Leonardo's Vision
;)
The richness of human imagination has rarely been more realized than in the day/night dreams of Leonardo da Vinci which have deeply impacted modern humankind. Although his fantasy images were limited to the available technologies of the day, he nonetheless, envisioned each as real and probable in time. His fifteenth century vision of a machine capable of leaping into the air under the control of humans in flight has come to pass in the helicopter. I can imagine him watching birds doing these things and actually, in his mind, performing them, himself. When I was a child, people asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. As serious as a monk in prayer, I answered, "A bird!" I have experienced, in every human sense possible, the thrill of flight that Leonardo envisioned as the nearest humans could initiate actual bird flight.
I AM a helicopter pilot therefore I AM a helicopter. The integration between a human and a machine is complete when the former is strapped into the latter becoming one and the same. Every human sense becomes ten-fold more sensitive to the machine, and each vibration, sound, smell, sight, and touch becomes acute. When you break friction with the earth, you are no longer in the human world but in the world where the inhabitants are naturally equipped to fly. You may dance upon the air through every landscape that exists. Leonardo's vision inhabited many inventors, but one, in the twentieth century, made it real….Igor Sikorsky. Others followed in his footsteps, making the machine better and more friendly to those who have the lust to be a bird. One of those who believed in the machine enough to make it better and safer, my hero, Howard Hughes.
Through odd circumstances, I became a helicopter pilot, and no matter how odd, I have benefited beyond my wildest dreams. It is my goal to share the most wondrous of human experiences by leaping into the air and flying like a bird. I realize some people are not comfortable flying, scared, to put it bluntly. I have heard this many times from those who have not flown in a helicopter before, and after the flight there was no more fright. If any body is interested in learning why this happens and any other aspect to helicopters you may submit questions in the comment section.
;)
Learning the basics of flying by no means qualifies anyone as a master of this machine, the ever changing elements, the rhythm of many moving parts made by human hands, and knowing one's limitations are key in being successful. Only experience and surviving "Stupid" (aka, pilot error) will make the bond between pilot and machine complete. I vowed not to call myself stupid but "Stupid" manifested when, for example, in Alaska, I hovered full circle around a brown bear (grizzly) who likely invented the phrase, "No Fear", and he had none. I glanced at my passenger (who had survived many seasons in the wildest of wildernesses) for his approval of my marvelous maneuver, but instead he was terrified with tears running down his cheeks. He had never been so close to a grizzly bear, with all the bear stories shared in Alaska usually ending in catastrophe for the humans involved, brought more emotions than he could control. Suddenly, I realized my hovering around this beautiful animal, king of the food chain, was not a wise thing to be doing and, if I had a mechanical problem for which a landing was unavoidable, the landing would have to be into the bear. In other words, I would have to crash the helicopter into the bear, 'cause all he had on his mind was "can I eat this thing and those tasty looking creatures inside?"
;)
Now I realize the noise of a helicopter is considered by some people environmentally detrimental and an invasion on their right to seek solitude in the wilderness or in their homes. A good helicopter pilot will respect the rights of others and take evasive actions to insure harmony. There does come a time when the noise of a helicopter becomes inconsequential with a life or death situation in the wilderness, or any where, when time is critical for transportation to medical aid. Pilots are ingrained with an obsession to save life wherever, whatever, and whenever possible without further endangerment. This is where experience with or without "Stupid" teaches a pilot to know their limitations in extreme conditions. A life-size bronze sculpture placed near the Vietnam War Memorial, Washington, DC, depicts a wounded soldier held by an a nurse while another nurse is looking skyward for the helicopter to take them to safety. Just ask a Vietnam veteran, or any veteran since Korea, what emotions the sound of a helicopter--even today--conjures in their minds and hearts. Ask anyone whose house has been saved from fire by the heroic actions of a helicopter pilot dropping giant buckets of water onto a an inferno of burning vegetation what emotions they feel. Wave at all helicopters as they pass you by. You may not see the pilot waving back but he is.
After an exciting adventure in Alaska, I wound up in the beautiful small town of Moab, Utah, with Canyon Lands National Park, Arches National Monument, the La Sal Mountains, the Colorado River, Lake Powell, the Grand Canyon National Park, and all points in between, as playgrounds for me in my helicopter. After taking off from Moab, you climb an 800 foot vertical cliff known as "Behind the Wall", to reveal the breathtaking expanse of Canyon Lands. In the middle of what seems to be an array of natural psychedelic imager, sits a gargantuan natural formation aptly named "Cleopatra's Chair". Travel further westerly to the point where the Colorado River spreads into Lake Powell. This particular area is a disgrace to the human race as a mass of every type flotsam collects from upstream.
I have flown down the Colorado River to Lake Powell, low level, just to see what all the fuss was about in rafting tours. It was very anticlimactic, like chocolate pudding flowing over bumps. Nothing to it, I thought, until I came up with the brilliant idea of flying up the river. Cramming into the giant white rapids full of air and turmoil breaking momentarily into swirling pools of foam then onward to the next hidden boulder to create another cataract of chaos in flowing order. My heart was pounding as my trusty stead took me through the twisting canyons inches from surface of the river, at 120 mph, that wind-driven water from the tops of the rapids formed droplets on the windshield. I, again, looked at my passengers for approval of his maneuver, asking if anyone felt uneasy about this most extraordinary ride that I would straighten up and fly right. All three passengers, their eyes bugged out, felt the excitement as I did and motioned to continue until we ran out of white water and the river settled peacefully where we climbed the high cliffs and on back to Moab, elated. Adrenaline is a very addictive drug, so, naturally I did this every chance I could with or without passengers. No one ever complained! Caution: Do not try this in an airplane unless you need to go in for adrenaline rehab.
