What is it about...........?
 

What is it about aviation but Helicopters in particular that everyone finds so fascinating?

My first introduction to Helicopters was at the age of 5 during a tour onboard one of Her Majesty's Frigates which had visted the River Tyne in Newcastle where I got to sit in a Lynx.

Ever since i've been hooked.........but whenever that beautiful noise of a helicopter is heard you see men and women, young and old craning their necks for a look.

It seems the fascination with Helicopters is universal, just some of us take it to further limits than others!

Wishing you all a Happy and if not Prosperous, a Healthy New Year.

K77.

I suppose it's the "novelty" of being able to stop, and then try to land - rather than vice versa. Also with hels there's just so much more that can go wrong (all that kinetic energy within a few feet of your head...).

Happy New Year to you all!

For me, aviation in general is fascinating because of the freedom it gives you to see the world from a different perspective, but helicopters in particular interest me because they're more of a challenge than fixed wings and do many important jobs which fixed wings couldn't.

Thats exactly why i want to fly them, also seeing military helicopters flying over all my childhood days got me inspired with the aircraft aswel!

Unless they live on Long Island where they're craning their necks looking for their phone, to call the helicopter complaint hot-line!!:ugh:

Top Gun got me hooked on aviation, but I'm not quite sure what got me hooked on helo's. Maybe it was was the military choppers overhead when I was a kid like Davy07. I did grow up along the border after all!

I live just north of the border a bit outside newry, my high school was beside the busiest heliport in the UK while the army were still operating here. I remember the chinooks came in one day while i was in class, teachers mug of coffee bounced right of the table (freshly poured too, she wasn't emused).. Have memories of the wessex landing beside our house, unfortunatley never got any photos of her.

Chinooks, Wessex. Ah yes, those "Army" helicopters were everywhere not too long ago.. :oh:

Living across the road from a hospital with a helipad determined my future! alouette 3's and dauphins mostly.I remember the day an RAF sea king flew over our house and landed at the hospital,think i set a world record on my bmx trying to get to see it!


Mr Hughes, I hear you've got the aviators. not long now til puberty kicks in and you can grow yourself a moustache and look just like Goose!

Well, you might as well look the part if you're gonna try and be the part!

The gears and chain probably had to be replaced after that overspeed!! Hope you checked the spindles!

The rear sprocket nearly melted! she was in mx for a week!

Choppertop,

You mirror my story too, always wanted to be a pilot, careers teacher told me I wasn't intelligent enough so joined the BBC as a Sound Engineer, went Freelance in 1991, continued to work for the Beeb until a few years ago when they ditched 'specialists' for 'jack of all trades', still Freelance but it's tough out there now, everyone undercutting everyone else then one day I thought 'b@llocks to all of this i'm going to learn to fly"!!!!!

So i'm in the process of selling my collectables to help achieve an ambition.......to pilot a Helicopter!

K77.

Fair play Knievel! Best of luck with everything! I'm up to me eyes in debt, in a foreign country where you drive on the wrong side of the road, but heading for
my cpl eventually. couldn't be happier!

Join the club!

You will soon prove him/her wrong the day you get your licence!

Heli flying
 

Wonderful post .... come on in guys .. the water's fine.

All I can say is that every day of my thirty-eight years in helicopter aviation have been an absolute delight. Every flight has been a gem .. a bit like sex. Even when its been bad .. its still damn good.

As some of you will know, I've had it kick me in the teeth on a bad occasion in 2000 but even that hasn't changed my love for this industry and 99% of the guys who inhabit it.

Knievel .. and all the others stuggling to get on board. Keep at it and be proud to join we COFs. (crusty old farts)

Safe flying to you all,

Dennis K

Thanks Dennis, my only worry is that if I take it no further than my PPL(H) then it will have worked out as a very very expensive hobby! A great hobby however!

Thanks dennis.. The aerobatic flying you do is an amazing bit of flying and its something i want to follow in aswel like you done when i get into the industry!

It is simply human nature, for thousands of years humans have looked up, wondering what the birds see, wondering what it feels like, wondering what it is to experience that degree of freedom... and now we are so very lucky to be alive at a time when WE can say we know, it is only natural for others to still be looking up in wonder.

Why does the helicopter get special attention? because it is the most natural way we have found to fly yet, we move our wings, we can sit effortlessly on the wind, we can move, or not move wherever we could possibly wish to be. (or mostly I guess where the person paying the bill wants to be!)

We have all been afforded one way or another the chance to fulfill one of mankinds longest held dreams, that's why it is so special, and also why it is so incredible that some seek to put obstacles in each others paths and restrict the opportunities for more people to share in the privilege!

Have a great year, happy flying to all!

I think Airwolf takes the blame in my case :)

I've just bought the Airwolf Soundtrack on CD from Amazon!!!!!

Mmmmm ....

Young PUNKS .......

Anybody out there remember a TV show called "Whirlybirds" .... it ran during the late '50s ....... (and no not the 1850s)

GULP .... I do :\