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Location: NJ | Just got word that this Friday, a co-worker and I are going up in a helicopter over Manhattan for an hour to take aerial photos of some venues and such.
This gonna be COOL!! Always wanted t'go up in a chopper and never had the opportunity . . .
Anybody know where I can get a Kaman baseball cap??
Being that this will in essence be booked as a "photo shoot", they take the door off the chopper, and I'm confident that the wind'll be whipping my unruly mane about. I would assume a baseball cap to be "de riguer", and a Kaman cap would be most fitting (even if it ISN'T a Kaman chopper). At least the pilot would be "impressed" (as I launch my breakfast onto his shoes . . .). |
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Location: Up North | Cliff.
I had the chance to do the same thing a few years ago, doors off the 'copter, standing on the skids, attached with a safety harness, leaning out to get vertical shots. You have to really trust the equipment there.
You'll probably be wearing a headset so you can talk to the pilot, so that'll take care of the hairdo. You should get a cap from the helicopter company anyway. I can only imagine what helicopter rentals go for in New York, it was expensive enough in Northern Ontario.
Have fun, it's a blast! Make sure you get pictures of yourself in the helicopter, and post them here. |
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Location: closely held secret | Cliff, make sure you have bananas for breakfast first. |
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Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | It's a hoot! Did a few aerial video shoots decades ago, one from an old logging helicopter.
Zoom is not your friend in a shaky helicopter, but modern camera technology may make that a non-issue. |
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Location: Upper Left USA | I guess this wouldn\'t be the same?
Or you could wear this!
I did like this though.
Door Gunner Wings
Otherwise, bust. |
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Location: Rego Park, NY, | There is a company that makes a gyroscope that will stabilize the camera. It attaches at the tripod socket/screw hole. Give B&H photo a call. I saw it at one of the Photo East Shows. |
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Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | Wow! I like the patch. Only the cogneseti would get it though. |
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Location: closely held secret | ...and don't forget the bananas for breakfast. You'll thank me later. |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | I've been up, doors-off too.... one of those M.A.S.H. type choppers with the bubble cockpit. Banking turns is a freakin' hoot when you're on the low side...
Enjoy. |
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Location: Up North | Helicopter
cap
Presidential Helicopter cap
Either of these could work! |
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Location: NJ | ". . I can only imagine what helicopter rentals go for in New York . ."
Not my problem. I just make it "look nice" . . .
(tho, I've heard that an 8-minute trip out to the Statue & back is like $85 . . .) |
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Location: NJ | I LIKE this one!! :
Could work as an auto-gyro in case of emergency . . . |
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Location: closely held secret | We took the heli tour on Kauai. Fantastic fun. I got stuck on a different chopper than the rest of our group and the lady in the back seat was NOT enjoying it... when we went over 5 sisters falls I asked the pilot to give me a view from over the top for pictures - next thing I knew we were on our side... make that MY side, lookin down on the falls.
Bubble cockpit, glass floors, no doors... woohoo! |
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Location: NJ | thought this was about the orange county people |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | Helicoters, they have the aerodynamics of a brick.
Good Luck!
Probably should get that hat. That way if there's a problem you can auto-rotate down (a highly technical helicopter term). |
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Location: big island | Originally posted by cwk2:
Probably should get that hat. That way if there's a problem you can auto-rotate down (a highly technical helicopter term). gotta sew on a chin strap though. |
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Location: Central Oregon | I thought you were talking about this kind of chopper-
Maybe you get a shirt made from this-
 |
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Location: NJ | ". . Helicopters, . . they have the aerodynamics of a brick . ."
Now THAT'S a winning "Marketing" campaign if ever there was one!!! |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | or maybe;
. . . . " Bumble Bees Aren't Supposed To Fly Either". . . . |
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Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands |  |
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Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | I like this Kaman product.
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Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Originally posted by cwk2:
Helicoters, they have the aerodynamics of a brick. A glide-slope ratio of about 1/0 isn't it? |
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Location: closely held secret | Depends on the wind.
Cliff, don't forget the bananas. |
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Location: Houston, Texas | And remember, helicopters don't fly. They just beat the air into submission. |
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Location: NJ | . . . as do acoustic guitars. |
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Location: Houston, Texas | Yeah, they don't fly too well, either. :D
... but they do have a more pleasant sound. |
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Location: Sunshine State, Australia | I knocked myself out skiing in France and don't remember the accident at all. I was skidoo'd off the mountain - don't remember it. No recollection of the ambulance trip to the medical centre or my time there.
Then I got airlifted to hospital. I remember every second of that helicopter ride.
Then I arrived at the hospital and the memory is gone again. I can't recall arriving there or my first whole day in the ward.
