured. They were flown directly to the hospital in Baghdad. It was later determined the area was not secure enough to recover the aircraft and it was destroyed by attack helicopters. It was later determined through analysis of the shrapnel in the copilot vest that an RPG came through the cockpit. It entered the co-pilots chin bubble and floor, took out the flight controls, instrument panel and exited the green house window above the co-pilot and struck one of the rotor blades.


Currently, the door gunner is back with us and flying again, he has bullet in his butt and the doctor's choice to leave it. The other crew chief Gunner is in a military hospital in Missouri. He will eventually fully recover but will require some time. Dan's co-pilot is at Walter Reed. It is truly a miracle she survived. She is lost both legs, one above the knee and the other at the hip. They are hoping to be able to give her two prosthetic legs. She also had several procedures to her right arm. She is made a lot of progress and we have high hopes she will regain 100% use of it. She plans on remaining in the Guard and was promoted to Major on schedule while at Walter Reed. Dan is back to flying and leading combat missions.