Dude- I teach people at work to drive a class B truck. You have no idea. I spend at least a day just on parallel parking. A is worse. Imagine parallel parking a tractor trailer to the passenger side.
It’s possible, SOAR’s resources are finite. Active duty pilot’s may rotate to the NG and be called to deploy under a different unit. Talking to some of the guys close to this, the area they flew in was rocket city. Pilots would fly low through valleys and the enemy would take pot shots from the mountains.
As I recall, one of the issues was also that they were in a standard CH-47, and NOT the MH-47 as you mentioned. The book, if it's the one I'm thinking of, had some good descriptions of the low flying and difficult landing zones that the same aircrew had been doing.
My uncle was a helicopter pilot in Vietnam. Served 3 tours before the war ended. He was one of the most decorated helicopter pilots because he would either come in extremely low or drop down into heavy combat zones. I always looked up to him as a kid. I asked him why he kept going back. He told me “war is terrible. But when you see your brothers on the verge of death and they need something only you can provide, how can you say no”.
Sadly, when I was around 8, he committed suicide from PTSD. He was always one of my heroes. At his funeral a bunch of the guys who he had saved came to the funeral. One guy said “Our entire unit was surrounded. Down to 20 men. Command told us no help was coming. All of a sudden this crazy helicopter pilot drops into the middle of our stand. Not all of us made it today, but none of us will forget the sacrifice of this great man!”
He really was. He had literally so many medals I can’t even explain. His buddy told me he was the craziest, most awesome pilot he had ever seen. He could drop in a clearing literally the size of the helicopter, be in and out in a matter of minutes. My family was so proud of him.
Looks like before they can enter their training they have to already have 500 hours. Then it is two years of basic mission training before being fully qualified.
something similar happened during the Vietnam evacuation. A Vietnamese pilot, flying a similar helicopter offloaded all the civilians onto a ship in the ocean while hovering b/c the ship was not big enough for him to land. after that, he flew away from the ship, unfastened his harness, and as he tilted the helicopter one way, jumped out the door the other way into the ocean so HE could be rescued.
Had to ask my buddy (former Chinook crew chief) to see if this was legit. He said it was a “two wheel pinnacle landing” and made it sound like it wasn’t that uncommon! God bless all our brave and talented veterans!!!!
It's not. It's a manuver that is trained for, and the Chinook has Automatic Flight Control System (AFCS) that provides stability and the ability to hold pitch, yaw, roll and altitude automatically.
I used to work on these in the Army. They are a wonderful, beautiful, fat baby and you have to treat her rough, but damn is she a smooth ride. I miss her.
Some of us have trouble parallel parking...
Dude- I teach people at work to drive a class B truck. You have no idea. I spend at least a day just on parallel parking. A is worse. Imagine parallel parking a tractor trailer to the passenger side.
Get that man a medal. And a coat. And let’s put rotors on the Trump Train.
The NG does not fly the black version of the MH-47. That is most likely 160th SOAR (NightStalkers). At least it was that way during my stint.
Either fucking way...thats impressive as hell.
Yes, it is! Lot of things could go wrong.
Yeah, like a 9gag watermark 🤔
May have changed, but I can't recall the colors. This book talked a lot about the reserve pilots:
https://www.amazon.com/Final-Mission-Extortion-Helicopter-Afghanistan/dp/1588345890
It’s possible, SOAR’s resources are finite. Active duty pilot’s may rotate to the NG and be called to deploy under a different unit. Talking to some of the guys close to this, the area they flew in was rocket city. Pilots would fly low through valleys and the enemy would take pot shots from the mountains.
As I recall, one of the issues was also that they were in a standard CH-47, and NOT the MH-47 as you mentioned. The book, if it's the one I'm thinking of, had some good descriptions of the low flying and difficult landing zones that the same aircrew had been doing.
The Guard sometimes deploys to backfill regular Army units.
Wicked skills! And the NFL takes a knee to show their commitment to America!
The chopper has become an extention of his body. Bravo!
