Famous pilots

[widgeon]

Was channel surfing the other night and happened on a Bio of Chris Kristofferson who before he was a succesful singer was a Helicopter pilot in the US army and later for PHI in the gulf . He borrowed an ANG Huey to deliver one of his songs to Johnny Cash !. Are there any other people you know of who drove helicopters before they became famous in other fields?.

[Blind]

I guess you are not from the UK and he's not strictly speaking famous but Noel Edmonds is a pilot as is DJ & TV man Dr. Neil Fox.

The fantastic Eddie Izzard is a pilot but only of the plank variety

[SASless]

Kristofferson holds a Commercial Helicopter License, Private Airplane Single Engine Land license...does not have a current medical. His license was issued 7 Jul 67. He attained the rank of Captain in the US Army, had received an appointment to teach English at the US Military Academy in West Point, NY. when he resigned from active service. His father was a US Air Force general.

[Ascend Charlie]

Thomas M Cruise flies his own P-51 Mustang, handles the G5 and does OK in a Bell 47 too, though not licensed. But i think he was famous first and flew later, as did John Travolta and John Denver.

The ex-premier of Queensland, Sir Joh Bonkers-Bananas, was the oldest licensed helicopter pilot in Australia.

[Genghis the Engineer]

Met Mr Cruise a few years ago when he was transiting through BDN (Nicole Kidman was making a film down the road and he'd dropped in on the wife and kids!). Short and scruffy, but a nice chap - had flown himself in a Gulfstream.

Another interesting plank pilot, Sir Ian McNair-Wilson - former MP for Southampton used to fly his Shadow from Bournemouth for French cheap wine, and back again, loaded up. A friend of mine challenged him on the safety of this and got the response "look, I'm a Tory MP in a government with a majority of one - they won't leave me out there".

G

[widgeon]

Current famous ones
Harrison Ford , Bell 407.
Clint Eastwood , Eurocopter ( not sure which model).

[belly tank]

I Bumped into ex world motorcycle champ Mick Doohan the other week, well saw him anyway i was refuelling at Sydney when he flew in in his Black B3...very swanky machine.

Hes only quite small in real life isnt he!..he gave a quick wave and then proceeded to hobble away to catch a car into the city.

Greg Norman the golfer fly's as well i think

[Jarvy]

John Travolta was flying planks before becoming famous. Mick Doohan was introduced to helicopters by the late Barry Sheene.
The actor that played Wolf in Star Trek is also a plank pilot.
In UK the superbike rider John Reynolds was learning to fly helicopters as did the late Steve Hislop. Talking of ex DJ,s, TV people in UK as well as Noel Edmunds there is also Mike Smith(yes I know his user name)

[ATN]

Writer Patricia Mc Donald flies her own 206 between Washington and NYC.

ATN

[Hedski]

Don't forget former World Rally Champion Colin McRae. He had an EC120 and currently runs a 350B2. His younger bro Alistair flies it too. Former Irish tarmac rally champ Bertie Fisher had another 350B but was sadly killed. Stephen Finlay who drove in Irish and British rally champs used to own a 350B3 but recently swapped it for a 355N. Pretty sure theres many others.

[cpt]

.....and not a world about Snoopy, the first world war famous flying ace ?
Did somebody crossed his flying doghouse/sopwith camel recently ?:rolleyes:




Snoopy was a fixed-wing pilot.
http://w1.448.telia.com/~u44802199/Snoopy%201.JPG

Heliport ;)

[Winnie]

Isn't it Patricia Cornwell? If not, she flies a 407 as well...

What about Bruce Dickinson from Iron Maiden, does't he fly for some airline?:rolleyes:

[ATN]

Winnie,

It's Patricia Cornwell ...

