Mike: speaking of helicopters

[Baradium]

The captain I flew with most of this last week used to work on the ground around Alaska with Aerostars.   He said that the tail rotor whine on them must be slightly different than other choppers and the ground squirrels apparently really really don't like it up here.

He told me that they would run out of their dens and try to jump at the tail rotor to attack it.  Idling they couldn't jump high enough but they were worried that one might get lucky or make a jump on landing when the rotor was closer to the ground so they'd have to stand around them when they came in trying to pop the things with sling shots!


This came up talking about the moose incident,he was wondering what kind of helicopter it was and if the pitch of the tail rotor might have contributed to the moose attacking it.


Maybe the ground squirrels here are just closer related to lemmings?             

[Mike]

I don't know what an Aerostar is but I've heard about dogs hating the tailrotor and trying to bite it. Some of them aparently jumped right into the rotor....

[Gulfstream Driver]

A-Star? 

[airtac]

Found this tacked on the wall at the helibase and thought I would quote Harry Reasoner;

  "The thing is, helicopters are different from planes.  An airplane by it's very nature wants to fly, and if not interfered with too strongly by unusual events or by an incompetent pilot, will fly.
A helicopter does not want to fly.  It is maintained in the air by a variety of forces and controls working in opposition to each other, and if there is any disturbance in this delicate balance, the helicopter stops flying, immediately and disastrously.  There is no such thing as a gliding helicopter.
This is why being a helicopter pilot  is so different from being an airplane pilot  , and why, in general, airplane pilots    are open, clear eyed, bouyant, extroverts while helicopter pilots  are brooding, introspective anticipaters of trouble.   They know if something bad has not happened, it is about to". 

I'm sure you rotor drivers have seen this before but I wanted to share it with the rest of the unwashed 

[spacer]

There is no such thing as a gliding helicopter

That's not entirely accurate... 

[Rooster Cruiser]

I'm sure you rotor drivers have seen this before but I wanted to share it with the rest of the unwashed

<sniffing armpits>  Now that I have seen this, I reckon I should go take a shower....    

[Skid Kid]

They know if something bad has not happened, it is about to". 

There is an unwritten rule at my squadron for the maintainers: If a Huey breaks skids (lifts off the ground) even for a second, the bird will immediately receive a "downing" gripe against it.  It may appear that everything is fine but this is false, the problem just requires a more thorough inspection to uncover. 

[Turbomallard]

And then there's the "If helicopters are so safe, how come there aren't any antique/classic helicopter flyins?" 

Poor things get no respect at all... until somebody needs one.

TM

[Mike]

.... while helicopter pilots  are brooding, introspective anticipaters of trouble.   They know if something bad has not happened, it is about to". 

I can't even defend helicopters in this area. Especially not after last week. It has been a long week with lots of things breaking....
It seems they break more when they DON'T fly than when they do. Comparable to boats I guess....

but since they are just SO MUCH FUN to fly . . . we'll stick with them 

[airtac]

HEY!
Don't be killing the messenger here  ----I was just quoting Harry Reasoner
As for me, if I wasn't so darn old and/or if I had an excess of money, I'd love to add rotors to my ratings 

[Gulfstream Driver]

an excess of money

What's that?

[airtac]

an excess of money

What's that?

Ah yes, let me explain, That's when your income exceeds your expenses---like before you were married with children---after the first ankle biter arrives, well, forget that for about 30 years

[Gulfstream Driver]

Thanks, airtac.  That clears things up.   

Hehe.  Emily points at your avatar and says "quack, quack."  I'm trying to tell her it's a chicken, but she's insisting it's a duck.

[Baradium]

Thanks, airtac.  That clears things up.   

Hehe.  Emily points at your avatar and says "quack, quack."  I'm trying to tell her it's a chicken, but she's insisting it's a duck.

That's just what he wants you to think... maybe she can just see through the clever disguise...

[happylanding]

after the first ankle biter arrives, well, forget that for about 30 years

Haha! ankle biter?!? Where did you get this expression from? that's too funny!