EVERYTHING I NEEDED TO KNOW IN LIFE I LEARNED AS A HELICOPTER PILOT INVIETNAM.
(Author Unknown)
a.. Once you are in the fight, it is way too late to wonder if this is a
good idea.
b.. It is a fact that helicopter tail rotors are instinctively drawn toward
trees, stumps, rocks, etc. While it may be possible to ward off this natural
event some of the time, it cannot, despite the best efforts of the crew,
always be prevented. It's just what they do.
c.. NEVER get into a fight without more ammunition than the other guy.
d.. The engine RPM and the rotor RPM must BOTH be kept in the GREEN. Failure
to heed this commandment can affect the morale of the crew.
e.. Cover your Buddy, so he can be around to cover for you.
f.. Decisions made by someone above you in the chain-of-command will seldom
be in your best interest.
g.. The terms Protective Armor and Helicopter are mutually exclusive.
h.. Sometimes, being good and lucky still is not enough.
i.. "Chicken Plates" are not something you order in a restaurant.
j.. If everything is as clear as a bell, and everything is going exactly as
planned, you're about to be surprised.
k.. Loud, sudden noises in a helicopter WILL get your undivided attention.
l.. The BSR (Bang Stare Red) Theory states that the louder the sudden bang
in the helicopter, the quicker your eyes will be drawn to the gauges. The
longer you stare at the gauges the less time it takes them to move from
green to red.
m.. No matter what you do, the bullet with your name on it will get you. So,
too, can the ones addressed "To Whom It May Concern".
n.. If the rear echelon troops are really happy, the front line troops
probably do not have what they need.
o.. If you are wearing body armor, they will probably miss that part.
p.. Happiness is a belt-fed weapon.
q.. Having all your body parts intact and functioning at the end of the day
beats the alternative.
r.. If you are allergic to lead, it is best to avoid a war zone.
s.. It is a bad thing to run out of airspeed, altitude, and ideas all at the
same time.
t.. Hot garrison chow is better than hot C-rations which, in turn, is better
than cold C-rations which, in turn, is better than no food at all. All of
these, however, are preferable to cold rice balls, even if they do have the
little pieces of fish in them.
u.. Everybody's a hero ... on the ground ... in the club ... after the
fourth drink.
v.. A free fire zone has nothing to do with economics.
w.. The further you fly into the mountains, the louder the strange engine
noises become.
x.. Medals are OK, but having your body and all your friends in one piece at
the end of the day is better.
y.. Being shot hurts.
z.. "Pucker Factor" is the formal name of the equation that states the more
hairy the situation is, the more of the seat cushion will be sucked up your
butt .
It can be expressed in its mathematical formula of S (suction) + H (height)
above ground) + I (interest in staying alive) + T (# of tracers coming your
way)
aa..Thus the term 'SHIT!' can also be used to denote a situation where high
Pucker Factor is being encountered.
ab.. Thousands of Vietnam Veterans earned medals for bravery every day. A
few were even awarded
.
ac.. Running out of pedal, fore or aft cyclic, or collective are all bad
ideas. Any combination of these can be deadly.
ad.. There is only one rule in war: When you win, you get to make up the
rules.
ae.. C-4 can make a dull day fun.
af.. There is no such thing as a fair fight-only ones where you win or lose.
ag.. If you win the battle you are entitled to the spoils. If you lose you
don't care.
ah.. Nobody cares what you did yesterday or what you are going to do
tomorrow. What is important is what you aredoing-NOW-to solve our problem.
ai.. Always make sure someone has a P-38.
aj.. Prayer may not help . . . but it can't hurt.
ak.. Flying is better than walking. Walking is better than running. Running
is better than crawling. All of these, however, are better than extraction
by Medivac, even if it is technically, a form of flying.
al.. If everyone does not come home, none of the rest of us can ever fully
come home either.
am.. Do not fear the enemy, for your enemy can only take your life. It is
far better that you fear the media, for they will steal your HONOR.
an.. A grunt is the true reason for the existence of the helicopter. Every
helicopter flying in Vietnam had one real purpose: To help the grunt. It is
unfortunate that many helicopters never had the opportunity to fulfill their
one true mission in life, simply because someone forgot this fact.
Submitted by R.O. Adams