ATN

[cpt]

To Heliport,

Yes, Snoopy was a fixed wing pilot, but he did at least one tour in Nam, on a Huey..... and believe me, his beaggle ears were flapping like mad when following the Mekong river curves.
( I'll try to find this comic edition as soon as I'll be back to civlisation) :rolleyes:

[Aesir]

"Winnie"
Iron Maiden´s Bruce Dickinson flies for Aestreus B737 last I knew..

Aestreus operates flight for Iceland Express STN-KEF & KEF-CPH.

"Widgeon"
Clint Eastwood has a AS-350B2 or B3.

[EESDL]

Didn't Mark Thatcher have a 206?

[MPR]

Yep, G-SHZZ from 1992 > 1995 via an outfit called Corporate Enterprises Ltd. with a PO Box address in St Helier, Jersey.

Follow a previous thread here...... http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?threadid=142568

Other famous pilots include alledged robbers (not going to name any), alledged fraudsters (not going to name any again!), Lords (Exton, Cayzer, Hesketh), Marquises? (Milford Haven), sportsmen (Matthew Pinsent, both junior McRae's, the late great Barry Sheene), Bankers (yes, Bankers), TV Celeb's (Grant Bovey! [G-REAL], Mike Smith, Noel Edmonds, Dr Fox), Businessmen (John Caudwell - MD of Phones4You etc.)

If you dig deep enough, you'll find all manner of links & contacts, interesting enough for a hobby perhaps? :8

[Anne Tenner]

Also Jonathon Palmer, and all the various HRH's.

There was also a notable Lord, who was trained by my helicopter instructor. After gaining his licence, the Lord used to ask the helicopter instructor to fly the helicopter for him when he was unable/incapable for one reason or another (The butler did his pre-flights!).

One one particular weekend, the Lord asked my instructor to fly his helicopter down to the Channel Islands. My instructor was going to do it, but was thankfully prevented by his wife who had other plans for the weekend.

I say "thankfully" because the Lord had to take the helicopter himself, and awaiting his arrival were the police who promptly arrested him for the drugs which were hidden in the helicopter.

Made my instructor shudder for some time afterwards to think how close he had come, quite innocently, to potentially ending up in the clink, as happened to the Lord!

(I shall refrain from mentioning any names as it saves me having to go back and put "allegedly" in all over the place.)

[chopperpilot47]

Ian Botham used to fly R22's. Poor chap!

Regards,

Chopperpilot47

[206 jock]

Jim Corr flies an R44.

Les Ferdinand (an english 'soccer' player, for you foreign types) was due to buy a 206 that was up for sale. Instead he opted for an R44 too!

[rotorrookie]

Last winter Iceland Express organized a trip to Cobenhavn on Iron Maiden concert and it was Bruce Dikinsson that flew the full plane of Maiden fans from Iceland to Denmark. Rumor said that he did sing "Aces High” on the intercom, how cool is that:cool:

[Winnie]

Apparently, David Gilmoure from Pink Floyd has quite a collection, and he flies as well!

When I was in Gander, Elton John quite frequently visited for fuel, but i doubt he flew himself...

[Flying Lawyer]

I don't know about Dave Gilmour of Pink Floyd (I thought he was a fixed-wing man) but Nick Mason is a helicopter pilot. He keeps/kept(?) a helicopter at Denham.

[MD900 Explorer]

Heard a rumour Chris Evans is doing his PPL/H at the mo?

Regards

MD :ok:

[MPR]

A few of the names mentioned have a long history of rotary flight.....

Dave Gilmour = R22 G-BROX 1989-95, B206 G-PERZ 1997-2000 & possibly involved in B206 G-IOIO 1996-2002.

Nick Mason = B206 G-IOIO & AS350 G-OOIO.

Jim Corr R44 = G-SWAT

Dr J.C. Palmer = F28 G-BAHU, B206's G-AWOL, G-REVS, G-BPWI, AS350 G-PROM & AS355 G-JPAL.

David Richards (BAR & Prodrive) has had G-RALY (with Ari Vatanen), G-RALI, G-ITUP, G-BLKO, G-KSBF, G-PROD, G-OPRO, G-NOTA & EC135 G-IWRC is current ship.

