San Antonio

doing good buddy! Looking forward to Saturday! After SATX, got a member here in Lockhart hosting a bonfire = campout = BYO thing Sat afternoon and eve. Even getting the wife to go visit and meet some folks. No camp, but they will caravan to ATX C&C and I will see them there.

Wife could care less about a bunch of trucks, so it's a start. We don't camp either, but I know you all will enjoy Jambo from what I read!!!!

Have her convinced to make the SPID trip, as long there are two hotel nights in Corpus prior, and one in wherever on the evening pull out. Camping is hotels!

 

Sounds like you've got a nice Saturday set up!

My wife is kind of the same way. She doesn't get the truck thing. Can't convince her it's not about the trucks, it's about the people who drive them sharing similar interests. But whatever, "strokes for folks" like my grandfather used to say.

I'm gonna have to wing it for SPI again this year. Word on the agriculture underground is saying this year's rice season is going to be amazing. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for it too, I love flying rice and I love those rice paychecks If the rice season overlaps the SPI run I'll be sad I missed it but happy to be making the money.

 

I just had to "reboot" TW, so I could be getting messages. You might need to.
I know you and your wife like camping tho, so maybe there is a compromise. ETXtaco or someone knows of cabins nearby. She DOES like all the people she hasn't met, and thinks it's quite an amazing group! So, maybe we are. I will say, I have met a lot more cool folks than I did in 38 years on the job! Don't think I will convince her to get up for 7 AM C&C's, but attending fun events, or my hopeful overland trip where she can man a camera.... that'd be great.
Don't understand the RICE crop flying? Simple explanation?

 

Oh, and I am sure you know from the photos and questions, I love what everyone's truck is built like and can do! Just because I don't do it doesn't mean it's not interesting, fascinating , and way cool!

 

I have the same grill you want mine to

 

Farmers plant rice one row of male with a row of female on either side. We fly a few inches over the rice and the helicopters' downwash spreads the pollen to the female rows, pollenating the rice. Rice fields yield about 80% more rice when pollenated by helicopter.

It's fun flying. You're on your own all day, it's uncontrolled airspace so no air traffic controllers, no passengers to deal with, no photographers demanding the impossible, no students trying to kill you. Just you, the crops, and the helicopter. It's literally a vacation for me.

Here's my first year, I was pretty sloppy so ignore that.

https://youtu.be/Dls2hJZLRkY

Crazy stuff begins around 5 mins in

 

Yes it is

 

O holy moly! I only got through Readers Digest! Can I go! No wonder you love it! Now, can you replace BEES somehow? BTW I had to reboot TW again to get new notices.

I had no idea rice grew that way...

 

Bad azz

 

I told Carol about this. No idea this happens, me either. She says congratulations in pollenating all that rice, but want to know, is the rice now a member in the 1000' foot club?

 

Lol I dunno if anyone would want to ride along for that. It can be dangerous work. Something as simple as the wind shifting can get you in trouble quick if you're not paying attention. It's not unusual to be flying under power lines. And I mean under the wires. Every year at least one helicopter gets balled up in a field.

I'd never want to replace a honeybee, but, in essence we're very efficient very effective bees. The company I contract with sends out rice technicians (yep, that's a thing) and they let us know exactly when to hit what field and at what speed for maximum effect.

Speaking of bees, I've got a funny story I'll tell ya at CnC...

Ever wonder why the Chinese fan is so symbolic to the Chinese? The women used to go out into the rice patties and fan the pollen with them. In some places they still do.

 

The 10" club

I've never done the math until now but in an average season one pilot will do about 20,000 acres of rice. We usually have 12 pilots flying a day at our location alone. They do this across the nation.

 

I was watching the video again! No, seriously, you don't have to give me a ride. but you are a very good pilot. remember, I grew up watching the Whirlybirds on TV?

 

Well, rice is probably thrilled!

 

The last time my jobs were interesting to anyone was in the rock and roll ages of the 70's...… oh well. You rock Hover!

 

Haha ever seen "Deadly Encounter"? It's my favorite helicopter movie. It's an 80's action movie, the flying is all 100% real, the stunts 100% real, and the plot 100% awful. But damn the flying is so good!

Here, the whole thing is on YouTube

https://youtu.be/njuaxuSs-Kk

The hero even flies an early version of my favorite helicopter!

Worth a watch.
Makes airwolf look like hot garbage.

You do know if you ever want a legit ride, I do tours too. I won't put you at risk on a tour and trust me, it is worth it. Plus, friends and family discount.

 

Hell of a time to be alive! I'm telling you, I was born too late.

 

1. Larry Hagman! Too funny, I will write this down so I remember.

2. Yes, and you gave me cool prices too. Carol and I went over Lockhart years ago in what I think was a little Bell 121 Bubble - small - she did not like. You know I don't like heights, like you, but it's a relative thing. Your bird is bigger - if felt different even just watching the video.

3. I think a Riverwalk evening at a nice hotel for the wife, and a cool tour could be a quick one day fun this summer!

 

I'll see if I can beat those prices... The prices I gave you previously would be good for an hour+. I would set you two up for a sunset tour. 1 hour over the hill country to watch the sun go down then back over the city at night.

 

Holy cow!