If you ever find yourself in a place where helicopter tours are available, don't think twice about shelling out some fairly big bucks for the ride of a life time. Be a bird! Chances are you will have a Vietnam era pilot at the controls. Be assured he is the best in the world. Sitting here in this chair, reliving my time….I AM a helicopter!
Grazie: Leonardo
Spasido: Igor
Thanks: Howard
Pete Thompson has been a helicopter pilot since 1970. He received his training in the Army and did a tour in Vietnam. He lives in northern New Mexico.
*Photos are of the author in a Hughs 500 helicopter, the Ferrari of helicopters.
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Reader Comments (17)
Wow, Pete...not only are you an artist with the helicopter, you are an artist with words. I had my first flight on a little helicopter a few years ago. NOTHING was as exhilarating as heading for a fence and then lifting up over it, skimming just above the top. Amazing machine and the closest thing we'll get to enjoying what our feathered friends do all the time. Thanks for the great post. :)
Pete, I can see the images you draw in your words. I almost can feel the butterflies in my stomach as you skimmed just over the top of the water. You write with such great imagery. Thanks for the ride.
Kim Fitzhugh
OOPS I post my comments under the Authors Name not mine so sorry
Pete, Very well written and very descriptive of the feeling as you skim the earth on liftoff. I had a ride in a CH34 in Viet Nam that was that kind of ride. We were loaded to the gills and in fact kicked on of the passengers off since we could not get and altitude. We went shimming through the trees and finally gained enough altitude as we came over the beach and above the South China Sea. The last time I was in a helicopter was at Niagara Falls, what a flight. Thanks again for the word art.
Bob T.
Masterfully written, Pete! You have so many amazing ways to tell a fabulous story and this is no exception. I could almost feel the mist in my face. Thank you, amigo!
Ditto what everyone else has said about your writing style. Your enthusiasm and passion for flying comes through loud and clear in your very descriptive adventures! You've certainly piqued my interest...perhaps a helicopter ride should be on my bucket list...
Thanks Pete for sharing another of your great stories...I'll look forward to reading more!
one of man's universal dreams...to be able to fly! you capture the feeling so well and share your adventures with such passion. another great human interest story written from the perspective of both author and reader!
Very well written Dad, I am his son Shawn Thompson, I've had the privilege of flying with my Dad on several occasions and as far as I could tell he did have a very unique quality about his flying. It was exactly how he describes it in his story. Together, we have shared some incredible experiences of flying that I will cherish forever and I know that you "Dad" could write many great stories that would make peoples imagination fly!
I love this story....it puts me "right there". Please keep on keepin' on!!
Well Pete, I have danced in the air, but had a very bad landing! Women in contemporary art use Birds for symbolism in their art! Some artists have said they are connected as one, just as you stated you are one with your helicopter! I have never seen what you saw from a helicopter, and can only imagine what it feels like to fly like a bird. For me it has a sensation I have had parasailing; awesome to let the wind pick me up and move me through the air! I have seen many of your sites from the ground, such as backpacking through Colorado and Utah going through the canyon lands; hiking up to the arches, along the Escalante River down to Lake Powell! Staying up all night because the stars were so bright it was like daylight in the middle of nowhere, and I wrote poetry and sang songs to hear my echo cry back! Never experiencing such silence, I melted into rich clay by the riversides and found myself in quicksand at one time when no one was around. I just stayed calm and called for help! I was actually being like one of your non environmentalist contaminators, as I went upstream to wash my hair with non-degradable shampoo and to shave my legs! When I went back to camp Everyone said if you wanted us to not know you should have gone downstream where we could not see all the bubbles going by! I was so embarrassed and ashamed I will never do that again! Actually I am more of an environmentalist now! Anyway I learned how to survive in the wilderness after a year! I always waved at the helicopters and thought they would wave back! My Aunt was A Head nurse in the Airforce during the Vietnam war and was stationed in Korea. She was with a group of secret service doctors and nurses who healed many wounded people. They flew on helicopters to different locations to help people! She was an amazing person who gave so much of herself! After hearing her stories I can relate to your experiences and emotions! Your article was very interesting seeing the same things with different perspectives. It's obvious we both love life! Thank you Pete for this well written article! Denise
Quite simply, this man was born to fly. Beautifully written.
duray-I kind of feel like the same person except more time has gone by.I hate to say that I feel like an adult now. I have to admit I wish I was still 18 , After all , even through the time while I was representing taht wild kid ,I really wasn't.I was just living my life . I was just not making movies at the time.-Leonardo --online replica Police Sincere
Hi Pete...I came across this link on a friend's page and thought it interesting to read since I recently had the thrill of a life time riding in a helicopter to a great little island in northern BC. Needless to say it was a great thrill and the views were stunning. It was so delightful, I was giddy as a little kid both there and back. I love your writing and can see that you have honoured your calling. How great is that! There is no fear when you are in love with life! Thanks for sharing from a pilot's point of view.
Helicopter is my favorite flying machine. Flying free, but still more connected to the earth than enclosed in a metal plane. Never flew in a Hughie, but had a great ride in an OH23...
Yep, more please. I want that autographed book. Maybe...books? Thank you Pete for taking us on adventures with you.
Not only does the author mange to "break friction" with the earth, but he elevates us to a height from which we can reflect on the beauty of the good earth below us, the promise of the skies and the possibilities our dreams may hold. A delight to share a few moments with Pete, our hearts airborne, our eyes wide open. Thanks for the ride, Pete and Leonardo!
You described it just the way I had it pictured - only more so. Just sorry I missed my window of opportunity for a ride. Keep writing and posting - you illicit long suppressed emotions from your readers with you words. Shawn, lucky you!!