Noel Edmonds has had a few heli's as well.... G-NOEL, G-NOEI, G-HMAN, G-GEDS, G-HLEN & G-VMCO but currently has nothing?

Would be interested to know what the Ferdinand R44 is?

[NickLappos]

Here is a comment on the meaning of fame in general. I only recognize about 1 in 20 of the "Famous" pilots listed in this thread. Is the Atlantic that wide?

[MD900 Explorer]

Isn't that Nick Lappos a famous pilot?

Read somewhere on a forum that he may just be :E

MD :ok:

[PENNINE BOY]

MOTOR CYCLE RACERS

Jim Moodie----------- R44

John Reynolds ---------R22

[Hughesy]

Im sure Hughesy fly's helicopters.
:D :D
In fact.......yes I do ;)

[Gomer Pylot]

Don't forget about me. I'm famous, at least in my own mind. :cool: :D

:rolleyes:

[Rotorbee]

Isn't that Nick Lappos a famous pilot?

Nick who? That must be one from somewhere over the pond.
Can't be famous then.

[J.A.F.O.]

Nick, I recognise less names than you and I live on the right side of the pond.

[Rotorbee]

Nick, I recognise less names than you and I live on the right side of the pond.
You should read the sun - or something similar - more often. You would be amazed how much useless information one can stuff in his brain.
By the way, if you want to talk to a woman about flying, just mention Harrison Ford and his 407.
;)

[autosync]

I only recognize about 1 in 20 of the "Famous" pilots listed in this thread.

Is it wrong to get a kind of perverse pleasure when you meet these supposed famous people and you havn't got a breeze who they are, then watching their agitation building until they feel obliged to tell you that they were in a tabloid paper once for being a minor C list celeb?


Harrison Ford crashed his 407 somewhere in L.A I think,
He maybe able to fly a Millenium Falcon, but flying a heli is a far more difficult beat to tame.

[J.A.F.O.]

Rotorbee

I would read up on who these people are but for three things:

1. I don't give a damn.

2. I enjoy the perverse pleasure as outlined by autosync

3. I'm attempting to cultivate that High Court Judge, not heard
of anyone who became famous in the last forty years, sort of
persona; mainly for more perverse pleasure as outlined in 2.

[Lu Zuckerman]

How about someone being famous for flying helicopters. Cdr. Frank Ericson. USCG.

Many of the devices used on todays helicopters were pioneered under his command at the Rotary Wing Development Unit at Elizabeth City, North Carolina.

Hoist
Pop-out-floats
Fixed floats
Rescue basket
Friction locks
Many more........

:E :E

[Ian Corrigible]

Not surprisingly, there are a bunch of racing drivers who also became rotorheads. Dario Franchitti (IRL), Randy Wallace (Nascar), Bill Elliot (Nascar), Eric Smith (Nascar), Bob Bondurant (ex-GT/LM), Eddy Irvine (full-time playboy, occassional ex-F1 driver), Jonathan Palmer (ex-F1), Nigel Mansell (ex-F1), plus the late Graham Hill (F1), Gilles Villeneuve (ex-F1) and Steve Hislop (superbikes), to name but a few.

I/C

p.s. Don't mention Mark Thatcher's interest in helicopters, or you'll get him in trouble.:E

[Rotorbee]

1. I don't give a damn.

You are right one. Most of the "famous" who fly enjoy the fact that other pilots give a damn. In our world, they are just pilots. Period.

[Floppy Link]

they are just pilots

but sometimes they can think their "celebrity" makes them above the laws of common sense and airmanship. We were sitting in our F27 at Exeter when Mr X comes wazzing in to the apron with a massive quickstop which had the Squirrel tailskid about 2 inches from the ground, plonks it down and after shutting down, proceeded to walk to the terminal straight through the prop arc of our right engine - I was going to shout "clear prop" at him but couldn't get the darned window open fast enough in my fumbling ineptitude.
Another time on a blustery day at Wycombe I watched Dr Y do what can only be described as a downwind low level sideways quickstop to the fuel pump in his 206 - the skid clearance on the right was, once again, about 2 inches.

