View Full Version : My first helicopter ride
Just had to post this. I'm a active duty Marine, attached to a reserve command (MOBCOM to be exact). So, I haven't done much "Marine" stuff.
Well, tomorrow morning we're going on a CO hump (8 miles). After reaching our destination we're going to be flown back on a few CH-47s by some local Army unit (Leavenworth if I had to guess).
Anyway, this will be my first time on a helicopter, and I'm an extreme adrenalin junkie so I actually cut my leave short just so I don't miss this!
I can't wait to do this. I'm contemplating bringing my camera but I don't want it getting f*cked up.
Alright, my rant is over, I'm gonna go hydrate! :yes:
*disclaimer* please excuse my bootness, but DAMN I'm excited!
Covey_Rider
02-11-09, 05:12 PM
Enjoy your ride and go ahead and bring your camera...it won't get f*cked up don't worry. Just don't through it out of the bird haha.
thewookie
02-11-09, 05:28 PM
You cut your leave short for a helo ride, man that is hard Corps, good for you.
Make sure your gear is tight for that hump....
SGT7477
02-11-09, 05:55 PM
Just had to post this. I'm a active duty Marine, attached to a reserve command (MOBCOM to be exact). So, I haven't done much "Marine" stuff.
Well, tomorrow morning we're going on a CO hump (8 miles). After reaching our destination we're going to be flown back on a few CH-47s by some local Army unit (Leavenworth if I had to guess).
Anyway, this will be my first time on a helicopter, and I'm an extreme adrenalin junkie so I actually cut my leave short just so I don't miss this!
I can't wait to do this. I'm contemplating bringing my camera but I don't want it getting f*cked up.
Alright, my rant is over, I'm gonna go hydrate! :yes:
*disclaimer* please excuse my bootness, but DAMN I'm excited!
Congrats on your promotion, Semper FI.:flag:
jinelson
02-11-09, 06:14 PM
Congratulations on the bloodstripe enjoy the chopper ride. Twist and turn crash and burn lol.
Jim
commdog7
02-11-09, 08:29 PM
Just remember: if it ain't leaking, there is something wrong!
Twitchell
02-11-09, 08:31 PM
I love flying. I get to do it all the time with Fire. Enjoy it Corporal......
Pete0331
02-11-09, 08:58 PM
A little advice.
Sit in the middle. The front and back seating can get cold.
Muzzle down, if you're carrying a weapon.
yellowwing
02-11-09, 09:13 PM
Being a pouge I only got into a helicopter once. Do everything exactly as the Crew Chief says. I quickly got manhandled by him when I didn't!
greensideout
02-11-09, 10:17 PM
The basics---
PaidinBlood
02-11-09, 10:33 PM
As long as you don't ride with these guys you'll be ok...
http://jmsoul.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/gaspricesomg.jpg
Spent most of my time in 46's and 53's but I'm sure it'll be a hoot anyhow. SF
I hate choppers and pretty much any MIL AIR flight...that's all I have to say about that.
I've never ridden in a helicopter. I want to hear all the details of your trip.
CH53MetalMan
02-12-09, 03:34 AM
Spent many hours flying in 53's, always fun. When stationed in Okinawa I had the opportunity of joining a parachuting club and jumping out from our CH-43's. I passed on it as none of my buds were interested. Well thats one decision I've regretted, many times. ****, I was 19 years old. How could I have possibly had more fun than that?
Thanks for the congrats everybody.
Hey Pete, even though the temp is gonna be in the low 20s I WANT to sit in the back. Seems like it'll be the seat with the best view.
I'll post back in a few hours to let everyone know how it went. If I don't post back send my wife some flowers.
sparkie
02-12-09, 06:47 AM
I LOVED the back end of a 47,,,,Too bad you won't be looking down at a coral reef.Beautiful.
Strap down, those things don't exactly fly straight, ya know.
GSEMarine94
02-12-09, 07:50 AM
Spent my entire enlistment with helos, loved every minute of it. Actually got to ride in every rotory aircraft in the Corps to include the AH-1W Cobra. As mentioned before do EXACTLY as the crew...
