Subdeacon Joe Posted March 29, 2020 Share Posted March 29, 2020 Found on FB EVERYTHING I NEEDED TO KNOW IN LIFE I LEARNED AS A GUNSHIP HELICOPTER PILOT IN VIETNAM. 1. Once you are in the fight, it is way too late to wonder if this is a good idea.. 2. It is a fact that helicopter tail rotors are instinctively drawn toward trees, stumps, rocks, etc. While it may be possible to ward off this natural event some of the time, it cannot, despite the best efforts of the crew, always be prevented. It's just what they do.. 3. NEVER get into a fight without more ammunition than the other guy. 4. The engine RPM and the rotor RPM must BOTH be kept in the GREEN. Failure to heed this commandment can affect the morale of the crew. 5. Cover your Buddy, so he can be around to cover for you. 6. Decisions made by someone above you in the chain-of command will seldom be in your best interest.. 7. The terms Protective Armor and Helicopter are mutually exclusive. 8. Sometimes, being good and lucky is still is not enough. 9. "Chicken Plates" are not something you order in a restaurant. 10. If everything is as clear as a bell, and everything is going exactly as planned, you're about to be surprised. 11. Loud, sudden noises in a helicopter WILL get your undivided attention. 12. The BSR (Bang Stare Red) Theory states that the louder the sudden bang in the helicopter, the quicker your eyes will be drawn to the gauges. The longer you stare at the gauges the less time it takes them to move from green to red. 13. No matter what you do, 'the bullet with your name on it' will get you. So, too, can the ones addressed "To Whom It May Concern". 14. If the rear echelon troops are really happy, the front line troops probably do not have what they need. 15. If you are wearing body armor, the bullets will probably miss that part. 16. Happiness is a belt-fed weapon. 17. Having all your body parts intact and functioning at the end of the day is a + and beats the alternative. 18. If you are allergic to lead, it is best to avoid a war zone. 19. It is a bad thing to run out of airspeed, altitude, and ideas all at the same time. 20. Hot garrison chow is better than hot C-rations which, in turn, is better than cold C-rations which, in turn, is better than no food at all. All of These, however, are preferable to cold rice balls, even if they do have the little pieces of fish in them. 21. Everybody's a hero...On the ground...In the club...After the fourth drink. 22. A free fire zone has nothing to do with economics. 23. The further you fly into the mountains, the louder the strange engine noises become. 24. Medals are OK, but having your body and all your friends in one piece at the end of the day is better. 25. Being shot hurts and it can ruin your whole day. 26,27, 28. Thousands of Vietnam Veterans earned medals for bravery every day. A few were even awarded. 29. Running out of pedal, fore or aft cyclic, or collective are all bad ideas. Any combination of these can be deadly. 30. There is only one rule in war: When you win, you get to make up the rules. 31. C-4 can make a dull day fun. 32. There is no such thing as a fair fight - only ones where you win or lose. 33. If you win the battle you are entitled to the spoils. If you lose you don't care. 34. Nobody cares what you did yesterday or what you are going to do tomorrow. What is important is what you are doing - NOW - to solve our problem. 35. Always make sure someone has a P-38. 36. Prayer may not help...but it can't hurt. 37. Flying is better than walking. Walking is better than running. Running is better than crawling. All of these, however, are better than extraction by Medevac even if it is, technically, a form of flying. 38. Do not fear the enemy, for your enemy can only take your life. It is far better that you fear the media, for they will steal your HONOR. 39. A grunt is the true reason for the existence of the helicopter. Every helicopter flying in Vietnam had one real purpose: To help the grunt. It is unfortunate that many helicopters never had the opportunity to fulfill their one true mission in life, simply because someone forgot this fact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imis Twohofon,SASS # 46646 Posted March 29, 2020 Share Posted March 29, 2020 40. Make sure the "Jesus" nut is intact Imis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted March 29, 2020 Share Posted March 29, 2020 What do pilots know about C4? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wallaby Jack, SASS #44062 Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 6 hours ago, Subdeacon Joe said: Found on FB 38. Do not fear the enemy, for your enemy can only take your life. It is far better that you fear the media, for they will steal your HONOR. This one seems to have a certain amount of credence within some of the 2A "contests" ........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Coffinmaker Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 Used C-4 to heat Rats. Didn't everybody?