But hey, I'm just jealous.
- They can afford a helicopter
- I can't

I chose to go fixed wing, so it's my fault :{
Russell

[heloplt1]

Harrison Ford crashed his B206 and then bought a shiny new 407 which he flies today.

Greg Norman used to own a Bell 430, but went to a 407 so his insurance company didn't get heartburn with him at the controls (according to a company that services his helo on occasion).

You can't miss Norman's 407, Black shark painted on the side.

[EESDL]

Rumour has it that Harrison Ford crashed his 206 because his lap dancing 'passenger' mistook his cyclic for a 'Pole' and started twirling on the device. Excessive 'twirling' led to insufficient forward vision, with the resultant CFIT being blamed on too much CLIT in the pilot's FOV..................
I know because I was there...(the club in Lincoln, Nebraska, not the cockpit)

[407 Driver]

Good story, but a more factual one is located HERE (http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20001212X19997&key=1)

[the wizard of auz]

The ex-premier of Queensland, Sir Joh Bonkers-Bananas, was the oldest licensed helicopter pilot in Australia.

:} Bwaaaahahahaha. only us ozzies will really understand that. ;) :}

[EESDL]

You're quite wrong, the accident report gives us a vital clue that has otherwise been supressed:

"....hitting on the rear heels of both skids"

It is fairly obvious that the 'Cyclic Dancer' was wearing her 'special' work Stillettos and Ford was foolish enough to be wearing his favourite white trousers - an unfortunate colour when entertaining a sweaty lap dancer;-)

[Firestorm]

A friend and I were engaged in idle banter, and trying to think of celebrities who fly helicopters. We could only come up with Noel edmonds and Mike Smith, and of course, Price Andrew, although we couldn't decide whether he still flies them himself or not: undoubtedly he is able to fly a helicopter, buty does he actually do it any longer?

Any one got any more suggestions?

[Orange Arm Waver]

Harrison Ford IIRC

[Rhodie]

Remember hearing that both David Coulthard and Michael Schumie fly rotor.

And who was the rock singer who crashed his a couple of years back... :confused:

R

[mikedurward]

The late great Steve Hislop R.I.P.

[timmcat]

Hey, I beat TIC to it...

Old thread here. (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?threadid=143795)

[PilotsPal]

Patricia Cornwell (crime fiction writer - probably best known for the Kay Scarpetta books).

[fluffy5]

lots of footballers are doing it :=
mark thatcher,but needs a country to overthrow to fly in..!!!:}

[chopperchav]

If you read Nick Faldos autobiography there is a picture of him sitting in a 206 with the caption 'come fly with me'. Now that gives me the impression he is a heli pilot.
Apparently he gave up half way through his ppl. Loser!

[Hobo]

I/C I don't think Graham Hill was a rotorhead although I stand to be corrected. He was flying a twin (Piper?) out of Elstree when I was training there in summer of 1965.

[Hilico]

Was it Arnold Palmer who used to advertise Hughes 500s? Very famous American golfer anyway.

[Banjo]

Botham and instructor in an R22..would not hold much fuel.

I taught another cricket player (Andy Caddick) a couple of years ago and he managed to fit his lanky frame in to a 22 pretty well all things considered. He has a 500 now and is still loving flying, really nice chap.

[Aser]

The spanish world rally championship winner Carlos Sainz has crashed a R22 in training and now owns/fly an EC-120

[Arm out the window]

Dave Gilmour, what a talent - and he's got a Spitfire. Didn't know he flew rotary as well; good to see.
Melodically a genius, I reckon, but his lyrics have always seemed a bit prosaic; that song of his, Learning to Fly, sounds as if it's come straight from his flying school debriefing notes...they put some kind of American Indian style video clip behind it to make it look a bit more mysterious.
No offence Dave if you happen to read this, your music is absolutely inspired!

