Gunship Flyover

[Hair Trigger]

A heavy fire team of AH-64 Apaches is an awesome sight. Their nose mounted 20mm chain gun is slaved to the front seat pilot's helmet. When in the slaved mode the gun follows where the guy looks. One day in the 1990's I was walking across the ramp at Gray AAF, Ft. Hood, TX where a couple AH-64's were running up. The front seater looked at me and that big gun swung around and followed me for a while. I did not go over and drag him out of the cockpit, only because I knew the gun was not hot and figured he was jealous I was flying a C-12C. It's not nice to point a gun at some one, especially that big monster.

Last summer I was at Concord Regional Airport with my daughter and son-in-law out on the ramp looking at "his" King Air that he was flying at the time. While there three ANG Apache Longbow helicopters came in and landed. Man what a breeze they stirred up as they taxied in and past the airplane we were standing at. These were all AH-64E models.

I was once told, that the only reason choppers are able to fly, is because "they beat the air into submission". Having seen a few myself, I believe it to be quite true!

I always heard that helicopters were an independent collection of rotating and vibrating parts flying in loose formation.

 

[Retired W4]

Nice King Air 200 your SIL was flying. Great aircraft. I've got a little time in those, but we call them the C-12. The last shot shows the "brush guard" around the 30mm chain gun for when they get down and dirty. 2 Long Bows and I'm not familiar with the other mast mounted system on the 1st ship. I've been away too long.

Here is a shot of an Army King Air 200 (C-12A) at Ft. Rucker. No guns on them.

 

[Rat458]

Had friends that were in chopper units when I was in the Army.
They always told me that helicopters dont crash , they have 'uncontrolled descents'.

 

[Glenn R. McMannly]

Those 40mm miniguns on the front of those apaches have untold stopping power and knockdown factor. Excellent weapons.

 

[Hair Trigger]

Nice King Air 200 your SIL was flying. Great aircraft. I've got a little time in those, but we call them the C-12.

He flew C95's and B200's for a charter service out of Opa-Locka, mostly to various islands in the Bahamas. H was building hours for his requirement for the majors, and is finishing up his ATP and type rating to fly B737's for a cargo carrier. Hopes to get his check ride by end of the month. I think flying King Airs would be cool. He enjoyed it a lot but was always focused on jets.

 

[Retired W4]

Best of luck to him in his endeavor to fly jet powered aircraft.

Here is a bit of an odd ball. The Army owned five B100's (U-21C) and we ended up with all five at NAS Dallas. Just like a 200 without the T-tail.

Then my last tour, Dobbins JRB, we had five Citation 560 Ultra's (UC-35). The Generals, congressmen, senators loved them.