It's Called a Bro-lo, Dude!

I have returned back to Milton, Florida after a wonderful, fun-filled week back in sunny Southern California. I had the most amazing time with everyone, and the week just flew by too fast. From Kyle's college graduation, to the beautiful garden tour for Mother's Day, the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs Ducks games, and the simple downtime, catching up and meals shared with family, I can hardly believe we packed so much fun and memories in to such a short amount of time!

Well when I last left off, Jordan was just about to complete his first helicopter solo. Although in the helicopter world, solos are referred to slangly as bro-los, because helicopter flying always requires two pilots. I met Jordan at the squadron  so I could take pictures and video of his brolo that Friday. After completing his check ride (which is a pre-solo flight with an instructor to check a student's competence before being approved for their solo), and waiting around for hours for the weather to clear, Jordan received the news that his solo would be postponed until Monday due to weather. Although, Jordan and I both have a sneaking suspicion that the briefing instructor really cancelled his flight so he could get an early start his weekend.  Frustrating as it was not be able to solo after so much preparation and anticipation, it also meant that Jordan again would also have to complete a second check ride with another instructor next Monday as well. I  had been sitting around for a couple of hours in the parking lot of the squadron on base at this point waiting for his flight to begin. However, upon realizing it was not going to happen today, we decided to make the most of me being there with him and instead of playing photographer for the day, I was treated to a VIP tour of the hanger and the flight line to see the helicopters up close and personal. We were even able to sit inside one of the static TH-57B helicopters, where Jordan proceeded to simulate his routine and start up/flying procedures so I could get an idea of how it all worked. The inchoerent mumbling and gibberish now made sense, as I put a face to the name, so to say. Furthermore, the comic that I posted in the last blog started to make much too perfect sense.

VIP tour of the hanger with my handsome tour guide

 

 

The helicopter pilots have both hands and both feet fully occupied at all times. They somehow navigate four different parts of the helicopter (two pedals, one stick and one lever) with both hands and feet in a constant synchronous motion, reacting to every single subtle external force that creates even the most miniscule movements, with an equal and opposite reaction, in order to create and balance a perfect symphony of components that results in the flight of the helicopter. The reason a helicopter never does solo flights alone, is because the pilot cannot, even for a second, take his hands off the stick or lever to adjust the radio frequencies accordingly, without risking losing control of the helicopter. The pilots subconsciously conduct this symphony of motion all while completing radio communications, navigating airspace, and constantly scanning and reading the instrument panel. No wonder I have to constantly remind Jordan not to text in drive, he is so used to multi-tasking to an extreme level, that driving a car must feel like a relaxing mental vacation to him. I also now understand why his weekly routine includes taking a 2-3 hour nap each day after returning from his flight.

Typical afternoon nap-time for the boys

On Monday morning, Jordan returned back on base again to re-check and attempt to re-do his solo flight. After successfully passing his check ride again, he sent me a text to let me know that the solo would be coming up shortly and I should head over to base. I arrived back in my previously scoped out parking spot with the perfect view of the runway, and proceeded to wait again, at least this time I didn't have to wait hours for Jordan and his solo partner to emerge from the squadron to head out to their flight. I snapped a couple close ups of the pair, who started their military journey together back in the nasty humid woods of Quantico in 2006 during their first summer of Officer Candidate School, and then the two headed out together for the runway to complete this next stepping stone in their aviation career together. Standing from the fence-line above the runway, I watched as the two examined the outside of the plane and ran through their preflight checklist. Although I was getting anxious for them to start flying already (I had spent a cumulative of 5 hours in this parking lot at this point between Friday and today), it was reassuring to see the care and precaustionary steps they take before their flights. After checking what seemed like every square inch of the helicopter and rotors, they climbed into the cockpit and the crew latched the doors-hopefully securely this time! I had my camera ready, video set mode, and there I waited. And waited. And waited. The rotors were spinning but nothing was happening. Again, another thing clicked into place for me. I now understand why Jordan comes home in a flight suit that is 5 shades darker than the one he left in. They sit in this unairconditioned cockpit for what seems like ever, before flying. I had retreated back to my car at this point, and was leaning back on the hood of the car, as I continued to wait. Let's get this party started, already! As they continued to sit on the runway, a few crewman came out to the helicopter, checking things, opening the doors to speak with them. What, does Jordan need a snack or something? I remember thinking. Honestly, I wouldn't put it past him. Well, my heart sank as I realized the rotors were now spinning slower and slower, the crewmen were now tying the helicopter back down, and Jordan and his "bro" were climbing back out of the helicopters, removing their helmets, and retreating back to the hanger. Upon progressing through the start-up procedures, Jordan realized the generator was not acting properly. After re-starting it again, the generator continued to fail. Jordan had to make the call, and proceeded to radio in and shut down the helicopter. Day two, strike two. No bro-lo today.

