[Leica] IMG: Airport July 31

[tedgrant at shaw.ca (tedgrant at shaw.ca)]

Mark Rabiner OFFERED:
Subject: Re: [Leica] IMG: Airport July 31


>I think the wind would put the fear of god into you in the helicopter
> photography racket to the point where your head would be safe on your
> shoulders.
> I've never been ON a helicopter yet I bet they are scary. That's what I 
> hear
> at least.
> When you jump out of a helicopter with a parachute when its falling does 
> it
> chop your head off? Just asking! I'd guess it would. Although those rotors
> don't seem to go very fast.

Hi Mark
Choppers aren't any different than fixed wing aircraft. Not the least bit 
scary. I can't imagine anyone saying they are scary! Best "air-ride" you can 
have for fun and travel! :-) Other than in full auto-rotation into the 
arctic ocean and water flying in the doorway because the door was off for 
aerial photos of a couple of ice breakers. :-)  Dang that water was so cold 
I thought I was going to freeze to death before the rescue boat towed us 
back to the ice breaker d'berville so the helicopter could be brought aboard 
by one of the big deck cranes. They couldn't use it any more due to some 
break. But we had two choppers in the hanger so it wasn't a big deal.

Wonderful for shooting aerials because the plane can hover right where you 
want it to while you're seated on the floor and legs dangling outside. 
Obviously one is wearing safety harness in this position. :-)

Well I've parachuted out of a fixed wing plane, but not a helicopter and I 
think if you go out with a chute you'd drop away quick enough it's not 
likely the heli would catch-up to you while falling. Besides it would more 
than likely spin in a completely different direction from your fall line.

So you think the rotors don't go very fast? How about fast enough to remove 
your head if you happened to walk into a tail rotor! Trust me you wouldn't 
have time to say... "OUCH!" ;-)

I love flying in them with lots and lots of hours over all kinds of terrain, 
land mass, ocean ice and plain old fashion fresh water lakes.  If you get an 
opportunity to fly take it right away and you'll fully enjoy yourself and to 
hell with the wimps who tell you they are scary! They're just gutless 
wonders!! :-)

cheers,
Dr. ted :-)