Favorite STOL/VTOL and Helicopter and UAV

[manfredvonrichthofen]

My favorite VTOL would have to be the V-22 Osprey. Purely for the simple fact that it has got to be the weirdest looking thing when it transitions from vertical config. to level flight.

STOL, I haven't seen many of these, so I am not sure.

Helicopter hands down would be the UH-60 Black Hawk. Excellent delivery system for soldiers in a controlled space without even touching down. But close second would be the AD-64D Apache Longbow. Don't run, you'll only die tired.

UAV is the RQ-11 Raven, great surveillance tool with plenty of flight time. It is the easiest to deploy, just grab it and toss into the air and your a go, provided you can land the sucker or catch really well.

[nesagsar]

I would not call the Osprey my favorite anything but it has been interesting watching them hover around the monuments in DC recently.

[SarDragon]

UH-1N. Cheap, rugged, easily maintained.

[cap235629]

Helicopter hands down would be the UH-60 Black Hawk. Excellent delivery system for soldiers in a controlled space without even touching down. But close second would be the AD-64D Apache Longbow. Don't run, you'll only die tired.

To this day I refuse to fly on a Crashhawk.

In a 20 month period on 1 installation 3 went down.

Give me a Huey any day, even an Army single engine version!!!!!!

[manfredvonrichthofen]

I have seen a few crash, too, but I have been on at least 150 and never had a problem, I guess I am just lucky.

[nesagsar]

Sounds like one particular base has a maintainance or pilot training problem.

[cap235629]

Sounds like one particular base has a maintainance or pilot training problem.

Nope, it was the Joint Readiness Training Center when it was at Fort Chaffee.  All 3 aircraft were from different units in on rotation.

We also had an OH-58 hit wires and land hard, a beech twin with engine trouble crash and burn and an ultralight get hung up in the high tension power lines that came off of the hydroplant on the Arkansas River that was also on the base, all in the same time period. We started calling it "Fort Magnet" and all of our patrol vehicles has "Crash Kits" in them......

All of the Blackhawk crashes were mechanical failures 2 of which were the same defect in the tail rotor assembly.......

[FARRIER]

Sikorsky S-64E Skycrane

[Flying Pig]

MD530F

[ol'fido]

Flew in Hueys, Blackhawks, and Chinooks during my Army tour. The only time I got really nervous was when I thought I might have to fly in a Marine CH-46 on an exeval going into Dillingham Field. At the last minute, they switched us to a CH-47. At that time(89-91), it seemed like the Marines were going on one way trips out to sea on a monthly basis. They also lost a couple of F-18s out there. I think a Canadian exchange officer was flying one that went KERPLOP!

Favorite today: HH-60G looks cool and saves people.

[DC]

MH-60L DAP