I spent the last half of a 35 year career in the Army flying UH60s, AH64Ds and the AH6, the latter with the 160th Night Stalkers. Never flew the civilian version since my retirement but it’s still on my bucket list. Of all my flying experience, the AH6 remains my favorite. Labeling it the Ferrari of the helicopters is accurate. Fast, nimble and a low profile. Zipping along flying nap of the earth was exhilarating, to say the least. Fond memories.
I maintained these in Vietnam. What memorable rides I had in them from time to time. I have photos of crashed ones. Most occupants survived due to the design of the bulkhead just behind the front seats.
I used to tell people that I would never work more than 20 minutes away from work, that I would never live in the high desert of Southern California and that I would never ride a Kawasaki. So I got a job 60 minutes away, moved to the high desert and Kawasaki gave me a brand new KX250 if I raced it in at least three sanctioned races, so of course I raced it. Now I have to start saving or texting that I’m never going to win the Lottery for the big money to be able to fly a fleet of the best helicopters 🚁 ever made MD 530 F’s to fly and start my own RU-vid channel so that I can do more stuff that I say that I’m never going to do.
Argentine Air Force Pilot here. Super nice vídeo guys ! I have flown the Hughes 369 HM and Hughes 500 C and D. Love the handling of these birds. Thanks for Sharing this video.
I think you did a great job! I used to fly 58's out of Papago Army Airfield right down the road from there. The MD 500 has eluded me and would be a bucket list experience.
I flew in the ah6 while in the police department I did some interesting fly time with one pilot who flew them in Vietnam and boy could he make it move and vibrate with some very tight turns I learned alot from him as my dad was in Vietnam with the USCG. I went through 3 different makes of helicopters .good times I miss.
Great video. I dont have $2.8 million so I settled for a RC helicopter Vario Md500 and A 520N...both less than 5K. 😂. No comparison but somehow my dream came true.
I always loved the MD500 ever since I worked at a local airport as a teenager and never been in one before or flown in a helicopter but they just looked so amazing to fly.
The police department I worked for went from Bell G 47s to MD 500 Ds. Talk about a transition. I loved flying in both, but getting into the MDs was amazing. One of the guys I used to fly with is a test pilot there at the factory in Arizona. Oh how i I miss this.
I wanted to pursue choppers. I know it'd been fun. I operated a trimmer in a saw mill. That's watching 5 video monitors, chains to the right, an unscramble to the right, chains in front of me, lug chains to the left fed by chains in front, right hand operating a switch to break boards from riding atop each other, left hand operating a switch feeding boards 60 boards a minute, right foot operating supply chain on unscrambler, left foot operating a device to lift board if there were two within lugs. Flying a helicopter would have been a breeze and fun. Then I already flew a Toyota pickup truck. Then I'd got paid for it.
I simply want one! I also want a new P-51. If it was up to most peep's in Mil aviation w/certain knowledge...we would have thousands made for cheap/cheap (2-4 MIL) PER COPY!. Guerilla squadrons. High-tech, low cost...We would F up everything!
It was interesting to see your shadow wiggling as you set her down. I've only flown a Robinson once and it was exhilarating. Can't imagine what this must feel like. What a gorgeous machine. I'm about $2.8 million short on picking one up though.
The slimline I-panel is a game changer. Always thought the E and F’s were way too bulky, especially after flying D models for years. That’s extra visibility makes a huge difference.
I hope they make it. I grew up flying at FFZ and watched hundreds of them get tested. Parts availability has been the biggest complaint of several LEO operators I have spoken with over the years. They are amazing aircraft.
Do they still build the apache helicooter there i have not been there since 1994 i have taken tour of md in 1988 with my metals class in highschool so it has been a while since i have been to falcon field
Was weird hearing you say sheet metal is an art, as aircraft structural maintenance in the Air Force for 2 decades that's not something any of us "sheet metal" guys would hear. Unfortunately it's an extremely under paid career.... I'd love to pound rivets again but it just won't ever pay the bills.
Robinson helicopters being more cheaper to build and purchase at the time as with rototway exec helicopters too being cheap to build and maintain and easier to fly is just a few reasons that MD has to file chapter 11 just like Hughes helicopters was sold to MD back in the late eighties
@@tylerbuckley4661 Robinson 🟰 Easier to fly🤔⁉️ I don’t think so. Just for example: A 5-Bladed Rotorhead definitely gives more stability, that’s for sure! & the R-22 & R-44 have sadly a huge worldwide crash rate. I’m not a 🚁-specialist but I think that all the MD 500 series & also the NOTAR-technique - Chopper’s are simply to expensive but not without a reason. They have very high quality standards. With kindest regards, MD-🚁's 🟰 🔝👍🏼‼️. / ✌🏼
It was so nice to see the joy of the pilot Murray flying this "Ferrari of helicopters" after such a long break!! Great how fast he built up confidence and feel for this machine! It's my favorite helicopter for sure together with the BO 105! I am flying only RC helis but I am absolutely crazy for helicopters in general.
@@pohead123 the Jet Ranger is more confortable and the autoritation is better; the SA 330 is not fast but is confortable, great visibility and I did rolling auto rotations with the nose 30 degress to either side without problems. In each model I flew more than 1000 hours, no problems taking off with max gross in hot days and tight spots. The Augusta 109 is another category therefore I would not compared it with the Hughes. Regarding the Hughes I did not like the autoritations and back paxs were not confortable. That was my experience, but I am willing to hear other people experience with the Hughes.
You can't insult the MD by referencing it to Ferrari, a company that has so little trust in their overpriced products, that they need to enforce regulations with regards to what colour they alow... and that after sale. At least MD has enough trust that they don't mind what colour you choose. I spent many hours in both the D and E models of the SA Police Airwing in it's better managed days. Awesome trustworthy machines.
I would call the MD 500/530 more of a Porsche 911, more of a pilot's sports car. I think I'd call the Bell 407 the Ferrari, better performance and higher tech.
That was a great video! I have a question regarding PIC seating, When you look at old Bell Helicopter videos from 50’s the PIC sat in the left seat, just as in fixed wing. Why does PIC sit in the right seat on persent aircraft ? No one has been able to answer that for me.
Much easier to operate everything on the panel with your left(collective) hand while sitting in the right seat. Also sometimes weight and balance will dictate a solo only seat to offset the primary fuel tank.
Most helicopters are right-seat PIC because your left hand is more available to do other tasks in the cockpit. The civilian Hughes 269/369 helicopters, the 300s and 500s, were primarily left-seat PIC helicopters so that two passengers could be carried on a bench seat next to the pilot. When these helicopters have controls installed for the right-seat, the ability to carry the middle passenger is lost. New MD500E and MD530F helicopters can be ordered from the factory as either a LH-PIC or RH-PIC helicopter, but the RH-PIC helicopters are necessarily 4-seat helicopters instead of the standard 5-seaters. The military MH-6 and AH-6 helicopters are RH-PIC.
Nope, they don’t “break down” like a Ferrari however, they are maintenance intensive(as they should be). Not sure who makes them nowadays, but 20 years ago, certain part numbered M/R blades gave us huge headaches due to rigid inspections, recording of torque events from the A/D’s issued due to fatigue cracking and subsequent failure? Everything is now composite, so I’m sure there’s been huge advancements in their construction and durability, but back then you NEVER flew anywhere without a ladder, flashlight and magnifying lens!!!
