# my first Blackhawk Helicopter ride in the US Army!



## spikethebest (Dec 15, 2009)

This happened at Los Alamitos Army Airfield a week or so ago. My job in the US Army is Air Traffic Control (15Q). But this was a training ride for the crew, and I just tagged along for the ride. 

ENJOY!


































santa monica pier

















disneyland


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## Yvonne G (Dec 15, 2009)

I loved the shot of the desert with the shadow of the helicopter in it. Also, Disneyland doesn't look like much from the air, does it?

Thanks for sharing.


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## spikethebest (Dec 15, 2009)

haha nope. things in the air always look so small. but when you are walking from one end to another on the ground....seems like forever!


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## dmmj (Dec 15, 2009)

LOL nice to see my tax dollars hard at work.  J/K

Nice pics


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## spikethebest (Dec 15, 2009)

dmmj said:


> LOL nice to see my tax dollars hard at work.  J/K
> 
> Nice pics





there are at least 6 flights per day for training and time building for the pilots. and this is a small national guard base. 

where do you think the billions of $$ go when the pentagon gets money? training and equipment!


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## dreadyA (Dec 15, 2009)

Nice pics spike
Where's dodger stadium!?


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## spikethebest (Dec 15, 2009)

dreadyA said:


> Nice pics spike
> Where's dodger stadium!?




haha, i fly over that all the time in my own plane, so that wasnt a big deal for me. but i did bring my video camera, and did get some video of it being at such a lower altitude in a helicopter than a private plane.


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## Candy (Dec 15, 2009)

Since I'm afraid of heights I guess that would not be the thing for me to do. I love your pictures though. You look like you really enjoyed that. I had a hard time looking at some of them though I actually had to close my eyes.


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## terryo (Dec 15, 2009)

Wonderful pictures ....as usual. I only went in a plane once. It will be a long time before I try it again. Very bad experience for me.


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## Stephanie Logan (Dec 15, 2009)

So are you in the regular army or the Guard? Just curious. Will you have to deploy to Iraq or Afghanistan?


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## DoctorCosmonaut (Dec 15, 2009)

Is it just me, or does disneyland seem to have some smoke/smog rising from tomorrow land?


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## -EJ (Dec 17, 2009)

Is that how you got that back stage zoo trips?

I was in the reserves... worked F4s... ECM. Your job sounds a little more exciting.

Why don't you persue that in the civilian world?


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## spikethebest (Dec 18, 2009)

Stephanie Logan said:


> So are you in the regular army or the Guard? Just curious. Will you have to deploy to Iraq or Afghanistan?



I am in the California Army National Guard. I might deploy sometime next year to either place. I haven't been given official orders yet, so everything is just rumors. 

Also, it might get changed for me, because I am applying to Flight school, to fly helicopters, so I will be on a non-deployable status if I'm in school.



-EJ said:


> Is that how you got that back stage zoo trips?
> 
> I was in the reserves... worked F4s... ECM. Your job sounds a little more exciting.
> 
> Why don't you persue that in the civilian world?




My civilian job is treating me very well now. I enjoy it alot, great benefits, good pay, great people, so I dont really want to leave. 

I could maybe pursue air traffic controlling with the FAA, but I just dont want to right now.



DoctorCosmonaut said:


> Is it just me, or does disneyland seem to have some smoke/smog rising from tomorrow land?




yea i saw that too. wasnt sure what it was. maybe it was from a live action show or something. 

but flying around, you do occassionally see fires burn, especially in southern california, and you are the first to report them to authories to take care of. a very rewarding feeling when i am able to help out like that.


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## webskipper (Dec 18, 2009)

Surprised they let you leave with pictures of the heliport. We don't let those pics leave ours. The aerial pics are awesome.

Allowing civilians to ride the Helicopters are a great way to promote and gain interest in some of the awesome careers that the military is about. Where else do you get paid to do pushups, situps, run and earn a degree or the equivalent of one in less than a year while making better money than most people with a degree?

Go Guard!


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## spikethebest (Dec 18, 2009)

webskipper said:


> Surprised they let you leave with pictures of the heliport. We don't let those pics leave ours. The aerial pics are awesome.
> 
> Allowing civilians to ride the Helicopters are a great way to promote and gain interest in some of the awesome careers that the military is about. Where else do you get paid to do pushups, situps, run and earn a degree or the equivalent of one in less than a year while making better money than most people with a degree?
> 
> Go Guard!




im not a civilian.....i went through the same basic combat training, and advanced individual training as did the regular active duty soldiers. i am a US Soldier 24/7. i just wear the uniform one weekend a month.. UNTIL i get deployed. then I will be side by side with my fellow soldiers regardless of there component, branch, or country of origin all fighting for one common cause.


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## webskipper (Dec 18, 2009)

Right on, did not look that closely to the pics then.

I am a Tech (GSE). Thanks for serving.


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