I worked on VW at a dealer in NH for 5 years. Got the job right out of tech school. It turned my passion and love for wrenching into work so I left it all behind and joined the Marines.
Now I'm a fireman. The schedule is great for working on the Jeep, 2 24hr shifts a week. With the wife working FT and no kids (other than the furry kind) I'm in a good spot to keep up with the mods.
Helicopters are fucking terrifying. I worked for a very short period of time in a small test unit that had some Bells with rigs that flew ICBM guidance units shoved sideways through the rear doors for some reason doing very sketchy profiles. I went for a ride in one, and it was the scariest thing I've ever experienced. I'll stick to fixed wings thank you very much.Dude! Is that a Bell 206? I learned how to shoot from a chopper leaning out a window in one of those! I used to get flown around in Bell 407 at another shop; it was the first helicopter in which I lost my lunch (it involved a tiny black-and-white camera screen, the smell of jet fuel, and very bouncy, post-hurricane atmospheric conditions).
Started military in the AF as a 2W1.
like the previous AF guys. Loaded weapons on the F15, F16, and A10.
got tired of fixing them and wanted to break them instead.
Joined the Army and have been flying the Apache since then.
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Dude! Is that a Bell 206? I learned how to shoot from a chopper leaning out a window in one of those! I used to get flown around in Bell 407 at another shop; it was the first helicopter in which I lost my lunch (it involved a tiny black-and-white camera screen, the smell of jet fuel, and very bouncy, post-hurricane atmospheric conditions).
So I guess you wouldn't be interested in riding along on one of my animal capture flights, or dropping water from a bucket on a fire, or landing on the lava dome at Mt. St. Helens or... It's all I have ever done since I was 18, so I suppose I see the danger from a different viewpoint. It's always there, but most of the time it's manageable and it's my job to determine if the risk exceeds the benefit. At that point it's time to land, and I have done that many times. That's what I like most about helicopters, there's always a place to land if you have to.Helicopters are fucking terrifying. I worked for a very short period of time in a small test unit that had some Bells with rigs that flew ICBM guidance units shoved sideways through the rear doors for some reason doing very sketchy profiles. I went for a ride in one, and it was the scariest thing I've ever experienced. I'll stick to fixed wings thank you very much.
I mean, if you offered those up I'd still do it. I'd be fucking terrified, but I'd try it. Once.So I guess you wouldn't be interested in riding along on one of my animal capture flights, or dropping water from a bucket on a fire, or landing on the lava dome at Mt. St. Helens or... It's all I have ever done since I was 18, so I suppose I see the danger from a different viewpoint. It's always there, but most of the time it's manageable and it's my job to determine if the risk exceeds the benefit. At that point it's time to land, and I have done that many times. That's what I like most about helicopters, there's always a place to land if you have to.
Right at that point my mother came in and dragged me off to church, and I spent the rest of that day wondering how the hell engines worked with explosions.
Lots of different things in my various career paths and part-time gigs (Paramedic, IT, LEO, K9, College Instructor, Scuba Instructor, Helicopter Pilot, Road Racer, Casino Dealer). Now, I am Busy Doing Nothing - Retired and sporadically fill in on some old jobs from time to time.
Eighter from Decatur, county seat of Wise.
What kind of road racing? What tracks?
Pretty much how I felt, and I joined the USMC to be a firefighter. I was fortunate enough to continue my career in the fire service as a civilian. Now I get to wrench my own cars and some family/friends since I still own about 16k in Snap-on tools!I ended up working at the dealership level from age 16 to 25 and just got to hate cars so I joined the Air Force. Now I actually enjoy turning wrenches on my own stuff.
Axe, is that you? From the firearms forum?Pretty much how I felt, and I joined the USMC to be a firefighter. I was fortunate enough to continue my career in the fire service as a civilian. Now I get to wrench my own cars and some family/friends since I still own about 16k in Snap-on tools!