Kodiak Trip - Helicopter Recon

[NightTrain]

Click the thumbnails to get the full-size pics... I'm using that new method of uploading pics to save Jim bandwidth.

Forgot to post pics of the trip to Kodiak.

This is the Robinson R-44 powered by an opposing 6-cylinder engine. It's by far and away the cheapest helo to use, and not even close to the caliber of chopper that the beautiful Bell 407 is - but still, I love all these wonderful machines. It's smaller, slower and vibrates because it's not a turbine powered machine, but it's very nimble, economical and reliable.

The R-44 has a clutch that the pilot engages after the engine warms up, and it makes an alarming growling/clashing noise as the clutch does it's thing and the rotors come up to speed. It's funny to watch someone unfamiliar with that clutch noise reconsider everything when they first hear it - they're thinking the same thing I did the first time I heard it : "No way in hell am I flying in this thing! Is that tranny gears clashing? Is the tail rotor hitting the fuselage? Let me out. Now!"

I had to reassure the big guy in the red shirt that everything was normal and that all was well about 5 minutes after this was taken after I noticed his eyebrows were 4 inches higher than they usually are when those horrible noises began.

Once the rotors are engaged without clutch slippage, all you hear is the engine & rotors - and eyebrows assume normal positions at that point.