Check out Mikes new ride!

[Mike]

Here is my new ride. Doesn't have a name yet though.
Nobu and I have been practicing the last 2 weeks and worked out all the little bugs that were still left over...

It's a 1965 UH-1H, completely overhauled and re-done. -703 engine (1800SHP), fast-fin, and an almost modern cockpit.
Flies really great!

All we need now is another fire season..... 

[TheSoccerMom]

OHH NOOOOOOOOO, YOU WENT AND DID IT!!!!

Now we can say, without fibbing, "Yeah...  Mike's at work...  in the 7-11!!"   

Wow, she's a real Red Rocket........  sweet!!!!!!!!!!     

 

[Baradium]

looks like a clifford to me  

Beautiful bird...  I love hearing those things flying overheard.  Air Logistics and Evergreen fly them up north (well that or the civilian variant).

[Oddball]

did Colonel Kilgore come with it?

[Firegirl]

Mike seen inside the 7-11!   

HA HA 


Woot Woot! 

[Oddball]

Any one else hear Ride of the Valkyries? 

[Ragwing]

Mike,
REALLY NICE BIRD
Love the cherry red.

Your cockpit instrumentation is scary!!
I was expecting a lot more changes.
It would not take much to transition.
The artificial horizon location would throw me for a while.

Comparison of "H" models.  Standard Issue and Mike's

[Chopper Doc]

Nice pics, Ragwing.  The "H" even still had the armoured seats and the steam-powered radios.

And Mike, welcome to the big leagues.  Now if you'd just get the tail rotor moved to the other side and the 212 rotor system installed (10,200 internal and 10,500 external) you'd be flying ships like some of the ones I work: we operate two 205A1's, one "+" with the 212 rotor/-13 engine, and a "++" with the 212 rotor/-17 donkey.

http://www.eaglecopters.com/PDFs/Eagle.GateFold.Comp.v3.9.pdf will download a brochure for the Eagle Singe, a 212 with the TwinPac removed and a T53-17 (civvie version of the -701 you're running) installed.  Gross weight is 11,200 and the basic empty is around 6,000.  We operate two of the Singles and a third is expected this spring.  We load one 90gal aux tank and fly them for forestry bucket ships; the 350 gal (Imperial) Bambi on a 165' longline is about 3700#.  That still leaves two hours endurance plus reserves even if you start with a full bucket.  If need be, we have the dump pumps installed in the buckets so the turn can be started with fuel for three hours endurance and the excess load pumped off while picking the bucket until the fuel burns off.  Very handy firefighting machine when you can drop 3500# of water every cycle, right on the spot, without the downdraft stirring things up or knocking down trees.

[Mike]

Yeah, you're right Ragwing. We didn't change much on the panel. We build a new panel and our six-packs (or the equivalent, they're not complete) are now powered by DC, except for the AI on the right side. We even have some of the NVG equipment left in it. This used to be a National Guard trainer as far as I understand and didn't make it to Vietnam which is probably a good thing.

Chopper Doc, I have heard about the Single Eagle and seen one at the last HAI Expo and it looks like a SWEET set-up! I hear the TR gearbox conversion is kind of a big mod though. The problem we found is the price. The Eagle is almost three times the price than a 1H. This being the first medium for the company we are looking to build some budget first before moving on a new medium. I hope it works out because moving from all lights to a medium is a big step. Right now we're running a 324 bucket on a 150 line and since this is a very light ship after all the military crap was stripped out, we are looking at 4000lbs of payload. We have a 90gal AUX tank on the left side but it looks like we will have to leave it empty for bucket work.
And down here I think the FS would pay almost the same price an hour and per day no matter if you have a 324 or a 350, so it's hard to justify the extra cost... 
BUT I would really like to have a standard category ship because it would allow us to do lift work within the city limits of LA which would be a big plus for the winter months.

I have another question for, will send you a PM.

[G-man]

It turned out nice huh.. So how is Jane feeling now that you just DUMPED her for something better??

Doc, I am glad you noticed all the work that went into Mike's machine. The Blue one in the background of the pics is mine. (Although I have yet to fly it---go figure, Mike and Nobu do all THEIR training in OUR aircraft, while I sit and watch--although to be honest I did not really want to do it). Below is a picture of the inside.. I will let you all determine WHO whines to the boss all the time. "I can't fly that its dirty", or "I dont like those old guages and buttons"..yada yada yada... Let the rivalry continue     

[Ragwing]

This used to be a National Guard trainer as far as I understand and didn't make it to Vietnam which is probably a good thing.

That sounds really good.

The birds that went over were worked hard and put away wet. 
When you flew low to avoid Victor Charlie, you often flew through bamboo.
Your rotor was like a lawnmower, mowing the bamboo above you.

[Mike]

It turned out nice huh.. So how is Jane feeling now that you just DUMPED her for something better??

Doc, I am glad you noticed all the work that went into Mike's machine. The Blue one in the background of the pics is mine. (Although I have yet to fly it---go figure, Mike and Nobu do all THEIR training in OUR aircraft, while I sit and watch--although to be honest I did not really want to do it). Below is a picture of the inside.. I will let you all determine WHO whines to the boss all the time. "I can't fly that its dirty", or "I dont like those old guages and buttons"..yada yada yada... Let the rivalry continue     

hehe
good old 6TV....

I think the difference is one belongs exclusevly to the boss and the other one is a partnership.
You know that his new dog is called "Huey" right?!

The other day I got scolded for filing something on a cowling (on the inside!!! and only to keep a pressure line from rubbing against it) without asking him first! 

So, it's not all us, buddy 
(a little self defense there....)

[Mike]

This used to be a National Guard trainer as far as I understand and didn't make it to Vietnam which is probably a good thing.

That sounds really good.

The birds that went over were worked hard and put away wet. 
When you flew low to avoid Victor Charlie, you often flew through bamboo.
Your rotor was like a lawnmower, mowing the bamboo above you.

but trainers also get rided purdy ruff, don't they? 

[G-man]

So, it's not all us, buddy 
(a little self defense there....)

Ahhh excuses excuses... I know how it is--out of sight -- out of mind.. We are just the bastard child up in RDD..  JK

[Chopper Doc]

We operated two 204's that used to belong to Air America.  These are pics of one of those ships at work.