A whole day and a half is missing, except for about 20 minutes of exhilarating clarity.
Go figure? |
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Location: big island | muzza,
blame it on the thc.
THC= Total Helicopter Consciousness |
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Location: Sunshine State, Australia | Cute bit of cross-threading there, Lanaki. |
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Originally posted by Nils:
I thought you were talking about this kind of chopper-
">
But that is a pretty old Shovelhead. And that is my kind of Chopper...
Not that look-alike stuff on American Chopper.
The kind you build yourself, not out-source to everyone else.
[Showing my age...] |
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Location: Central Oregon | Thanks, & you're right, I built it myself 34 years ago (the first time). It's actually a shovelhead conversion, the engine started out as a '56 panhead. It's registered as a '56FL but the only part of it that's '56 are the cases. It has '68 heads & barrels, balanced '73 wheels & rods, Phase III belt drive, Barnett clutch, pressure plate & springs, Andrews cam, Sifton solids & pushrods, Weber downdraft (with electric fuel pump), Durfee girder front end, handmade square tube frame, handmade seat with a spiderweb pattern, completely rebuilt peanut tank, Andrews tranny gears, handmade three bolt exhaust. I painted it & a friend of mine striped it, another friend chromed it. I wouldn't trade it for one of those $50-100K cookie-cutter "choppers". |
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Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | From my last helicopter ride all I remember is
water water water boat water water water boat water water water boat water water water THUD!!!! |
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Location: ranson,wva | first(and last) time i rode in a heilocopter was in a blackhawk medivac when i split my head open back in 2000. if wasnt passed out they would have never got me on that thing for the ride from wva to fairfax inova hospital....7yrs later and im still terrified of heights.....jason |
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Location: Sunshine State, Australia | Originally posted by Mr. Ovation:
From my last helicopter ride all I remember is
water water water boat water water water boat water water water boat water water water THUD!!!! :confused: :confused: :confused: |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Yeah Muzza, me to! Did Miles survive the impact? |
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Location: closely held secret | Sounds like he was landing on deck in a choppy sea. |
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Location: big island | he crash landed his toy helicopter onto the deck of his toy boat while taking a bath. |
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Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | It's interesting. I wrote to the Kaman helicopter people for some information on the K-max, got a prompt response and a brouchure. The Kaman customer service is not bad at all. Just like the guitar side of the biz.
If I was in the market for a light to medium lift helicopter, it would be a Kaman. |
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Location: Up North | But did you get a hat for Cliff? |
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Location: NJ | I'm stickin' with the BeanieProp . . . |
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Location: closely held secret | ...and the bananas. |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | might I suggest a tail roto? |
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Location: Upper Left USA | Relax and enjoy.
what could possibly go wrong?
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Location: ranson,wva | Originally posted by MWoody:
Relax and enjoy.
what could possibly go wrong?
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Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | Originally posted by The Wabbit Formerly Known As Waskel:
Sounds like he was landing on deck in a choppy sea. BINGO!!!!! Sorry no prize, but the only way you probably knew is to have done it too. You survived too, that's enough of a prize.
Sure glad they didn't tell me why the "Shark Watch" guys carried 30-06's until AFTER I was on the deck. |
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Location: closely held secret | Nope, never done it myself. I just have a vivid imagination.
I have landed at SFO on a stormy night, however. Felt pretty much like that. |
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Location: Rego Park, NY, | I've been in a helicopter twice. The first time when I was nine years old in Florida. My dad and I were in the bubble no doors type. My baseball cap flew off my head and went out the pilot's side. He grabbed it just in time and saved my cap. The next time was in Hawaii. Pearl and I did the helicopter tour. The pilot was a real joker. we climbed up one side of the mountain and then he did a nose dive going over the top. That was eighteen years ago. I have not been on a plane or helicopter sinse.
Phil |
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Location: Central Massachusetts | Originally posted by Phil Wong:
I have not been on a plane or helicopter sinse.
Phil Must have been a long swim back to the mainland! |
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Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | You need one of these when you get your k-max.
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Location: Up North | The coolest part of riding in a helicopter is that first rush when you lift off, it's like being in a high-speed elevator. The next thing you know, you're two thousand feet up!
The scariest experience for me was trying to get that first shot from directly above the site. I had to ask the pilot to bank the copter over so I'd be looking straight down, harness attached, no door, sitting on the floor, feet on the skids. I don't think I've ever been more scared. But what a thrill!
The only thing that compares is when I got to pilot a 50's vintage MiG 17 fighter jet for about 15 minutes. |
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Location: Rego Park, NY, | Uh, I just flew in from Hawaii and are my arms tired :eek: :p |
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Location: NJ | The PowersThatBe just pulled-the-plug on this whole project citing "liability" issues . . .