[mikedurward]

AOTW


If you actually do any reserch into DG's childhood you will find out why some of the songs are so DARK. There was a fair amout of abuse in the family from his father.

Mike

[goaround7]

Did Jan Michael Vincent (aka Stringfellow Hawk) ever actually learn to fly during Air Wolf's production ?

[Hilico]

Probably not - his spare time would have been taken up with acting lessons.

[Banjo]

Hilico : lmao excellent comment. Still sniggering an hour later.

[ATRIXO]

...which all goes to show that?.........

[Winnie]

Just as a correction, the F-5E is known as the Tiger II, the F-5G(F-20) is the one known as the Tigershark...


By the way, nobody mentioned Harold the Helicopter from Thomas the tank engine, and Budgie the helicopter, and of course Fergie, the author of said "publication"


I hear that there was some hefty aerial action in the movie Firebirds, where actor Nicholas Cage screams "I am the greatest" in the sim. (I always wanted to try that, but I think it would scare the students...)

[Ian Corrigible]

Pope Palpatine is also a rotorhead (recent article here (http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/columnists/rebecca-tyrrel/rebecca-tyrrel-anyone-tempted-to-ride-in-the-holy-heli-should-be-aware-of-the-popes-medical-history-8483786.html)). Is the Papal helicopter still an SH-3F? If so, impressive.

...though Rich Uncle Pennybags (http://bostinno.com/2013/02/06/america-has-voted-it-has-failed-monopolys-newest-game-piece-isnt-a-robot-its-a-cat/) won't be flying a helicopter anytime soon.

I/C

[Savoia]

Ian: You can read a wee bit about Il Volo Papale (The Papal Flight) on page 5 (http://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/419023-rotary-nostalgia-thread-5.html) of the Nostalgia Thread.

As far as I know the SH-3D's are still at Roma-Ciampino (operated by the Aeronautica Militare) but .. are being phased-out and replaced by the AW139 the first of which .. so I believe, is pictured below:

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-7kHNFGkMzH4/UHv89Us5kTI/AAAAAAAAJ4o/VIMtpCOnlXs/s800/Aeronautica-Militare-Italian-Air-Force%2520MM81807%2520AW139%2520Rome%2520Ciampino%252010%252 0Sep%252012%2520%2528Aldo%2520Bidini%2529.jpg
Aeronautica Militare (Italian Air Force) AW139 MM81807 (assigned, afaik, to the [non-exclusive] duties of Il Volo Papale - The Papal Flight) as seen at Rome's Ciampino airport on 10th September 2012 (Photo: Aldo Bidini)

[Ian Corrigible]

Sav,

Thanks for the backstory. Having the Pontiff in the left hand seat is as close as it gets to having God as your copilot. :E

I/C

[Savoia]

Yes it is interesting although I'm not quite sure how it works but .. as it is a military aircraft I assume that there may be provision for some degree of 'popetic' licence!

Having the Pontiff in the left hand seat is as close as it gets to having God as your copilot.

Indeed. I do wonder however if his virtue of Papal Infallibility is 'transferable' to non-ecclesial duties. If so one would imagine that this would make him an exceptional [sky] pilot.

I must be careful in what I say! ;)

[Savoia]

Ah well Ian, he is now resigning.

Papa Benedetto XVI si dimette il 28 febbraio, troppo fragile per guidare chiesa | Prima Pagina | Reuters (http://it.reuters.com/article/topNews/idITMIE91A01D20130211)

[Savoia]

.. and then there was the proposal by Sikorsky to replace the Holy See King with an S76 and which resulted in their offer of airborne support towards the work of the medical 'flying' nuns:

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-bqrVN44br9Q/URkPBbXOFuI/AAAAAAAAL2U/tgd_Q06CuCw/s902/S76N.jpg