Freaky things helicopters , been in a few , worst experience for me was helping prepping it up ready to take off for the short 500yd flight to the fuel depot , sat beside the pilot and he hovered 4ft from the ground then tilted the thing for forward motion towards the fuel depot , i could see those rotor blades just about a foot from the concrete ground ....i was sheeeeting myself , he (the pilot) was laughing his head off plainly he could see how anxious i was with the squirming going on in my seat
Off we went to do this conservative garden party thing , giving £5 rides to kids in aid of raising funds for the tories , i was the fire control person for the day , my payment for the day was a free ride and back to Buckland house in Surrey , The Pilot now a good friend as it happens slightly mis-calculated the fuel needed to get home , can you imagine my face when we are 500ft up above Henfield when he says were going to have to do an emergency landing , me thinking he should really been doing something useful (like concentrating ) he gets on the radio an orders some petrol to be delivered to this farm we were about to crash in , then the engine audibly stopped , my arrse tightened somewhat , but the rotors kept turning , and he managed withease and without fault to land the thing gentle as a baby phew not the best of experiences but i can chuckle now
regards loz