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocWard Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 "The thing is, helicopters are different from planes. An airplane by its very nature wants to fly and, if not interfered with too strongly by unusual events or by a deliberately incompetent pilot, it 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 generality, airplane pilots are open, clear-eyed, buoyant extroverts, and helicopter pilots are brooding introspective anticipators of trouble. They know if something bad has not happened it is about to." Harry Reasoner February 16, 1971 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 27 minutes ago, Colorado Coffinmaker said: Used C-4 to heat Rats. Didn't everybody?? Never saw a pilot do that. They had mess halls. Grunts had C4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duffield, SASS #23454 Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 That list was compiled by Bobby McBride, a UH-1 Crew Chief. His helicopter is now on static display in Amarillo, Texas. Duffield Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Harley, #14153 Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 Having never been in a hot war, I can’t comment about bullets and such, but I have more than a few hours of stick time flying The Iron Curtain in West Germany. A few observations.., 2. It is a fact that helicopter tail rotors are instinctively drawn toward trees, stumps, rocks, etc. While it may be possible to ward off this natural event some of the time, it cannot, despite the best efforts of the crew, always be prevented. It's just what they do.. And debris blown around by the big rotor on top. It doesn’t take much to dent a tail rotor. 4. The engine RPM and the rotor RPM must BOTH be kept in the GREEN. Failure to heed this commandment can affect the morale of the crew. Green is good. All else is bad. No middle ground. 7. The terms Protective Armor and Helicopter are mutually exclusive. Armor equals weight. Aluminum skin counts as armor in the aircraft I flew. And a 38 in a shoulder rig counted as armament to an aero scout crew. 9. "Chicken Plates" are not something you order in a restaurant.We used them enough to stay certified in their use, but they actually did more harm than good. Glad our soldiers have better equipment now. 10. If everything is as clear as a bell, and everything is going exactly as planned, you're about to be surprised.Murphy sides with the hidden flaw. 11. Loud, sudden noises in a helicopter WILL get your undivided attention.So will unexplained high pitch whines. 12. The BSR (Bang Stare Red) Theory states that the louder the sudden bang in the helicopter, the quicker your eyes will be drawn to the gauges. The longer you stare at the gauges the less time it takes them to move from green to red.Yup. 19. It is a bad thing to run out of airspeed, altitude, and ideas all at the same time. Airspeed and altitude are pilots’ friends. NOE missions offer neither. . 29. Running out of pedal, fore or aft cyclic, or collective are all bad ideas. Any combination of these can be deadly. That was a bad day. Left pedal hit the stop and I needed another inch. 37. Flying is better than walking. Duh! 39. A grunt is the true reason for the existence of the helicopter. Every helicopter flying in Vietnam had one real purpose: To help the grunt. It is unfortunate that many helicopters never had the opportunity to fulfill their one true mission in life, simply because someone forgot this fact. No argument here. There are only two branches in the Army: Infantry and Infantry Support. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smoken D Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 #39 was the real #1 reason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdeacon Joe Posted March 30, 2020 Author Share Posted March 30, 2020 2 hours ago, Duffield, SASS #23454 said: That list was compiled by Bobby McBride, a UH-1 Crew Chief. His helicopter is now on static display in Amarillo, Texas. Duffield Thanks. I should have thought to search for it and give it a proper attribution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Coffinmaker Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 It is a known fact that Helicopters can't fly. The Helicopter beats the atmosphere into submission. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Coffinmaker Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 Just didn't get around enough Bob. Needed to get out more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wallaby Jack, SASS #44062 Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 1 hour ago, Colorado Coffinmaker said: It is a known fact that Helicopters can't fly. The Helicopter beats the atmosphere into submission. I was told that helicopters only get in the air was because they were so ugly that the earth repelled them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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