Helicopter Tour: Dam to Dam

Рет қаралды 21,911

5 жыл бұрын

COME FLY WITH ME on a narrated tour of the Wenatchee, WA area from the Rock Island Dam to the Rocky Reach Dam. I managed to squeeze in this 15-minute flight just before I had to pick up paying passengers near the Rocky Reach Dam. Never one to miss an opportunity, I got the cameras rolling and wound up with two video tracks to combine for this video.
About Me and the Helicopter
- I have been flying for about 20 years. My nearly 4,000 hours of flight time is in Robinson R44, Robinson R22, and Bell 206L (Long Ranger) helicopters.
- The helicopter is a Robinson R44 Raven II -- the same one that appears in the photo at the beginning of the video. You can learn more about them here: robinsonheli.com/r44-specific... I own this helicopter. It is the third helicopter I've owned since 2000.
- My helicopter has ADS-B Out and is picked up by radar facilities. You can see my track for recent flights on Flightradar24: www.flightradar24.com/data/ai...
This is a great site for tracking any almost any flight, including the airlines.
About the Video
- The video was recorded with a pair of GoPro cameras, one of which is connected to the helicopter's intercom system. Both cameras record audio, but I dialed down the helicopter sound to about 25% of normal volume so it wouldn't be annoying. I wouldn't mind leaving it out altogether, but lots of folks seem to want it, so there it is.
- The video was edited on a Macintosh using Screenflow software. (Screenflow was the only affordable software I could find that allowed me to do picture-in-picture.) Learn more about it here: www.telestream.net/screenflow...
- The intro music is by Bob Levitus, famed "Dr. Mac." You can find him here: www.boblevitus.com/
I'm trying to drop flying videos like this one every Sunday morning and usually drop "extras" with more info about owning and operating a helicopter midweek. I'm also working on putting together occasional livestreams with Q&A chat. Subscribe so you don't miss anything new! And tell your friends. The more subscribers I have, the more motivated I am to keep producing videos like this one.
Still reading? Thanks! Maybe you'll consider buying something from my Etsy store to help support this channel? Start here: www.etsy.com/shop/FlyingMAir

Пікірлер: 160

@dak2005vn 5 жыл бұрын

Never get tired of watching these.

@ThomasGabrielsen 5 жыл бұрын

I read your blog post about the helicopter crash you had and I have to say that it is one of the best blog post I've ever read, even though the it was about a crash, but you walked away from it. I liked that you were straight forward in the story telling and didn't made any excuses and it was very honest and transparent , in lack of better words. After a crash like that most people would take some time and consider if flying is what you want to continue to do, but not you. You just ordered a new helicopter and was back on the "horse" immediately after the crash. That's way to do it, but it takes courage to actually do it. I read some of of your other posts and we have a lot in common, except flying helicopter. I'm a programmer and technology enthusiast, I'm a very active hobby photographer and I like to be creative. I'm not making jewelries though, but music on my guitars. I have to say that seems to be an interesting person I would like to know, or at least have a flight with and I know would have felt very safe. I live in Norway so it will probably never happen, but I enjoy your videos very much so please keep making them. I've shared some of them on my channels on different SoMe, but my friends are a bit tired of me posting videos about aviation over the years so I must be a bit careful.

@FlyingMAir 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks very much. There didn't seem to be a reason to lie -- no one learns from inaccurate information. As for getting back in the saddle -- heck, I'll never do such a stupid thing again so why should I be afraid to fly? Thanks for taking the time to write!

@kenandree7102 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks 😘 for taking us along! Was fun. You're great!

@evwrfan1 5 жыл бұрын

Fine dam video, thank you.

@barryg41 5 жыл бұрын

I was able to follow your flight path and view your items of interest from a bird's view with Flightradar24. Pretty cool!

@paveltucek5175 5 жыл бұрын

It is very nice tour, thank you and I wish you Maria a lot of next miles by helicopter. It is my dream, what you fly now. It is nice, very nice. Greetings from Czech Republic.

@sqengineer 5 жыл бұрын

Nice flight...and really great weather for a flight...except for the bumps!

@bandislife2004 5 жыл бұрын

The Dam tour!!🤣 Loved it!! Beautiful day! Thank you!

@JimAllen-Persona 5 жыл бұрын

More IFR (I Fly Rivers) :-) Love it though

@carp566 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the free ride, I'm sure a ride for 16 minutes would cost several hundred dollars, When I was a teen I took a helicopter ride in Panama City Florida in 1971 up and down the beach for $10 for 5 minutes in a Bell 47.

@FlyingMAir 5 жыл бұрын

I wonder if I rode with the same guy there in 1995? Wouldn't that be funny! I think the ride was $25 then.

@ldoyle3rd 5 жыл бұрын

My brother and I took a ride there as well in the summer of 1972, I have pictures from that ride somewhere and also became a pilot, although fixed wing.

