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Aircraft want to fly, not so with helicopters. The purpose of a helicopter is to see how many poles you can chop down before you blow up.

My 3rd time up in a helicopter. Its actually quite fun being able to go where they can go.
No runways needed and you can stop and hover. No plane can do that. But like anything related
to Aviation, I enjoy it all.

Flying in a helicopter was just pure fun. I was in a JetRanger and I can only describe it as controlled chaos. You know there's a hell of a lot of stuff going on above you and even around you, but it's all sort of in control. I had went twice and the pilot knew then that he had a good passenger looking for some fun so his take-off and landing was dramatic to say the least. Could not keep from smiling like complete idiot when he was doing that.

I had too many "dramatic" takeoffs and landings in helicopters. And that says nothing about parachuting from them, Fast-roping, rapelling, Helocasting, blacked-out NOE at night with NVGs, etc.

Now that explains a lot, I would not think they are much fun to if I had those experiences.

Oh no, don't get me wrong. I had a lot of fun in helos and would get in one in a heartbeat. It's just that I am realistic about it. After you make a lot of helo movements, they are just another truck to you. But lots of impressive scenery. And memory invoking instances. Seeing tracers coming at you and hearing that muffled bang as they hit the skin of the thing. watching gunships hosing down a hot LZ. Watching the escort gunships letting loose a volley of rockets along side you. Being in a Huey that hit a telephone line and feeling the deceleration and slight nose down angle until the line broke (fortunately the skids deflected it up near the body so it was nearer the CG and it was third world stuff that wasn't as tough as stateside wire). Watching with joy as your evac bird approached the PZ and you knew you were headed for a shower, clean clothes and decent food. As a unit commander watching the PZ as a dozen helos came in and watching your soldiers doing a semi-orderly rush to them. Or the next time when they landed in the reverse direction as the briefing and watching as your carefully made loading plans go to hell as soldiers are now confused as to which helo they are supposed to get in; watching as two chalks rush to one chopper and then shaking your head as some from each chalk got in and the remainders of both chalks now start running around trying to find one to get in. Seeing a dozen of them flying in eschelon and looking over to see one of your Platoon leaders give you a thumbs -up all the while outlined by a beautiful rising sun. Tracking the flight on your map and then hearing the blade whupps change as the flight lead is preparing for landing and you look at the map and know it isn't the right place; tapping the co-pilot and pointing at your map shaking your head "NO" and all he does is shrug his shoulders. The birds touch down and your troops pile out and you sit there glaring at the flight- lead pilot knowing you either get out with your troops in the wrong place or fly away with the birds leaving them on the ground. No choice; and then gathering up the leaders and doing a FRAGO since everything has now changed. Looking at how far you have to push to get to the right place and knowing that time is against you and you will arrive with a unit too tired to do much useful when you get there. Flying down a river in Central America at night blacked out, NVGs, and your gear secured in and to a rucksack lined with a tough plastic bag so it will float when you hit the water. Thinking the whole time I hope the pilot gets the speed and height right so I don't hit the water too hard; jeez I hope there isn't a floating log in there waiting for me. Then on light just hop off and down into the river. And that is just some of it for starters. By the way I wear the Air Assault badge.

Great images.
And see, all I've done is build some websites.

My "Game Face"

I see that you got a new toy Ghost.
Tr�s cool.


Wheels

That set up looks rather comfy Ghost. I like it!

How you liking your new setup Ghost?

Excellent setup Ghost!

Ghost is wearing his comfy air combat socks.

Yes I did



It is! And so do I!




LOVE IT!




Works quite well!




I don't like to wear shoes in the cockpit.

What size monitor did you get? It looks twice as big as your old one.


Wheels

It's a 32" Toshiba Monitor/TV 1920 X 1080

I keep stealing the living room TV for my setup. Going to have to invest in one those
setups like Ghosts. I love the contrast ratio I get on my Vizio 42" 1920x1080 LCD 60hrz compaired
to that of my Dell Ultrasharp 24" running 1920x1200. Tom Curtis took this photo on his Iphone 4 last weekend
during our X-Plane get together. Was playing with Avatar at the time.

... so I take it you're the man on the right and to the left is your son ?

Michael.

Right, forgot the details. Ooops

Czechoslovak mountain infantry, 1930s. My grandfather served in 2nd Mountain infantry Regiment in 1925-27, training exactly in these mountains. We had a great time.