thedrifter
03-17-07, 08:48 AM
Army copter pilot takes to the sky for show
By ZAC ANDERSON
zac.anderson@heraldtribune.com
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
PUNTA GORDA -- J.R. "Skip" Lam began flying attack helicopters shortly after the Vietnam War in sensitive U.S. Army Special Forces missions all over the world.
The retired lieutenant colonel can't talk about where he went or what he did, but he can say this: He pushed the AH-1F Cobra helicopter to the limit.
"You name it, I've done it in a Cobra," Lam, 59, said.
Those mission-tested moves will be on display next weekend when Lam and 11 other highly decorated team members arrive in Punta Gorda for the Florida International AirShow Spring Extravaganza.
The aviators are part of the Army's new recruiting tool, the Sky Soldiers precision flying team. The group is making its debut performance at next weekend's air show with an energy-packed 20 minutes of razor-sharp maneuvers.
Lam likens the group to the Navy's Blue Angels or the Air Force's Thunderbirds. One of those teams has performed at the Punta Gorda air show for the past nine years, but the Blue Angels had a scheduling conflict this year.
"We went out and found these folks and we're real excited because they're a new group and something different," said Bucky McQueen, president of the air show's nonprofit board.
Lam said that most people don't think of the Army when they think of aviation. The Sky Soldiers were established to help change that.
"People don't realize that there are more aviators in the Army than all the other services combined," he said.
Helicopters like the Cobra may not have the raw power of something like an F-16 Fighting Falcon jet, but Lam said they are more difficult to fly.
The Cobra was developed for the Vietnam War as the first attack helicopter and retired after the first Gulf War when the AH-64 Apache became the Army's attack helicopter of choice.
The Marines and other nations still use Cobras.
Lam described the helicopter as "more versatile and agile than a fixed-wing aircraft."
"Let's face it," he said. "If you've seen one fixed-wing show, you've seen them all."
The Sky Soldiers performance involves four helicopters in a variety of flying formations -- from attack dives to starbursts.
Unlike the Blue Angels or Thunderbirds, the helicopters stay within sight throughout the entire show -- their blade tips emitting a growling noise as they move faster than the speed of sound.
"We're right in your face," said Sky Soldiers pilot Patty Meek. "You can feel the vibrations."
To prepare for the intense routine, Lam likes to sequester himself before a show and visualize the maneuvers in his mind. The high-speed turns and tight formations require total concentration, he said.
Lam honed his skills in the military for 22 years before working in movies and television. He flew Cobras in the television series "China Beach" and "Tour of Duty" in the 1980s.
Growing up in a small town outside Dayton, Ohio, Lam often visited the nearby National Museum of the United States Air Force and fantasized about becoming a pilot.
Recruiting new pilots brings his life full circle, he said.
"I hope this inspires young people to realize their potential," Lam said.
Last modified: March 17. 2007 4:42AM
Ellie
By ZAC ANDERSON
zac.anderson@heraldtribune.com
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
PUNTA GORDA -- J.R. "Skip" Lam began flying attack helicopters shortly after the Vietnam War in sensitive U.S. Army Special Forces missions all over the world.
The retired lieutenant colonel can't talk about where he went or what he did, but he can say this: He pushed the AH-1F Cobra helicopter to the limit.
"You name it, I've done it in a Cobra," Lam, 59, said.
Those mission-tested moves will be on display next weekend when Lam and 11 other highly decorated team members arrive in Punta Gorda for the Florida International AirShow Spring Extravaganza.
The aviators are part of the Army's new recruiting tool, the Sky Soldiers precision flying team. The group is making its debut performance at next weekend's air show with an energy-packed 20 minutes of razor-sharp maneuvers.
Lam likens the group to the Navy's Blue Angels or the Air Force's Thunderbirds. One of those teams has performed at the Punta Gorda air show for the past nine years, but the Blue Angels had a scheduling conflict this year.
"We went out and found these folks and we're real excited because they're a new group and something different," said Bucky McQueen, president of the air show's nonprofit board.
Lam said that most people don't think of the Army when they think of aviation. The Sky Soldiers were established to help change that.
"People don't realize that there are more aviators in the Army than all the other services combined," he said.
Helicopters like the Cobra may not have the raw power of something like an F-16 Fighting Falcon jet, but Lam said they are more difficult to fly.
The Cobra was developed for the Vietnam War as the first attack helicopter and retired after the first Gulf War when the AH-64 Apache became the Army's attack helicopter of choice.
The Marines and other nations still use Cobras.
Lam described the helicopter as "more versatile and agile than a fixed-wing aircraft."
"Let's face it," he said. "If you've seen one fixed-wing show, you've seen them all."
The Sky Soldiers performance involves four helicopters in a variety of flying formations -- from attack dives to starbursts.
Unlike the Blue Angels or Thunderbirds, the helicopters stay within sight throughout the entire show -- their blade tips emitting a growling noise as they move faster than the speed of sound.
"We're right in your face," said Sky Soldiers pilot Patty Meek. "You can feel the vibrations."
To prepare for the intense routine, Lam likes to sequester himself before a show and visualize the maneuvers in his mind. The high-speed turns and tight formations require total concentration, he said.
Lam honed his skills in the military for 22 years before working in movies and television. He flew Cobras in the television series "China Beach" and "Tour of Duty" in the 1980s.
Growing up in a small town outside Dayton, Ohio, Lam often visited the nearby National Museum of the United States Air Force and fantasized about becoming a pilot.
Recruiting new pilots brings his life full circle, he said.
"I hope this inspires young people to realize their potential," Lam said.
Last modified: March 17. 2007 4:42AM
Ellie