The early morning helicopter ride to the southern base of Haleakala (sp?) was outstanding. Best E ticket ride ever...for me at least. Pilot zoomed to the Seven Sacred Pools, not, at tree top level, did a slow turn around them and then Hulu ! upslope, nose down. Sitting in right front I could see the ground running past under my feet. Into the mist before the early morning cloud cover, the rotors were casting circular rainbows above and below us. Nose still tilted downward we entered the could, nothing but white all around and then the break thru. Zooming at what felt like 30 feet above the terrain suddenly the lip of the crater appeared along with the vast deep unworldly crate with the ochers and purples on the leeward all brightly lit, with shadows to the right. Clearing the lip, the pilot hit the throttle and dove, again nose tilted downward a bit. Wahooooo! Felt like Slim Pickens riding the missile. Dear wife was quite happy to be in the back seat looking straight ahead over my shoulder.
Were told the entire island of Manhattan could fit with room to spare and not one roof tower peek above the rim.
Truly one of those events that has to be experienced first hand. IMax won't cut it....mebbe.
Bet you $100 that that sort of flight through clouds is no longer legal, after the variety of fatal crashes of fixed and rotary wing aircraft in poor visibility.
Had to be a kick-ass ride, one you wish video cameras were cheap enough for we peons to have back then.