I got to fly on a UH-1H while on the way back from our last deployment when I was on the USS BOXER (LHD-4) in 1997. I had a great ride courtesy of my brothers in the USMC. I, being a sailor will never forget the thrill. You "slick" pilots are a special breed. This one's for you!
LOW FLIGHT
Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And hovered out of ground effect on semi-rigid blades;
Earthward I've auto'ed,
and met the rising brush
Of non-paved terrain - and done a thousand things
You would never care to -
skidded and drooped and flared
Low in the heat-soaked roar.
Confined there,
I've chased the earthbound traffic, and lost
The race to insignificant headwinds.
Forward, and a little up, in ground effect
I've topped the General's hedge with drooping turns
Where never Skyhawk, or even Phantom flew.
And, shaking and pulling collective, I've lumbered
The low trespassed halls of Victor Airways,
Put out my hand, and touched a tree.
-AnonymusLOW FLIGHT
Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And hovered out of ground effect on semi-rigid blades;
Earthward I've auto'ed,
and met the rising brush
Of non-paved terrain - and done a thousand things
You would never care to -
skidded and drooped and flared
Low in the heat-soaked roar.
Confined there,
I've chased the earthbound traffic, and lost
The race to insignificant headwinds.
Forward, and a little up, in ground effect
I've topped the General's hedge with drooping turns
Where never Skyhawk, or even Phantom flew.
And, shaking and pulling collective, I've lumbered
The low trespassed halls of Victor Airways,
Put out my hand, and touched a tree.
-Anonymus
Not any other "LowFlyer" but an Army Pilot could have written this poem.. The others talked about flying low, we did it. Also, the Army trained ALL the armed forces except the USAF & Navy (but they couldn't fly anything except starch-wings anyway!) @ Fort Wolters near palatial Miserable Wells, Texas. I have some permanent scars on my ass from trainees who wanted to make a new type of flight.
As for the movie: Shadow of the Blade"...I went to Austin for the premier 18 months ago. It was a documentry well worth your time if you ever rode in a Huey...brought chills to my backside! Several friends helped them make that film...they all looked so much older than me!