Hello Backcountry Pilots,

I've been flying for 28 years in all kinds of airplanes, helicopters, and weather and this is the most technically demanding flying I've ever witnessed near Umatilla, Oregon today. These pilots are amazing! See pictures below.



James

A couple more pictures:

My son used to work under an air crane logging redwoods on the Nor California coast. He said that when they would pull up on a 20,000 pound redwood log the wind would really howl. He loved it.

They would do this all day then go to town and walk into a pizza joint with their cork boots and pick up tree hugger chicks.

I got to see a power line crew pull that first wire on a new high voltage line with a chopper last summer, they had the rotowing, 4 or 5 BIG boom trucks, and several BIG man lifts, and a bunch of misc equipment. Probably 40 or 50 crew members involved, and to top it off they were working over a open for business as usual I-15 interstate! What an impressive show, I had to wonder what the average motorist thought as they drove under this 3 ring circus!

qmdv wrote:My son used to work under an air crane logging redwoods on the Nor California coast. He said that when they would pull up on a 20,000 pound redwood log the wind would really howl. He loved it.

They would do this all day then go to town and walk into a pizza joint with their cork boots and pick up tree hugger chicks.

I don't think I'm that desperate to pick up a tree hugger chick. Don't they NOT trim down there and NOT shave their armpits?? I bet they smell like an old crusty rotten prune, also.

I loaded logs under a chopper in SE AK. Amazing what those pilots could do with a 175ft line.
The hookers always prefered to work under a Nam pilot.

58Skylane wrote:
I don't think I'm that desperate to pick up a tree hugger chick. Don't they NOT trim down there and NOT shave their armpits?? I bet they smell like an old crusty rotten prune, also.

You're not missing anything. I suggest you leave them for the rest...er, leave em be.

Here's an impressive HD IMAX video showing them dropping a worker off right on the line.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oy81YP-q8R4

What a neat video. "only three things I've been afraid of....electricity, heights, and women"

Most techincally demanding stick-and-rudder flying? My vote:

A heavily ballasted (non-motorglider) sailplane, down amongst the trees and rocks, deep in one of the world's great mountain ranges (EU Alps, Sierra, Andes Rockies, NZ Alps. Appalachians). 15-20 kts of wind, 6 hours into the flight with 150 miles yet to complete.

Can't punch the load off, pull collective, or go around. Deal with it, or crash.

Great link, thanks!

This technical industrial helicopter flying really appeals to me.

James
Spokane

by geekxx » Wed Mar 17, 2010 8:46 am

Here's an impressive HD IMAX video showing them dropping a worker off right on the line.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oy81YP-q8R4

Paul MacCready told me once, that the reason he quit racing sailplanes was because in order to win the world class events, he had to fly the plane right at the structural limit.

Night Combat Assault in Laos between the 37mm and 51 cals -1968 before Night vision goggles . Flying the Mexico /U.S. border at night in UH-60 >watch out for wires ! Sling loads under helicopters in day time a distant second. MD 530 (which is in picture) is very maneuverable so it ranks up there with the $100.00 buck a hour jobs for pilots. Slinging trees is like going to the store so many times - flying Combat is a whole different level of danger. Been there done that -way too many times.