I'm Pissed.
(f@ckin'Lawyers!) |
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Location: big island | well, at least this thread was enlightening and entertaining. thanks, cliff. sorry, cliff. |
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Location: closely held secret | Sorry to hear that, Cliff. It always seems to happen to the things we really look forward to (they have yet to cancel a Factory Tour... hmmm).
At least you're stocked up on bananas... right? |
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Location: NJ | Yeah, but not knowing how the "flight" was gonna turn out, I didn't buy any green ones . . . |
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Location: closely held secret | Good thinkin'...  |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Originally posted by cliff:
The PowersThatBe just pulled-the-plug on this whole project citing "liability" issues . . . They thought to themselves... "Cliff?... AirCraft?... Tall buildings? There's no F@ckin' way." |
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Location: NJ | some people just have no sense of humour . . . |
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Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | .....it was the boxcutters, wasn't it? |
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Location: NJ | nah, but it MIGHT've been the turban. |
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Location: Central Oregon | Want a real rush? Try a powerchute. Here I am kiting up for takeoff-
Up & away-
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Location: Bluffton, SC | THAT'S the thing that keeps flying over my house every summer! We've got a small runway not far from us and a few things go off every now and then but I always wondered what the hell that thing was!! I've always wanted to paraglide too but THAT looks like fun. Thaks for posting that, Nils. |
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Location: NJ | I always see those flying over the beach down in CapeMay every Summer . . . |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | You need a double barrel shot gun to bring them down. Single load requires too good a shot. |
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Location: NJ | Yeah, but if you "take out" the prop, they spiral-in real pretty . . . . |
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Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | SHOTgun! Shotgun?
If you can't put a hole in the aluminum block don't even bother to come hunting with us....
"Kill 'em clean or let 'em live."
That's why I go duck hunting with a 22. Head shots only. |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Spoken like a true Mafioso. |
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Location: Campbell River, British Columbia |
and that hurt
{darn time limit posting thingy....} |
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Location: Houston, Texas | Nah, you guys ain't thinkin' right. It ain't the prop or the crankcase, it's the canopy. A good wingtip vortice from a heavily loaded plane, even a Cessna, would bring 'em down the quickest. |
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Location: Alberta, Canada | Cliff, do you at least have the cap to commemorate the event that almost was?
Modeling pics would be most appreciated! |
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Location: Central Oregon | They're really surprisingly stable. Once inflated the canopy is very stiff. It took a while before I quit looking up & wondering about how strong the little cords were that were holding me up, but it's really pretty rigid. Pretty easy to fly, you steer with your feet once you're in the air. There are bars you push on that pull on the shrouds just like the regular parachute guys do. They go 28 mph. At full throttle you go 28 mph & "up" & with the engine at idle (or off) you go 28 mph & "down". If the engine should quit for some reason (rare but it happens) you look for an open field & land. No big deal. *Unless* you are over water. The only fatalities that I know of were people that had to land in water. Those machines sink like a stone & getting clear of the shrouds & chute is apparently very difficult in the water. Once you get the engine set at the right rpm for level flight with the hand throttle your hands are free. You can take pictures, eat a sandwich, or rip off a few rounds from an AR15 from out of shotgun range.
They do have limits. Since they have no rudder you can't land in a cross wind. You have to come in directly into the wind. And you shouldn't fly if there is more than a 10mph breeze.
Also, to really fly one in this area you have to be ready to take off at the crack of dawn. By 8:00 or 9:00AM the wind is starting to come up. That's why I've never bought my own. I'm not really a morning person. Flying is a lot of fun but by the time I soloed I was getting tired of getting up so damned early every Saturday. Still, they are a hell of a lot of fun & when you're flying one you KNOW you're flying! |
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Location: North Cal. mountains | Until your single engine fails and you find yourself (unexpectedly) plummeting toward the ground at a rate and altitude that unfortunately will not facilitate the use of a parachute.
If you fly, fly high enough to survive. Use a real airplane and instructor at first so you can understand what you are really facing. Especially if you have kids.
Then, fly, fly, fly like the wind and don't ever let anyone stop you from playing guitar mid-air on the wing of a bi-plane at a show in Hillsboro, CA to fund your flight-junkie mentality. Go for it and make us all proud.
As long as you know the science behind what you are doing.
Dual-engine will bring you home. |
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Location: North Cal. mountains | Sorry, but I drank beer and inserted my only two (commen sense) cents. |
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Location: New South Wales, Australia | Nothing wrong with that Juju...no need to apologise :) |
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OT: Chopper Friday