Fun Stuff With Helicopters

Was flying Bell 206 in Johannesburg, early 1970's. At the time there
were only five civil helicopters registered in all of South Africa. I
forget the exact reason for this event, but it included a lot of the
local politicians at the Britstown Tower in downtown Johannesburg. The
tower is similar to the space needle in Seattle with a revolving
restaurant on top. I landed the 206 near the base of the tower and
stepped out of the way while the boss and the politicos got their pics
taken with the helicopter. Then the boss told me to circle the tower
while they took pics from the top inside to show the helicopter with
the city in the background..
So, I took off and began circling the tower while the people inside
walked around taking photos of me. I don't know what got into me, but
I began slowing down to a near stop, and then began backing up very
slowly. I still laugh at the puzzled looks on peoples faces when they
thought the tower was malfunctioning and going too fast! Then someone
noticed it was me. My boss didn't think it was all that funny but he
forgave me about 20 years later.
Another time I had landed on what is called a kopje, a gigantic
granite outcropping that was at least 1000' tall with sloping sides.
As I settled the weight on the skids, they spread slightly and the
right skid slipped into a crack in the granite and got jammed. Well,
there I was by myself and trying to figure out how to get unstuck. It
took some lip chewing and biting as I concentrated on VERY careful
control manipulations to get out of that crack without breaking the
skid or worse. It turned out OK but I certainly will be more aware of
that potential danger landing on such a surface.
Got a lot more stories if anyone is interested. I think most of them
have a lesson to be learned. At least I learned from them and survived
the mistakes and dumb things I did,
Cheers
Rocky

Nice stories. I enjoyed reading them. Keep them coming.
Tom

Yes Rocky, I enjoy reading about everyones stories and adventures.

Jerry

Rocky,
Thanks that was a really nice one from right
here at home.
Keep them coming.

regards

Hennie

(Hennie) wrote in message . com...
Rocky,
Thanks that was a really nice one from right
here at home.
Keep them coming.

regards

Hennie

Bell 206 out of Durban to P.E. with some businessmen. Down the
Transkei coast where the hills end up going right into the water.
Cloud deck lowering the farther south we went. Headed inland to see if
the clouds stayed higher but they all of a sudden were down to the
ground! VERY carefully picking our way towards the highway we knew was
there, watching out for wires or obstructions or someplace to land and
wait it out. Saw some buildings and decided to land and see if there
was some fuel anywhere close by since we had burned a lot flying low
and slow. I landed and suddenly, blades still turning, we were
surrounded by a group of natives, most of whom seemed to be carrying
knobkerries. A very distinctive regal woman came towards the
helicopter and I got out to talk with her. A small wizened old man
with skin as black as coal and more wrinkles then an elephant was
giving me the evil eye and agitating the rest of the group. The woman
asked if there was a problem and I told her no, we were looking for
some fuel and had gotten disoriented in the clouds. She pointed off
down the road and said perhaps we could get some at the mission store
about 5 km. In the meantime, the businessmen had elected to stay in
the helicopter except for one who got out in case I needed a
translator. He was getting worried at the restless crowd who were
starting to press in on us. I was concerned they'd hit a rotor blade
or the tail rotor and was anxious to get into the air. I thanked the
woman and we got airborne quickly. We landed at the mission store and
bought all the illuminating parafine they had (about 100 Liters). The
clouds seemed to have moved up a bit and we elected to return to
Durban. As you know, there ain't much along that coast in the
Transkei!! I climbed up to about 2500' as the cloud deck lifted and we
landed back at Durban with about 25 liters of fuel remaining.
As it turned out, we had landed at the kraal of the paramount chief of
the Pondo and I had been talking to his senior wife (not sure if she
was properly the Queen). The little old black man who was so agitated
was the witch doctor and he was telling everyone we were the police
come to arrest their chief and take him away. Looking back, we were a
lot closer to being in the deep dung than I realized! I was concerned
the pax would be upset but they thought it was a great adventure and
continued on to P.E. via SAA or someone. My boss said it odd that I
was always the one to have the adventures......

Rocky,
Earlier this year a few friends and me did a helicopter
trip down to this same wild coast. There were 5 helicopters
1 R44,1 Bell 47, 2 CH7 Kompresses and my R22.
All the guy's left from Johannesburg and we joined up at
the town of Frankfort and flew from town to town enjoying the
Drakensberg mountains, the Natal subtropical coast line and then
the Wild coast. The trip lasted a week before we were back home
again. We landed at the most exotic beaches and waterfalls.
We cooked fresh crayfish on remote beaches and had a ball.

We stayed in Port St Johns for a few nights and used the small town
as a base wile flying up and down the coast every day.
The trip was in excess of a 1000 nauticle miles and I logged
more than 20 hours for the week.

Twice we had 30 knot coastal winds to fly in. The first time
it was a tail wind and the second time a head wind. This slowed
the Bell 47 down to only 35 knots ground speed. Imagine what
this do to you planned fuel consumption!

We are already planning next years trip.

Regards


Hennie

(Hennie) wrote in message . com...
Rocky,
Earlier this year a few friends and me did a helicopter
trip down to this same wild coast. There were 5 helicopters
1 R44,1 Bell 47, 2 CH7 Kompresses and my R22.
All the guy's left from Johannesburg and we joined up at
the town of Frankfort and flew from town to town enjoying the
Drakensberg mountains, the Natal subtropical coast line and then
the Wild coast. The trip lasted a week before we were back home
again. We landed at the most exotic beaches and waterfalls.
We cooked fresh crayfish on remote beaches and had a ball.

Hennnie Hennie Hennie
Please stop it.....fresh crayfish (crawdads as we call them here in
the southern USA) on the beach and a helicopter fly in with friends?
Voetsok man!
How do you like your R22 up there on the hiveldt? I recall one trip
while flying a 206 out of Jo'berg down to the coast at Richards Bay
and on south to Stanger and Durban. While flying down the coast at
perhaps 100'awl (above water levelggg)and just off the beach, I
suddenly came around a point and in a pretty little bay saw a couple
coupling on the beach. I was startled and did a quick stop and they
did a quick jump for the covers!! I laughed and continued on down the
coast. Lusikisiki was the place where we got our fuel in that other
story.
Beautiful country that Natal province....... Did I ever tell you the
time when we flew up to the face of Augrabie Falls and hovered? Hmmmm,
perhaps another time........ lots of stories about the Karoo and
adventures.
Rocky

We stayed in Port St Johns for a few nights and used the small town
as a base wile flying up and down the coast every day.
The trip was in excess of a 1000 nauticle miles and I logged
more than 20 hours for the week.

Twice we had 30 knot coastal winds to fly in. The first time
it was a tail wind and the second time a head wind. This slowed
the Bell 47 down to only 35 knots ground speed. Imagine what
this do to you planned fuel consumption!

We are already planning next years trip.

Regards


Hennie

Hi Hennie,

Sounds like a "wonderful" trip. I admit, I'm a little green!

Would you happen to have a place where you can post pictures?

Fly Safe,
Steve R.


"Hennie" wrote in message
om...
Rocky,
Earlier this year a few friends and me did a helicopter
trip down to this same wild coast. There were 5 helicopters
1 R44,1 Bell 47, 2 CH7 Kompresses and my R22.
All the guy's left from Johannesburg and we joined up at
the town of Frankfort and flew from town to town enjoying the
Drakensberg mountains, the Natal subtropical coast line and then
the Wild coast. The trip lasted a week before we were back home
again. We landed at the most exotic beaches and waterfalls.
We cooked fresh crayfish on remote beaches and had a ball.

We stayed in Port St Johns for a few nights and used the small town
as a base wile flying up and down the coast every day.
The trip was in excess of a 1000 nauticle miles and I logged
more than 20 hours for the week.

Twice we had 30 knot coastal winds to fly in. The first time
it was a tail wind and the second time a head wind. This slowed
the Bell 47 down to only 35 knots ground speed. Imagine what
this do to you planned fuel consumption!

We are already planning next years trip.

Regards


Hennie

Steve R. wrote:

Hi Hennie,

Sounds like a "wonderful" trip. I admit, I'm a little green!

Would you happen to have a place where you can post pictures?

I'd sure like to see photos of your adventure also.

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