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I Forge Iron

What I did yesterday.


Frosty

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The Alaska state fair is running with a day or two left. Yesterday, Sat 09/04 I went with Deb who's doing a spinning demo with the guild. My plan was to hang out with Mark at his booth and take a lash at the "Hover Challenge" A local helicopter company is having a contest where a pilot takes the copter off and puts it in a hover. Then the contestant takes the controls and tries to maintain a hover within the 40' circle laid out on the ground. You get three tries, crossing out of the circle ends a try but if you can keep inside for two minutes you're in the finals. The grand prize for the person who does the best job is 5 hours of free helicopter instruction.

The entry fee was $25. I saw it on the news a last week and knew what I wanted to do. Do I want to try flying a helicopter? Are you KIDDING!? Better still, they didn't seem to mind if I'm a recent traumatic brain injury survivor, sign the release, pay your $25 and take a lash!

Oh sure I made a ham handed swooshy twirly mess of it but I not only didn't crash the bird the instructor stopped crying and throwing up right after he set us down.:blink: It wasn't the first time I've flown a copter but the last time was a good 15 years ago at least and we were at altitude doing about 150mph so it wasn't any harder than driving a car.

This time was WAY different. Helicopters are NOT like fixed wing aircraft, fixed wings WANT to fly, just get them going fast enough and you're good to go. Whirly birds on the other hand do NOT want to fly, they just beat the air into letting them off the ground to look for mischief to get into. In a fixed wing you can let go the controls and take a nap, the plane will fly straight and true till it runs out of fuel or hits something. A helo requires constant subtle correction to just stay off the ground let alone stable.

If you get the chance I highly recommend giving it a lash.

Frosty the Lucky.

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one day I gotta meet you...








The Alaska state fair is running with a day or two left. Yesterday, Sat 09/04 I went with Deb who's doing a spinning demo with the guild. My plan was to hang out with Mark at his booth and take a lash at the "Hover Challenge" A local helicopter company is having a contest where a pilot takes the copter off and puts it in a hover. Then the contestant takes the controls and tries to maintain a hover within the 40' circle laid out on the ground. You get three tries, crossing out of the circle ends a try but if you can keep inside for two minutes you're in the finals. The grand prize for the person who does the best job is 5 hours of free helicopter instruction.

The entry fee was $25. I saw it on the news a last week and knew what I wanted to do. Do I want to try flying a helicopter? Are you KIDDING!? Better still, they didn't seem to mind if I'm a recent traumatic brain injury survivor, sign the release, pay your $25 and take a lash!

Oh sure I made a ham handed swooshy twirly mess of it but I not only didn't crash the bird the instructor stopped crying and throwing up right after he set us down.:blink: It wasn't the first time I've flown a copter but the last time was a good 15 years ago at least and we were at altitude doing about 150mph so it wasn't any harder than driving a car.

This time was WAY different. Helicopters are NOT like fixed wing aircraft, fixed wings WANT to fly, just get them going fast enough and you're good to go. Whirly birds on the other hand do NOT want to fly, they just beat the air into letting them off the ground to look for mischief to get into. In a fixed wing you can let go the controls and take a nap, the plane will fly straight and true till it runs out of fuel or hits something. A helo requires constant subtle correction to just stay off the ground let alone stable.

If you get the chance I highly recommend giving it a lash.

Frosty the Lucky.
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First off. Thanks for your service Ken.

Heck Harold, legend? Maybe in the BS department. It was a grand day when you visited, we don't get enough smiths dropping in.

If you visit in the winter and you're on any Alaskan road a rosary isn't out of line. It doesn't make that much difference who's driving, though if it's you behind the wheel I discommend the blindfold.

On the other hand I DO enjoy going sideways in a vehicle though going round and round in a 23' van full of drill tools and steel was a bit much.

The pilot was an experienced instructor so nothing I did was either new nor a surprise. I was joking about him crying and throwing up. Really, would I BS you?:rolleyes:

Heck, you're all welcome, just let us know when you want to visit so Deb can line out the chores. You can drop me a line here or where ever, we're in the phone book.

Shoot, one of these days Deb and I want to do a little touring around the lower 48 so you might get a visit from us.:o

Frosty the Lucky.

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