DocGreek
02-12-09, 08:05 AM
SORRY, MARINES.....this thread brings back some really SH!TTY memories, about 46's. MY dead, and wounded MARINES, being THROWN into the back of a 46, in the early am., while my platoon was being over-run. "They", said that I was "peppered", by shrapnel, bleeding everywhere.....threw me on top of MY GRUNTS!! JESUS, helpus...ALL......DOC
Yeah Doc, and this guy is talking about sending his wife flowers if he doesnt make it back from his sightseeing helo ride. what a joke.
Yeah Doc, and this guy is talking about sending his wife flowers if he doesnt make it back from his sightseeing helo ride. what a joke.
Ease up on the disrespect Marine.
This is at Hansen. I was the HRST
http://www.geocities.com/nhbludog/junk/fastroping.jpg
I did my Med Float on the USS Inchon so we had nothing but helo rides. Always a good time...
The **** was cool as hell!!! It was 179 of us and only 1 47, so there was alot of hurrying and waiting, but I got to go on the first stick. They let the ramp down when we got airborne so we could sight see. I love the feeling of weightlessness whenever it banked in the opposite direction of where I was sitting!
I'll get some pictures up asap.
Doc, sorry to bring back bad memories.
Ease up on the disrespect Marine.
Sh*t it's cool. Certain things are expected from certain member's of this forum. Some things will never change.
Gotta go back to work. Yall have a good day.
This is at Hansen. I was the HRST
http://www.geocities.com/nhbludog/junk/fastroping.jpg
That a 46 or 47? I can't really tell the difference between the two.
thewookie
02-12-09, 02:30 PM
This is at Hansen. I was the HRST
http://www.geocities.com/nhbludog/junk/fastroping.jpg
Yeah, I was wondering why you said you hadn't been on a helo, I thought at one point you said you were HRST-Master certified.
Funny story (depending on who's telling it) from a day of fast roping and SPIE rigging with 47's in Greece. I wasn't the HRST-Master, but I had been to Rappel-Master school so I was "helping" the HRST-Master get the Marines out of the bird. We had this one problem child who always screwed up, and one run when he went out of the hell hole he lost control of his M-16. Lost control as in dropped the rifle out of the hell hole. Thank god he was the first guy out or someone might have had a nasty headache. At the time we were fast roping out on the flight line in Greece, so unlike this nice pic of good ole Hansen, there was no soft landing for the rifle - the rifle was a goner once it hit the deck - the buttstock literally disintegrated upon impact with the flight line.
Needless to say our OIC wasn't too pleased to lose a rifle and that young Marine spent many hours doing remedial training. We had him bear-crawling on the flight line with a sandbag on his back for hours - actually we didn't stop "training" him until the base CO, a Navy type complained that we were hazing him.:)
DocGreek
02-12-09, 02:51 PM
OK, OK. Here comes my dam past....again!! When I was at Field Med. School, in '68, the Marines, took our class of DOC'S, up the Kalifornicator coast, and had us all rappel, from 100ft. The site, was RIGHT ON THE CLIFFS!! MAN!! Now that, was fun!! Myself, and a Marine, that I had treated for shrapnel wounds, were BOTH pulled off Dong Ha Mt., by a 47......I KNOW WHY THEY CALL IT "THE HELL HOLE!!!!!" TWO NUMBNUTS, WILL NOT FIT!!!!! Knocked off my helmet, banged my head on the opening, while the 47 took OFF!! Took FOREVER, for that winch, to pull us up....dangling in the air, like fresh caught fish!!! MEMORIES.....THANK'S MARINES!!!!.....DOC
CH53MetalMan
02-12-09, 03:42 PM
That a 46 or 47? I can't really tell the difference between the two.
That is a CH-46. It has a short stub-wing ( which is sometimes called a sponson or fuel tank, which it is ) To the best of my knowledge the Marine Corps dosen't have CH-47's. The Army flys the CH-47. It has a long fuel tank outside and alongside the fuselage.
