Blackhawk NOT Down!!!

Presenting...
A United States Army Aviation film
Starring:
Jenilee Ferguson & Christa Smith
in the groundbreaking new film:
BLACKHAWK NOT DOWN!!!
cuz if it were, we'd be dead.

Haha! Yes, our Battalion gave all of the SPOUSES of 3-25 Aviation Regiment a chance to get a ride in a real U.S. Army Blackhawk Helicopter!!! When I saw that e-mail, I signed up right away! Then I told Christa about it, so then she made me sign her up too.

It was SOOOO fun!!
Last year, when my Dad and sister Sandy came to visit in June, Sandy and I went on a helicopter tour of the island. It was fun, but I felt completely motion sick when I got off, like I wanted to barf! But THIS was TOOOOOTALLY different!!

First of all, we were STRAPPED in, because the doors on the sides were left OPEN throughout the whole ride!!!

Here's me & Christa excited for our ride.
I saw Paul & Bobbi DeCecchis before I went on my ride,
and Paul is a Chinook Pilot, so he let me borrow his flight suit.
That's who's flight suit I have:

But before we went, we had to get briefed on how to get in, buckle up, and emergency stuff.
Here we are learning how to buckle up:
Look! I even know how to UNbuckle!!

After that, we went and put on our flight suits.
Top Gun ain't got NUTHIN on US!!!

NOW we've been briefed, suited up, and now we're READY TO GO!
Earplugs and all!
IT'S OUR TURN!!!
(this is the first helicopter that loaded)


This was OUR helicopter!

We're gettin' in!!

We sat in the seat behind the cockpit.

There was one seat inbetween me & Christa so we BOTH got to be by the door!!!
Here's Christa getting camera ready:

Now, THIS guy looks bored....

Three-Two-One... TAKEOFF!!!!!

UP WE GO.... INTO THE WILD BLUE YONDER....!

We flew in teams.
Here is the blackhawk we flew with:

Here's a picture to give you an idea of what it looked like with the doors open next to me:
Do you see the floor of the helicopter???
I could have stuck my head out if I wanted to...

but i was too scared :o)

But HE wasn't!!

The aeriel view of Honolulu:

Pearl Harbor

A mid-flight "Cheeeeeze!"

You can see the USS Arizona Memorial (in the middle) and one of the little tour boats (on the left) that boats all of the people out to the memorial site.
(the long bridge goes to Ford Island; a military base)

Southern O'ahu
Pearl city --> Honolulu

Pretty, Pretty!

LOL @ this pic!

Look! I could jump out of the helicopter into the ocean like Sawyer did on LOST!!

Kunia WAL MART!!!!

I see our shadows!

Hey! That's where I live!!
Schofield Barracks

Awwwwww.... we're coming in for a landing :o(
Here's a video that Christa took of the last couple of minutes of our flight.
Very scenic!

Here's dude getting back into the helicopter after we all got off....
why did he go in through the window???

Ahhhh...

It was an AMAZING ride! I could do that every day! Now I see why Matt wants to be a helicopter pilot. It is SO much fun!
This is something I will never forget. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity!