USMC Executive Flight Detachment (HMX-1 and Presidential Helo)

[Uncle Fester]

Well, you could be here...watching the Mirages go booming off every morning in full AB. Depressing is when a bunch of Frenchmen have a cooler job than you do.

So, about this VH-71. I wonder if this'll give Augusta-Westland/Lockheed a foot in the door for that AF new CSAR helo deal?

 

[Scoob]

At least you have a window.. Stuck in a windowless back office running numbers for the Penguin, while going 5 months without flying.. That blew.

Don't even try, MB, don't even try....

 

[FLYTPAY]

Well, you could be here...watching the Mirages go booming off every morning in full AB. Depressing is when a bunch of Frenchmen have a cooler job than you do.

Yeah....but at least you don't have chronic BO.

 

[skidkid]

Agreed - Aviator hell is working in a windowless cube, in a building that doesn't have the best soundproofing, and being able to hear everything from jets to props to helos flying all day. Welcome to my misery...

So you are living the movie Office Space?

 

[squorch2]

That's not a documentary?

 

[HeyJoe]

^^ I thought I saw it flying the other day... That, and an H-34 before the holidays. Wasn't able to find anything on that...

I've seen that H-34* several times in past few years doing medium altitude work in area and assumed it was a TPS student as they bring in all sorts of guest aircraft from B-25s to MiGs for Qual/Eval work by students.

*Suspect it might have been a S-58T painted in USMC colors though because I could see the giveaway intakes

 

[zippy]

Well, you could be here...watching the Mirages go booming off every morning in full AB. Depressing is when a bunch of Frenchmen have a cooler job than you do.

All they are doing is flying around looking for someone new to surrender to... the reason you see them land is they bingo before they are able to accomplish their mission.

 

[phrogpilot73]

So you are living the movie Office Space?

At least the movie Office Space is funny...

I've seen that H-34* several times in past few years doing medium altitude work in area and assumed it was a TPS student as they bring in all sorts of guest aircraft from B-25s to MiGs for Qual/Eval work by students.

*Suspect it might have been a S-58T painted in USMC colors though because I could see the giveaway intakes

Could have really been S-58T, not certain. Like I said, I was driving and couldn't get a good look at the front... I didn't know that they brought in guest aircraft for TPS. Maybe I should have gotten a degree in aero and done that... Would have been cool...

 

[HeyJoe]

At least the movie Office Space is funny...


Could have really been S-58T, not certain. Like I said, I was driving and couldn't get a good look at the front... I didn't know that they brought in guest aircraft for TPS. Maybe I should have gotten a degree in aero and done that... Would have been cool...

Not only that, they get a senior project and typically go somewhere else to fly something they haven't seen yet so if you want to get a Test Pilot talking, ask what they got for their "final project". Sometimes a fighter community TPS student will be assigned the C-17 or a VP student (or a Phrog pilot) will get to go to France to fly a Mirage or Sweden to fly a Gripen. It's always worth driving by to see what might be on the flightline. They has a B-25 there a few months ago.

 

[HeyJoe]

OSD to review Presidential Helo program

The Presidential Helo Program is now under OSD scrutiny and the Sikorsky S-92 may have another shot to win the prize

 

[phrogdriver]

They're spending $218M/aircraft for an off-the-shelf aircraft and they're still going over budget? It's enough to make an Osprey guy blush.

 

[Want2flyNow]

What is wrong with the ones hes got now? Can't they refurbish them if theyre getting a little outdated?

i was driving down 84 with my dad. C-17 coming head on-approaching the runway. I looked up, my dad loked up, I looked down, my dad didn't. Lets just say I am glad the word shit flew out of my mouth fast enough.

 

[Want2flyNow]

Very well quite possible. I first saw it on my way in to work, and almost got in a couple of accidents trying to crane my neck to see where it was going... Then I thought that maybe I was still half-asleep and dreaming. When I left to go home and it was still booming around, I knew I wasn't dreaming...


Agreed - Aviator hell is working in a windowless cube, in a building that doesn't have the best soundproofing, and being able to hear everything from jets to props to helos flying all day. Welcome to my misery...

You guys should get some of those little r/c helicopters to fly around the office(if your boss would allow it)-not that it compares, but it might brighten up your day a little bit.


http://www.mikesparr.com/wp-content/thumb-IMG_8009.JPG

 

[Flash]

What is wrong with the ones hes got now? Can't they refurbish them if theyre getting a little outdated?

i was driving down 84 with my dad. C-17 coming head on-approaching the runway. I looked up, my dad loked up, I looked down, my dad didn't. Lets just say I am glad the word shit flew out of my mouth fast enough.

The VH-3's that are the main 'Marine One' helos are very old and cannot realistically be supported much longer and are just not as capable as newer helicopters. They are a 60's vintage airframe that have served long and faithfully, but are just too old now.

 

[phrogdriver]

What is wrong with the ones hes got now? Can't they refurbish them if theyre getting a little outdated?

.

It's not just "a little outdated." The VH-3 started flying the president in 1961. Upping them to modern standards would required such a big rework they might as well be new.