The CH-47 is much larger and more powerfull that the CH-46.
yea I was being cynical. I've ridden quite a few helos. Wanted to let the lad have his day and really am interested in hearing about his experience without trying to one up him with sea stories.
1stRad2671
02-12-09, 04:03 PM
Whirly birds are fun. My first ride was on a National Guard Huey while I was in Monterey at DLI. Did some map-of-the-earth type flying facing out the door. :D
The rest of my time involved 53s. I was a HRST master so got to do all that fun stuff, plus helo casting with Zodiaks. I was in Hawaii too so the scenery dangling from a SPIE line was awesome.
http://www.geocities.com/nhbludog/bulkyker1/scan0004.jpg
http://www.geocities.com/nhbludog/bulkyker1/scan0012.jpg
GSEMarine94
02-12-09, 04:34 PM
That is a CH-46. It has a short stub-wing ( which is sometimes called a sponson or fuel tank, which it is ) To the best of my knowledge the Marine Corps dosen't have CH-47's. The Army flys the CH-47. It has a long fuel tank outside and alongside the fuselage.
The CH-47 is much larger and more powerfull that the CH-46.
The 47 also has two sets of wheels in the front VS one set on the 46, and a little side note the 47 is faster then every rotory aircraft the Army has to include the apache.
yellowwing
02-12-09, 05:04 PM
http://www.ywg-web.com/images/CH-47.jpg
CH-47 flown by some ballsy Air Guard types.
I coulda swore the 47 had one set of wheels on the front. I know for a fact though that the right rear set was burried a few inches in the mud they landed in. Guess it's a good thing they don't roll.
I didn't expect it to be as loud as it was. They made us wear hearing protection but curiosity got the best of me and when we were airborne I HAD to take mine out to hear the sounds. I also didn't know they could bank the way they did, giving me a feeling of weightlessness...like an astronaut or something. Also didn't know how much they shake when the props get going.
This was just cool as hell, can't wait to do it again!!!
Whirly birds are fun. My first ride was on a National Guard Huey while I was in Monterey at DLI. Did some map-of-the-earth type flying facing out the door. :D
The rest of my time involved 53s. I was a HRST master so got to do all that fun stuff, plus helo casting with Zodiaks. I was in Hawaii too so the scenery dangling from a SPIE line was awesome.
I was thinking how nice it would be if we had all loaded into about 20 Hueys to get out of there. Maybe next time.
Zebra29er
02-12-09, 06:36 PM
Here is the last one I rode , so I couldn't tell you
http://xs536.xs.to/xs536/09074/yp13landing386.jpg.xs.jpg (http://xs.to/xs.php?h=xs536&d=09074&f=yp13landing386.jpg)
DocGreek
02-12-09, 10:58 PM
SORRY, Gentlemen, I wouldn't know a 46 from a 47, unless she had a BIG BUTT....TOO!!!! As far as I have seen, flying a helicopter, is like playing drums, in a rock group.....ALL FOUR limbs, doin' something different....TOTALLY KOOL.....DUDE....WAY FAR OUT......etc.!!!! HEY....you numbnuts....WAIT TILL YOU LAND ON A REALLY HOOOOOTTTT LZ!!! You'll NEED your "DEPENDS"!!!!!.....DOC
exnitro
02-13-09, 05:13 AM
If my memory serves me right, the 46 has two sets of wheels in the front and also the back. It's been a long time. I do remember we used to call them Italian choppers. We could hear them comming and going. The sound of the blades, "Wop, Wop, Wop"
No offense intended.
GSEMarine94
02-13-09, 07:28 AM
US Marine CH-46 Sea Knight, nicknamed phrog
http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/9927/ch4620sea20knightoj5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
US Army CH-47 Chinook, nicknamed ****t-n-hook
http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/7259/105955cm9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Wyoming
02-13-09, 09:37 AM
Helicopters, described as a million pieces all moving in different directions, all at the same time.
A leaking, but fine piece of equipment. When the leak stopped, you better be on the ground.
... and this rolling over bit, I can tell you for a fact, 46's WILL roll over.
yellowwing
02-13-09, 09:41 AM
Dang, our little CH-46 makes that army CH-47 look like a freakin' airliner.
Helicopters, described as a million pieces all moving in different directions, all at the same time.
A leaking, but fine piece of equipment. When the leak stopped, you better be on the ground.
... and this rolling over bit, I can tell you for a fact, 46's WILL roll over.
You know, I didn't really think anything of the whole leaking thing...until I was sitting there and watch the hydrolic fluid falling from the ceiling and landing on someone's pack.
There is a manual assist for the hydraulic system in the back of a 46 near the ramp. Everybody is pretty relaxed and buisness as usual till the crew chief gets a panicked look on his face and rushes to the rear and starts pumping that handle.
Dang, our little CH-46 makes that army CH-47 look like a freakin' airliner.
That's because it takes 2 - 2 times more Army personnel to do the same thing a few Marines can do - LOL
Twitchell
02-13-09, 02:43 PM
WOW.... I never noticed the difference between the two. LOL
DocGreek
02-13-09, 02:49 PM
TWITCH.....just remember, ALL this equipment was purchased by YOU, and ME.....from the LOWEST BIDDER!!!......DOC
FistFu68
02-13-09, 04:17 PM
:evilgrin: Z-29ER I REMEMBER THE "34" IT SAVED MY LIFE :usmc: :iwo:
Zebra29er
02-13-09, 08:34 PM
:evilgrin: Z-29ER I REMEMBER THE "34" IT SAVED MY LIFE :usmc: :iwo:
Yea Fist that was my ride in , I don't remember the one out , but they tell my it was a dozy for shore . It was a hot exit .
Troutzilla
02-13-09, 10:48 PM
My first ride...a CH 46 Sea Knight from Da Nang out over the South China Sea to the USS New Orleans (LPH-11)....many more to follow on the CH 53 Sea Stallion...you are gonna love the ride BR34....ENJOY!!!!!
Twitchell
02-14-09, 05:08 PM
TWITCH.....just remember, ALL this equipment was purchased by YOU, and ME.....from the LOWEST BIDDER!!!......DOC
Yea it kind of reflects the Corps budget compared to the Army to......
mpetrone
02-19-09, 12:59 PM
Damn I must be getting old! I remember the CH-46's and if you get a chance and if the 47's have one, stick your head in the bubble window and look out at the left and right sides and see how the body of the Helicopter twists........kinda freaky...
FistFu68
02-19-09, 03:00 PM
:evilgrin: :beer: 2 THA' 34 :beer:
I'm a 46 guy myself, and I can honestly say the vibrations can put an average person to sleep. It's wonderful.
(side note for the uninitiated: lots of the vibrations are caused by, but not limited to, the rotor heads providing anti-torque for the other; imagine trying to snap a twig in half, and that's the same concept. It used to happen like that, too, back in the 60's until an airframes change required Boeing to reinforce the aircraft. It's amazing how these babies fly!)
Zulu 36
02-19-09, 07:50 PM
My first few helo rides were in Army Hueys - in Vietnam, go figure. To date, my last helo ride was in an Army Huey too, more than 20-years after my first. Probably the same bird.
My first Marine helo ride was in a 46. The vibrations are still quite vivid in my mind.
I don't think I want another helo ride now because that probably means I'm in a medical chopper on the way to a hospital.
Finally got the pictures. Wish I coulda got more/better, but that's life.
This is me and Sgt. G. at our first pit stop.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/KamauXX/DSC_2649.jpg
Me, waiting around for the go ahead...
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/KamauXX/DSC_2650.jpg
On the road again...that smilin' Marine out in front is the Company's Chief of Staff
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/KamauXX/HUMP6.jpg
Everybody enjoying a view of Kansas City.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/KamauXX/DSC_3361.jpg
This is the 2nd stick coming in.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/KamauXX/DSC_3394.jpg
Had a LOT of fun. Can't wait to do it again.
HurricaneRJ
02-20-09, 09:02 PM
Yeah, I rode my first helo out at Mojave Viper.
I got a class on calling in Helo's. A rare oppourtunity for boots in the grunts. Called one in pretty good.
"Moonlighter 401, this is Hurricane standby for LZ Brief!"
Can't wait for the MEU after this deployment, going to be in a Helo Company.
Congrats on the promotion. I officially got pinned today, but I got a BN NJP coming up so I doubt I'll be a Lance Criminal for long.
GolfingJarhead
02-22-09, 12:37 AM
My first and only helo ride was on a 53 in Okinawa. III MEF SgtMaj had lined up a fun ride for a few of us who were getting out soon. We get in the helo, everything starts up and we start to feel some lift. Then the damn thing starts shaking violently as we just leave the ground. We lift off some more and the pilot banks the helicopter in a way that we could look out the ramp and see the spot we took off from. As I look out I notice our two auxiliary fuel tanks laying on the ground with fuel spraying out of them. I guess someone had bumped the switch that jettisons the tanks, and as soon as we got 'weight off wheels' they fell off. About 30 seconds later we were back on the ground and had to get off the bird. That, in summary, is my lone helo ride.
ps. it was quite a period of time for aviation in Okinawa back then. In a month's time we had our little incident, an F-15 lost its canopy while landing, and a seabag fell out of a huey and landed in someone's back yard. Fun times....
CH53MetalMan
02-22-09, 07:54 AM
My first and only helo ride was on a 53 in Okinawa. III MEF SgtMaj had lined up a fun ride for a few of us who were getting out soon. We get in the helo, everything starts up and we start to feel some lift. Then the damn thing starts shaking violently as we just leave the ground. We lift off some more and the pilot banks the helicopter in a way that we could look out the ramp and see the spot we took off from. As I look out I notice our two auxiliary fuel tanks laying on the ground with fuel spraying out of them. I guess someone had bumped the switch that jettisons the tanks, and as soon as we got 'weight off wheels' they fell off. About 30 seconds later we were back on the ground and had to get off the bird. That, in summary, is my lone helo ride.
ps. it was quite a period of time for aviation in Okinawa back then. In a month's time we had our little incident, an F-15 lost its canopy while landing, and a seabag fell out of a huey and landed in someone's back yard. Fun times....
At least 2 Marines should have been busted down two ranks for the auxiliary tanks not being straped down properly! Four come-along straps hold them domn. Nothing more, nothing less. There is no switch that jettisons the tanks. I thought the system was idiot proof. I was wrong.
PaidinBlood
02-22-09, 09:01 AM
Well golfer, why didn't you re-enlist on the spot...? That should have motivated you.
Sgt Jim
02-22-09, 09:10 AM
My first ride in a helo was when i was 13 years old at the Kentucky state fair,i was hooked
GolfingJarhead
02-22-09, 10:25 AM
At least 2 Marines should have been busted down two ranks for the auxiliary tanks not being straped down properly! Four come-along straps hold them domn. Nothing more, nothing less. There is no switch that jettisons the tanks. I thought the system was idiot proof. I was wrong.
I'm pretty sure the pilot got his wings clipped and the crew chief got his flight status suspended for a year. Because of where I worked, I actually got to see the investigation results fairly quickly. I don't know jack about what keeps the tanks on or anything (I was an admin bubba), but the Deputy CG at the time was a pilot and thats what he told me. If I remember correctly, they placed a majority of the blame on the pilot but found the crew chief to be at fault as well.
Was in a 46 that lifted off and went completely to hell. Training says that the safest place around a bird that decides to break apart is inside it. Nobody got hurt and the crew chief got a navy com for keeping a cool head. You know what we did? Got on another chopper .... scare the crud out of you then put you on another one.
PaidinBlood
02-22-09, 11:27 AM
Yeah...or when the problem is minor enough to get back on the SAME one... woof
DocGreek
02-22-09, 01:23 PM
Any of you Gentlemen been pulled through the "HELL HOLE", of a 53?? AND....HANG by the sh!t-hook, while being transported?? I won't go on....I just ate lunch, don't want to lose it, over crappy memories!!......DOC