to maintain altitude. One of the machine 


 GUNNER SAID FRANTICALLY.


An enemy soldier ran from the trees  my chin bubble I watched as he took aim. A recon team member in back threw a fragmentation grenade down on him, the   perimeter.


 zone at full power, the engine straining to  unable to climb, too heavy to power up any higher in the thick tropical moisture and burning heat.


I suddenly remembered what one of the old guys had told me. As a last resort if you add right pedal it takes pitch from the tail rotor, giving more engine power


for the main rotor, and when power is  to get out of a tight situation.


Desperate and out of ideas, I kicked in right pedal. The aircraft swung violently to the right. Dipping the nose, I guided the machine through the sporadic       the tangled branches of the trees to the rear of the zone.  Several more VC rounds punctured the aircraft as we cleared the trees with no room to spare, accelerating down the 


      could be heard was the loud, low guttural roar of hot air rushing through the gaping  


The chopper shimmied, vibrated, and shook violently. The caution warning light segment on the instrument panel was lit up like a Christmas tree with red and


yellow lights, but the Huey managed to  to LZ Vandergrift where we landed safely on the strip.


So keep your ears open. Listen to someone with experience. Doing so  one day.


Randy Mains is an author, public speaker, and an AMRM con- sultant who works in the he- licopter industry after a long career of aviation adventure. He currently serves as chief CRM/AMRM instructor for Oregon Aero.


He may be contacted at: info@randymains.com


rotorcraftpro.com


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