Ever been in a helicopter?
 

Just wondering how many of us have actually ridden in a helicopter? I would love to someday.

Not yet. But I plan on rapelling (sp sucks, btw) off of one someday. :D

Yes, rode in high school, went to a military academy and a local guard unit brought several hueys out for the students to ride in. The second time my wife and I did a flight over the Grand Canyon, which was neat.

edited so as to not offend certain people's political correctness.

Yes, many years ago I took a helicopter tour over Niagra Falls. I've also been in helicopters once or twice as a kid.

No, but I'd like to someday.

Yup, quite a bit when I was younger. My Dad flew in 'copters quite often for his job, and he brought me with me every now and then. If you ever get a chance, take it!

yep, a few times. UH-1 "Huey" a couple times and dangled by a rope from a CH-46 at about 1000-1500 feet.

Yep, when I lived in CT I was 5 minutes from the Sikorsky plant.

I've been in a helicopter once. It was a business trip from NYC to Hartford, CT. I would have tried for a few more trips but this "perk" of the job got killed due to budget reasons.

i here riding in a helicopter is quite trippy.

I went on a ride in air cadets. It was really fun...it had guns and everything. Nothing like a little air cadet nookies flying over the city :D

I've actually been several times. It's great!
The best sleep I've ever gotten has been in a UH-60, too.
And in some ways, they're the best damn part of my job.

I rode in one on a tourist trip over Kauai, HI. It was the most amazing experience. I am afraid of flying and falling and I wasn't scared for a second.

I would highly recommend you take a trip. Now about all that bullshit hanging from ropes or gliding or whatever those other guys were saying up there - screw that. But the helicopter part is a-mazing.

My uncle is a helicopter pilot so I got to go out with him on some of his job sites. Very cool feeling.

I haven't flown in one, but they fly over my home quite often.

Ever since first watching M.A.S.H. in the 70's, I've wanted to fly in one.

Does anybody know what type they used in the series?

Yes, I've been in a helicopter several times and it is quite thrilling. Hovering over the battlefield at Gettysburg is one of those memorable experiences I have had in helicopters.

i would love to ride in a helicopter.
but only if it was for fun, and not because of some accident.
i can imagine someone wishing all their lives to travel in a chopper, only to have their first flight in one because of tragey...

that must be quite a site from a birds-eye-view. i´ve seen that battlefield from the ground and it was impressive.

no but i would love to as well.

I've been in one, just as the pole ask.

But it never left the ground :)

(Your poll and question are two diff things :) ) voted no.

Yes. Flew in one that the Marine recruiters brought to campus in college (civilian two seater don't remember the make). And then a CH-53 Sea Stallion while at Quantico.

Took a helicopter ride in Kauai. Most of Kauai is not accessible by car so helicopter is the best way to see the island. It was a lot of fun although VERY loud and a little nauseating.

Been in a UH-1 at Fort McMuffin, AL.

As a kid - once at the county fair; once at Niagra Falls.
As an adult - once in Kauai ; once on a site visit during a business trip in Mexico.

It's truly a thrilling experience.

Over 4000 hours as a Helicopter Aircraft Commander (HAC). It had its ups and downs. ;-)

Very cool experience, like what I would imagine being on a flying carpet would be. Flew over the lava flowing into the ocean on the big island, Hawaii.

Interesting. With 42 votes, there is an exact 21/21 spilt.

I've been in helicopters a few times. The most exciting/fun was the first time when I was in the the Navy in the 60s. We flew over a couple of islands in Hawaii and landed on a carrier deck.

I've rode in a helicopter once, and that was on the way to the hospital. It was a actually a pretty cool experience as I remember it.

I would love to ride in one.
I've been tempted to jump on one of those Orlando helicopters where they take you straight up and back down for like $20, just to say I've been in one...but really I'd like to do it right, and fly over the Grand Canyon or something.

No, but i like to try it sometime.

Yes a couple of times, and one of these carrying an aircraft turbine to be replaced to an aircraft forced to landing near the Amazon.

I heard they're building an helicoptor with an ejector seat.

Used to take this to work :

http://www.copterline.com/dynimages/...Hernesaari.JPG


and I have 80 hours flying time notched up in a ....



....



...ahem




Robinson 22

I went up in one at a (large) county fair many years ago. I think he took us up about 500 feet and circled around the grounds. It was really fun. I'd do it again if given the chance.

I'd love the chance ...

If I recall, there have been helos with ejector seats for quite some time. It was the Russians that did it first, IIRC. The pilots were pretty wary of them because the rotors had to be released with explosive bolts first, and they were worried that the bolts wouldnt fire, and things could get messy.

I havent flown in a helicopter before, but would love to. My uncle used to fly them, and he says they are the closest thing to really feeling like you are flying you can get without sprouting some wings. It is probably best to fly one for someone else though (like the army) because helicopters require a LOT of maintenance. Do it for the army, and someone does all of the maintenance for you.

Hopefully the same amount of each!
I have been in a helicopter a bit, and next Febuary I have been promised a ride in a chinook. Also get to do some air cadet training jumping out of chinooks carrying rifles (me, not the chinook) in a years time or so. It is all good.
EDIT:
Yeah, some military copters do have ejector seats, they blast the bolts off. The pilots I have spoken to still say that they wouldn't trust them.

i rode in one when i was a little kid... was pretty neat

I rode on one about five years ago, a friend of the family is a helicopter mechanic and he got us free tickets. That was my first time flying too.

When I was just a wee brat.. prolly one of my earliest memories.. don't know what it was tho, but my dad was the pilot and we were flying out over the trees.. I was strapped in the back compartment with the rest of my family and the crew.. just looked out of the open compartment (army/airforce helicopter) and dangled my legs off the seat.. was good fun.. hehe.. :D