Getting a ride is a thrill. I once got a front-seat ride in a Cobra. The hour went by like 10 minutes.
As a young Bell Helicopter Quality Engr., I was working late one evening out on the flight line. A pilot asked if I’d like to go up because he needed some “ballast”. Of course I jumped at the chance!
I was front seat in an AH-1G Cobra, about 1967, during the flight and the pilot gave me the ride of my life with the power dives from high altitude, low terraine at high speed, etc.
I consider the AH-1W Cobra by Bell to be one of the finest, if not the best, rotary wing attack aircraft and it is a Navy-Marine buy. The Cobras are deployed on ships, just as the other helos are, but they seldom get any press and their big brothers the V-22 Ospreys don’t either.
Yeah....I’m somewhat biased since I worked there for over 35 years, but those are some great aircraft and the military folks love ‘em.