Another day, another try. Tuesday morning was met by the third attempt at a solo. Luckily, because the flight was scheduled within 24-hours of Jordan's check flight from Monday, he did not have to re-check for the third time. Well in typical, cliche-fashion, the third time proved to be the charm. Jordan and his partner finally were able to leave for their solo flight, and I was so thankful they were able to do so before I left on my trip back home the very next day. After sitting from my vantage point of the runway for 2.5 days now, I had seen a lot of hovering, taxing and taking off of the helicopters, so I knew what to expect; however, I was just excited to know that what I was going to see today was Jordan inside this specific helicopter, and that he was going to be the one responsible for its flight. As prepared as I thought I was for what I was about to see, nothing prepared me for the AWESOME perfection and smoothness of Jordan's flying ability. He took off in such a balanced, smooth hover, and proceeded to evenly travel down the runway in a beautiful, controlled, graceful line. He made what I knew was a constant battle and balancing act inside the cockpit, look effortless. I may have even gotten a little misty-eyed with pride. I am so thankful for those two days I sat in the parking lot waiting for Jordan's solo, because it gave me such perspective on how amazing Jordan did that day. Most helicopters had looked somewhat dolphin-like, bobbing up and down while traveling forward, and a little unsteady as they wobbled side to side in their hovers. However, Jordan taxied to the end of the runway like a straight arrow. I could not be more proud of him, and all of his hours and hours of hard work that have led to this point so far, and made him look like such a natural out there! Proud wifey moment once again!

Jordan and his "bro" started this journey nearly 7 years ago when they went to OCS together in 2006.

The Art of Helicopter Flying

So this mini-post is for all of you out there who are interested in the more technical aspects of Jordan's training. There were a great number of people on both sides of our family who were so excited for Jordan to begin his training in helicopters, because it is such a unique aircraft to fly and much different from it's fixed wing counterparts. Well I finally found my notes that I had taken while overhearing a conversation between Jordan and his dad, so I thought I would give a bit more insight into his helicopter training for those who are interested. However, as I said, Jordan is a man of few words, and I am not exactly familiar with the helicopter or what it takes to fly in general, so unfortunately I do not know enough to fill in the blanks and make this a cohesive explanation.  So... here are my short hand notes:

It is a backwards machine. It's just odd.

It's 100x harder than flying fixed wing.

No Stabilization.

It (the TH-57B) is known to be the hardest aircraft to fly in the navy training wing or fleet.

The visibility is hard to get used to, because you are sitting side by side in the pilot seat with the instructor.

Instead of saying, "clear right, going right," it is now "clear left, nose going right" because you have to make room for the tail to swing around. It's odd to get used to.

Taking off is like leaving a parking spot. You lift up in a hover, and then taxi out along the runway at a 5 foot hover.

It is odd dropping nose down to ground, and staring straight down at the runway, but moving forward.

Transitioning from high speeds to now going 50-70 knotts is just odd!

So in other words, Jordan's first reaction to flying the helicopter is just, in one word, "odd."

Jordan has further tried to explain what its like flying a rotary wing aircraft, and in what I have understood, I have translated it to be that helicopter is not meant to fly. It defies the general, natural course of gravity or the natural flight inspiration of the bird. I found this saying by Harry Reasoner, that pretty much encompasses everything Jordan has tried to convey to me:

Well Jordan officially had his first experience of something going "bad." Yesterday while flying, and in a right bank, the door on his side FLEW OPEN! So with his door completely ajar, Jordan was literally looking over his right shoulder straight on down to the ground. Luckily they have harnesses that keep them securely locked in the cockpit. Jordan's instructor promptly went over the microphone to say, "Ahhhhh, this piece of "$h!t!, close the d@mn door." Jordan responded with, "Yes sir, you have the controls" and he proceeded to reach out mid flight, still in a right bank and harnessed to his seat, and pull with all of his might to securely shut the door against gravitational pull. Not only are the TH-57 Bravos one of the hardest types of aircrafts to fly because of their lack of stabilization, they are also difficult to fly in that they are very ancient aircrafts, and training on these definitely tests the student pilots on their EPs on a regular basis, because something always tends to go wrong.

I will leave this blog post off by letting you know that Jordan has safely arrived back from his latest flight just now in the Th-57B, acknowledging upon my inquisition that, in typical man-of-few-words-fashion, the flight went "fine," and that  he will be completing his first helicopter solo tomorrow and therefore, will be moving on to the TH-57C, which is a slightly more advanced, stabilized, and hopefully safer helicopter!

P.S. Are you all liking these shorter, but more frequent posts? I am going to try and make an effort to keep up with this pace! Hopefully our life proves interesting enough to keep you all entertained with stories at this rate ;)