THE CHOPPER STOWAWAY

Capt. Don Walker and I had an H-19 out one day for "proficiency" practice. (which meant anything goes) We generally didn’t have a crew chief on board when two instructor pilots flew together. Anyway we flew up north toward Pyramid Lake and points in between, buzzing along as low as we could. We'd go up over the ridges and jump a flock of Chuka partridge and chase them down the hills and thru the gullies. Up and down and around and around. We got after a coyote and chased it into the ground. I happened to look down in the cabin and saw that someone was there. I made sign language to Don as 'who the heck is there?' About that time a quivering voice comes over the intercom "Ah, sir, could we land for a moment, I just lost my lunch!" We landed and got out and apologized profusely to our passenger, explaining we didn’t know he was there. He said that was OK but we swore him to secrecy for the flying we had done and took it easier on the way back to the base.

I think the guy in the H-19 hellhole was one of the line troops that just wanted to go for a ride and the crew chief stuck him on board without telling us. Probably never got in a helicopter again. (Anonymous ROTORHEAD contributor)