Flight to Hot Creek

[CaddmannQ]

@Djcala I saw your avatar & it reminded me that I had these photos, from long ago.

I used to fly with Dave & his buddy in the Super Decathlon.

That's me, about 50 lbs heavier and 15 years younger.


Awful photos I know. I had the world's worst digital camera.
Anyhow we flew up over the Sierra to Hot Creek Aviation near Mammoth Pool.
Lovely place high in the mountains.



Anyhow, as we're parking, here comes this Sikorsky chopper.



The only other pilots there were some official observers from the factory who said they were doing high altitude maneuvering tests on the president's new helicopter.


Does that look like an air ambulance?

Anyhow this would have been about May of 2003 if I recall correctly.

 

[Djcala]

I'm pass,that pic on. I have some,very close friends employed by Igor for many years now. They would like that and,may have even been involved. Well,see

 

[CaddmannQ]

Wish I had better photos. 3.1mp camera with weak batteries, & a mile away LOL
I thought they said "Model 94" but I could be dreaming . . .

 

[CaddmannQ]

We cracked an injector line over Lake Perris and 2 mins later declared an emergency, landing at March AFB.

The cabin smelled like gas . . . Running on 3 cylinders . . . "Mayday! Mayday!"
I never expected to call that out when it wasn't a joke.

The runway is so big we could have landed that Bellanca sideways on it and rolled out on the grass.
In the ready room.

This is not 1/10th of the decals pasted up.

These guys from the Vintage Air Squad welded the fuel line for us.


They did a nice weld, then tried to put the support clamp on backwards. Here I'm telling them to look at the other three cylinders to see how they actually go.

Good guys go by the book, and most guys are lost without it. These were very nice fellows and were rightly embarrassed by their mistake. Plus they did the work for free.

That Decathlon was a sweet craft and I was sorry to see it go. My buddy lost his medical and I could never afford to keep it.


This was all tied down at Castle air museum.


This goofy old tow plane is still somebody's joy. He was operating out of some Anza Borrego glider base. Look at all them white trailers.

 

[Djcala]

No,clue I can recognize UH60 variants all of,which give me nightmares. Blackhawk lawn darts ive had a couple to close for comforts in. Now,a Boeing CH47 of,any variety is like being in mommas arms all,safe and warm.

 

[nitesite]

Only real aviation fans know that the CH-47F is the worlds fastest military helicopter.

 

[Djcala]

Only real aviation fans know that the CH-47F is the worlds fastest military helicopter.[/Q)

The F actually came up,in a late night discussion last night. Couple jarheads were visiting and the whole Osprey tilt rotor discussion ramped up. I was curious to fas on the Osprey vs the F etc.... Currently biggest gripe jarheads have with Osprey vs Helo is, Osprey only has a tail gun avail for, infil or ,extract hot, they rely totally on gunship (cobra_yep cobras still workin) support which if Osprey goes balls out leaves cobra in dust so work to,be done. Gimme a shithook any day anyway.