My uncle was a helicopter pilot in Vietnam. Served 3 tours before the war ended. He was one of the most decorated helicopter pilots because he would either come in extremely low or drop down into heavy combat zones. I always looked up to him as a kid. I asked him why he kept going back. He told me “war is terrible. But when you see your brothers on the verge of death and they need something only you can provide, how can you say no”.
Sadly, when I was around 8, he committed suicide from PTSD. He was always one of my heroes. At his funeral a bunch of the guys who he had saved came to the funeral. One guy said “Our entire unit was surrounded. Down to 20 men. Command told us no help was coming. All of a sudden this crazy helicopter pilot drops into the middle of our stand. Not all of us made it today, but none of us will forget the sacrifice of this great man!”
This brought a tear to my eye. What a hero.
Wow. Chills. He was a hero.
He really was. He had literally so many medals I can’t even explain. His buddy told me he was the craziest, most awesome pilot he had ever seen. He could drop in a clearing literally the size of the helicopter, be in and out in a matter of minutes. My family was so proud of him.
First class!
How long do these guys train before flying missions like this? Any one know?
EDIT: Did some light research, in case anyone else is interested I found this: https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2019/10/11/data-showing-160th-soars-pilot-shortage-is-a-snapshot-in-time-command-cautions/.
Looks like before they can enter their training they have to already have 500 hours. Then it is two years of basic mission training before being fully qualified.
If I recall correctly, this book talked a lot about the reserve Chinook pilots and some of the amazing shit they could do:
https://www.amazon.com/Final-Mission-Extortion-Helicopter-Afghanistan/dp/1588345890
something similar happened during the Vietnam evacuation. A Vietnamese pilot, flying a similar helicopter offloaded all the civilians onto a ship in the ocean while hovering b/c the ship was not big enough for him to land. after that, he flew away from the ship, unfastened his harness, and as he tilted the helicopter one way, jumped out the door the other way into the ocean so HE could be rescued.
https://theaviationgeekclub.com/this-vnaf-chinooks-pilot-jumped-out-of-his-ch-47a-after-having-saved-his-family-and-he-made-it-out-alive/
We've reached levels of badassery never before thought possible!
Crew chief is essential to these kinds of landings. Don’t leave them out of the picture
hold your hover.....hold your hover......hold your hover......GET THE FUCK OUT!!! Guy deserves a medal for this.
He is using his toxic masculinity to support the front half of the aircraft.
Had to ask my buddy (former Chinook crew chief) to see if this was legit. He said it was a “two wheel pinnacle landing” and made it sound like it wasn’t that uncommon! God bless all our brave and talented veterans!!!!
It's not. It's a manuver that is trained for, and the Chinook has Automatic Flight Control System (AFCS) that provides stability and the ability to hold pitch, yaw, roll and altitude automatically.
Thank you, that is awesome! I’ve been fascinated by Chinooks since I was a kid.
The only thing I know about helicopters is they are supposedly really really hard to fly.
Do Chinooks have cameras in the back so pilots can see behind them? Otherwise, I can’t comprehend how they do this. Amazing.
It's easy to hear this man approaching. The sound of his steel balls clanking together gives him away.
EMS pilots are the best damn helicopter pilots in the world.
When a guy with a jagged sheet metal zig-sawwing through his heart is being loaded in, you gotta keep that thing fucking still.
And they do.
I used to work on these in the Army. They are a wonderful, beautiful, fat baby and you have to treat her rough, but damn is she a smooth ride. I miss her.
Old but still Outstanding!!!
That is beautiful.
BAD ASS!
Wasn't this a setup? This mission didn't they all die I remember seeing this picture attached to a tragic story like that.
https://www.amazon.com/Final-Mission-Extortion-Helicopter-Afghanistan/dp/1588345890
Might be thinking of Extortion 17 or Operation Red Wing’s QRF mission.
I believe there are stability systems in this particular copter that let them do this.
I know a fella named 'Barry' that sets himself up for deliveries in the rear on the regular.
This is amazing. I'm saving this picture for the pure awesomeness.
I saw a video of a pilot jump out of his jet, pull out an RPG and shoot an enemy jet fighter that was chasing him AND THEN get back into his jet.
this is wow