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November 19, 2004
Saved from the Apocalypse?
One of the more unusual activities the Monk and his son undertook in SA was a flight in an ex-USMC Huey - UH1 which had seen service in Vietnam. The pilot had, as well - and gave his passengers the sort of ride that has to be experienced to appreciate it! I haven't had one like it for almost 20 years. Roller coasters? You can keep them - give me another ride in this beast anyday!
An ex-US Marine Corp Huey UH-1 stands ready to take fourteen passengers and her two pilots aloft. This one was recovered from an abandoned airfield in Ethiopia along with three more - and has been completely rebuilt to original specs!
My son - a helicopter pilot himself - had a ball. We saw the Salt River and Rietvlei coastline and Blaauberg Strand and Blaauberg itself from a completely different perspective! Were I 30 years younger and had better eyesight - well, I'd be fighting to become a helicopter pilot myself. I would just want to fly a beast like this is all!
The Blaauberg takes on a different appearance when you take a run at it doing 130 mph and only 50 feet off the surface!
The owners of this remarkable machine have another seven being rebuilt from scratch. We visited the hangar where this is all happening and spent a happy hour looking at the various stages of this process. The Hueys are flown as a "Club" activity, and they don't fly passengers - they fly members. Given half a chance I'll be doing this again!
Posted by The Gray Monk at November 19, 2004 10:54 AM
Comments
that brings back some memories. I hope I can take my son on a nape of the earth flight one day. But I think I will have to do it outside the US. It would be considured to dangrous here.
Posted by: skipjack at November 20, 2004 12:53 PM