... Im thinking of riding in a Huey for the very first time. I was such a new guy. I was still pissing stateside water.
Sitting in that thing was thrilling and I was going to my first post in Tay Ninh. I was astonished at the view. Wide open doors and a 100 mph wind blowing everywhere and jungle below just whipping by. I was so excited and at the same time completely astonished with my new view of the world.
Suddenly I feel myself and the gunner I was sitting next to get slammed hard into the wall, next to the transmission. It was an incredible G-Force that we were experiencing and we were going almost straight up!
I couldnt move! I was plastered tight to the wall and I thought I was going to die.
Suddenly the positive G-Force stopped and the negative G-Force started and as I looked out the door, we were falling straight to the ground ... sideways! I was so horrified I could not think! All I could do was sit there and watch the ground come at us.
Just as suddenly as it began, the ship righted itself and we were flying straight and level. I was shook up. I began to look forward and one pilot was turned around in his seat looking right at me and though I could not hear, he was definitely laughing his ass off! I turned and looked around at the crew chief who had a huge mustache and he was laughing at me too ... laughing hard!
Well, the whole thing was a joke on the FNG. It was an aerobatic maneuver called a hammerhead stall.
From straight and level flight, they pull back hard on the stick forcing the helicopter to go nose up vertical and when it goes as high as it can it stalls and then they nose it over on its side and dive towards the ground until it gets enough airspeed to once again get it in a straight and level flight.
Those guys had their laugh and as time went on, I had my chance to laugh at the new guys myself doing the same shit. The look on their faces was one of terror, just like I must have had on mine.
The dark humor was just beginning and I liked it.
I still like it.
Sitting in that thing was thrilling and I was going to my first post in Tay Ninh. I was astonished at the view. Wide open doors and a 100 mph wind blowing everywhere and jungle below just whipping by. I was so excited and at the same time completely astonished with my new view of the world.
Suddenly I feel myself and the gunner I was sitting next to get slammed hard into the wall, next to the transmission. It was an incredible G-Force that we were experiencing and we were going almost straight up!
I couldnt move! I was plastered tight to the wall and I thought I was going to die.
Suddenly the positive G-Force stopped and the negative G-Force started and as I looked out the door, we were falling straight to the ground ... sideways! I was so horrified I could not think! All I could do was sit there and watch the ground come at us.
Just as suddenly as it began, the ship righted itself and we were flying straight and level. I was shook up. I began to look forward and one pilot was turned around in his seat looking right at me and though I could not hear, he was definitely laughing his ass off! I turned and looked around at the crew chief who had a huge mustache and he was laughing at me too ... laughing hard!
Well, the whole thing was a joke on the FNG. It was an aerobatic maneuver called a hammerhead stall.
From straight and level flight, they pull back hard on the stick forcing the helicopter to go nose up vertical and when it goes as high as it can it stalls and then they nose it over on its side and dive towards the ground until it gets enough airspeed to once again get it in a straight and level flight.
Those guys had their laugh and as time went on, I had my chance to laugh at the new guys myself doing the same shit. The look on their faces was one of terror, just like I must have had on mine.
The dark humor was just beginning and I liked it.
I still like it.
