Aloha from Oahu, Hawaii!

[c303a]

This is awesome! ham operators and pilots galore! so far ive only been flying C172's and am trying to get things started for my instrument rating. looking at trying to get my commercial and CFI before i retire from the navy.

most of you said "Used to fly" what happened?

Old age and no medical. I had my time in the air. I also spent about 7 years as a helicopter mechanic and crew chief in the Army so I got all the flying I wanted.

[nanoprobe]

Old age and no medical. I had my time in the air. I also spent about 7 years as a helicopter mechanic and crew chief in the Army so I got all the flying I wanted.

Chinooks rule. And welcome aboard NavyDT. Great group here.

[Bryan]

Chinooks rule. And welcome aboard NavyDT. Great group here.

Shithooks don't rule, Cobra or Huey gunships rule Back in the "old" days anyway

[c303a]

Shithooks don't rule, Cobra or Huey gunships rule Back in the "old" days anyway

I remember the old H-21, H-13, H 19, H37, H34 UH1A, B, D, and converting the old D models from 44 foot blades to 48 foot before going over to Nam. I also worked on the Chinook and the Crane. The first Chinooks came to Ft. Benning in 1964 and werew nothing but trouble.

[nanoprobe]

Shithooks don't rule, Cobra or Huey gunships rule Back in the "old" days anyway

FYI Shithooks could fly faster than a Cobra but only in a straight line. The real "rulers" in those days were Chinooks know as guns a gogo. Would not want to be on the ground taking fire from one of them.

[nanoprobe]

I remember the old H-21, H-13, H 19, H37, H34 UH1A, B, D, and converting the old D models from 44 foot blades to 48 foot before going over to Nam. I also worked on the Chinook and the Crane. The first Chinooks came to Ft. Benning in 1964 and werew nothing but trouble.

In 1970 our crew went from Ft. Eustis Va. to the plant where Chinooks were built in Pennsylvania. We picked up a brand new "Super" C model that had only 4 test flight hours on it and flew it to Oceana Naval air station near Virginia Beach. (First and only time I ever saw a complete set of "bonnie" wrenches )There it was outfitted with a special cargo hook. We and another crew flying a SkyCrane participated in a test program that involved flying out to ships anchored offshore and unloading cargo containers. We then flew them ashore and dropped them onto tractor/trailer trucks. The military was testing to see if they could do this in Nam. They thought it would expedite shipping around clogged ports. Don't know if it was ever implemented during the war but it sure was a neat assignment at the time.