This is un-edited video I shot for PM Magazine in about 1978. I did a story called "Birds Eye View" just as an excuse to feature C&S Bank choppers and the fun of flying around Atlanta. John Gilbert was the pilot, flying a Hughes 500. I was shooting a RCA TK76 and recording on 3/4 in tape. John Gilbert was best chopper pilot I ever flew with. All I had to do was point the camera out the door and he piloted the shots for me by moving the chopper. As far as flying under the Hooch bridge, when the FAA came to talk to me at WAGA the day after this aired, I said didn't see us fly under the bridge, my eyes were closed but I left the camera running. They didn't think it was funny. John also flew me up into N. GA to greet a ice storm. He had to land near some power lines to clean ice off the cockpit with his credit card before heading back to WAGA. And then there was the time he almost killed us while shooting Paul Raymond's stand-up from on top of the WAGA tower. He was hovering us near the top of the 1000 ft tower for the CU of Raymond. There were tower supporting cables all around and all of a sudden the chopper dropped a few hundred feet before John could recover control. Pucker time. John, If you are still out there, hello!
George Gentry, Voice from the past, 36 years, Great to hear from you, I hope your life has exceeded you expectations. I think everyone can tell by this clip that you were the best cameraman that I had the opportunity to fly during my twenty years, No one compared to what you could do with a camera, it was amazing. I remember it all George.
I grew up in Avondale Estates during the 8\70's. This was fun to watch and thank you for validating a memory I have had for over 40 years that a helicopter would pick up money from the C & S bank in Avondale
How very cool to see this. I google searched my name and this was within a list of videos. My dad built the big house in ‘71 and I grew up there until around ‘85. First time seeing a view of the place like this. I miss all of the trees in our town and hate watching them clear up and down 400 in Sandy Springs, hopefully we’ll benefit from the new access lanes. We still have our River Parks :-) I still go often with the kids and dogs. I’d love to see more like this, thanks for posting.
Thanks for sharing this. Brings back memories. My Dad, Mike Brackett, was one of the C&S pilots. Mom would take us to meet Dad for lunch when he'd land on the helipad behind the Northlake branch.
+John Gilbert Yeah, Dad wound up going into construction lending with the bank after they sold the helicopters. He's been retired now almost 10 years or so.
@@benjohnson1190 The helicopters would fly to the branch banks and pick up canceled checks and paperwork. The branch manager would run the bags up a pole and someone in the helicopter would lean out with a snare and grab them just like the trains used to pick up mail instead of stopping at a station.
@jbrackett Thank for the information. I know this may sound silly but I am obsessed with this now. 😀 So why couldn't they just drive the stuff to where it was going? Why was it so urgent? Where did they take it to? This had to be a significant expense for the banks for whatever reason so it had to be worth it. Sorry to bother but I find this so interesting. Thanks again for your information.
I feel so connected to my city. I wish that I would've had proper guidance as a youngster to become something or someone that would bring greatness to Atlanta. This crime and homelessness are major problems here. Problems are allowed. You see a situation and a problem are two different things; you handle a situation before it becomes a problem. If situations are allowed, they tend to create problems. We have many problems. I said it before, that I use to absolutely love being downtown Atlanta! As a kid during the holiday season at the Macy's on Peachtree st; Even as a teen, going to Underground and enjoying the New Years peach drop! Now I just sit home and either read or watch something on RU-vid or whatever. On some occasions I will go to Virginia Highlands and park and smoke a good cigar and watch the people, then head over to Little 5 Points and then go home. I'll say this, alway embrace the good of something, because sometimes it's like a vapor that just blows away. For me, a start to begin to handle some of these problems would be to: Hire more police officers; Start charging the parents along with the child for crimes; Make parents more accountable for the actions of their children; Ban this rap music and its evil lyrics, because they are a nemesis to our youth; Provide jobs for the homeless and charge them to stay in a type of facility that can cater to their needs and to help them to get on their feet; and for the mentality challenged, they should be in some type of mental institution getting the help that they need. We are helping with unnecessary wars and generously giving billions to other countries, why not help Americans. Close the borders, secure the ports (which no one is talking about), step up the police force and put the money to good use. Is it that hard to do? Police should serve and protect, and not be overly abusive, but enforce the law in the right way, at the right time, in the right manner and with the right force; with cameras on to protect themselves from lawsuits, and protect the suspects from abuse. As a Christian, I would wish that everyone would follow the teachings of Jesus Christ and His Apostles, if so, everything I've mentioned would not be a problem, or even thought of. I LOVE MY CITY BUT HATE WHAT IT HAS BEOME AND WHATS BEING ALLOWED IN IT.
This video is awesome and even creepy. I wasn't born until the 80's and it's creepy to see Atlanta without as many skyscrapers. I noticed the logo of the Westin hotel wasn't there yet. This fact that this video had no music made it seem more like it's happening live. I also enjoyed looking at Fulton County Stadium. There aren't many videos that exist like this one. I noticed that John flew VERY CLOSE to the capitol building and also flew under the Chattahoochee Bridge and into a territory that most will never see. I can remember thinking, "What??!!!! No way. He's not going to fly near that statue! It's too dangerous and probably prohibited." This video takes you to the past and lets you do amazing things. John and George, you guys had a lot of fun for someone coming up in THOSE days. And thank you both for making this video possible.
@@arthro9259 TBH, there were plenty of taller buildings before the Peachtree Plaza; around Five Points, one was built around 1960 and the other around 1968. Peachtree Center was built around 1970, and the Equitable Building (with "Georgia's Own" on it now) is from '68 as well.
the visuals of this vdeo is amazing, I used to work at AmericasMart yrs ago. seeing the lower parking deck of whats now Building 2(harris& spring streets) ofcourse the building was built on top of that Parking Deck.. and Building 3 (across the street from Bldg 2 on Harris/willaims st )wasnt Built yet.
I remember you, John. Used to have beers at the Downwind club. My Dad owned Atlanta Vertol. I flew with John Tinnin a lot as a "hooker" for First Atlanta Bank. I wish I had some videos like this to post. I would love to see more if you have some.