@bobspencildrawings6928 2 жыл бұрын

Your videos are some of the best flying videos.

@FlyingMAir 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks very much! I'm trying!

@RLTtizME 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the ride. Enjoyed it!

@watermouse9296 5 жыл бұрын

DAAAAAAAAAAAAAMN! ;) Love that there are sturgeon in there. In Idaho near twin falls, on the snake river there are sturgeon in there too. They actually have a viewing pond with 2 of them in there. Thanks for the tour! Love the river tour.

@FlyingMAir 5 жыл бұрын

There’s another viewing pond down by Cascade Locks. Those fish look prehistoric!

@LegendsRacer37 5 жыл бұрын

14:35 Pac Man! 😁

@FlyingMAir 5 жыл бұрын

Sharp eye! I had to go back to see what you were talking about!

@jacman1218 5 жыл бұрын

@@FlyingMAir Yeah, I did that, too! I wonder what the idea behind that is? Pretty neat!

@yoshioito5043 2 жыл бұрын

I watch your video from Tokyo Japan, Japan imports the cheery from US and reminds me your flight to dry up cherry tree. It is great control. Stay in safe.

@BPond7 5 жыл бұрын

Watching this video, and the amazing scenery was the perfect way to relax after work. 😀

@georgiamule 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks for another fun tour.

@aileron48 5 жыл бұрын

Very cool flight, Maria. Very smooth from my viewpoint! 🚁🚁

@politicalfoolishness7491 5 жыл бұрын

Best DAM tour I ever saw 😂😂🤣 LOL

@matthewmaclauchlan1671 5 жыл бұрын

Thank you. I was hoping someone did this. I was scrolling and scrolling, becoming more worried by the second until I saw your post.

@athloneduke 5 жыл бұрын

Really enjoyed the video, thankfully no A10's this time, safe flying

@HAL9000. 5 жыл бұрын

DAMn good flight!

@moochasas 5 жыл бұрын

Now thats the sort of vid I could watch for hours...... thanks.

@SteveKickert 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing. That was super nice.

@dhrubachakrabarty5257 5 жыл бұрын

A clear weather is very ideal to fly and shoot. Brilliant position of your second camera. Thanks for the nice video. Take my respect and regards.

@gadixH 5 жыл бұрын

Dam..that is a nice tour :)

@clevjam 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks Maria for the free ride! Very pretty country!

@larrygrimaldi1400 4 жыл бұрын

I watch Nick Zentner's lectures all the time, so it's nice to see a little of the actual geology and the way it looks today.

@desertfox3860 5 жыл бұрын

Perfect, thanks for the ride.

@jpb9064 5 жыл бұрын

Thank you! Very enjoyable tour...

@luismiguelmarques6584 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks!

@p6x2 5 жыл бұрын

Nice! nothing better than a bucolic fly around to start your Sunday morning!

@mathius-hc4yu 5 жыл бұрын

Omg that was fan-blooming-tastic! Thanks Maria!

@BenSeigal 5 жыл бұрын

Oh! Maria, thanks so much for the excellent video. I was in there with you.

@keithcope8113 5 жыл бұрын

Enjoyed the flight thank you. When i was driving trucks bacin the 80s i spent alot of time in washington loading apples cherries and potatoes its really a neat state

@jsking306 5 жыл бұрын

Another great video. It's cool to see a part of Washington that not many get to see. I used to fly Bell's back in the late 60's and 70's. Your videos bring back a lot of memories. Thanks.

@smoky547277 5 жыл бұрын

Another great tour. In 1976 I was an engineering intern at Chelan County PUD and spent time at both Rock Island and Rocky Reach. My office was in Rocky Reach dam. Best job ever and set up a wonderful engineering career in the energy industry. Your tour brought back great memories. Great video. Keep up the terrific work.

@stabbb1299 5 жыл бұрын

Beautiful country! I hope you can appreciate living and working in a postcard... Lol Sad to see that empty Alcoa plant however. Hopefully that will change with better times....

@FlyingMAir 5 жыл бұрын

I love it here.

@gomphrena-beautifulflower-8043 5 жыл бұрын

Ditto all the compliments to you! Beautiful country, nice weather and most of all, love that you have us along!

@randylinn502 5 жыл бұрын

Always a pleasure to fly with you... makes me wanna move there...

@jackgunnette6687 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks again foe a great flight.

@glenwoofit 5 жыл бұрын

Great flight, Thankyou.

@robertevans6481 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the tour!

@garyherlth9031 5 жыл бұрын

Nice panoramic view!!! Thanks

@radioguy534 5 жыл бұрын

Another great video Maria, thanks.

@wavydavy4138 5 жыл бұрын

amazing all that landscape scourd out by a massive flood.

@cowboy742 5 жыл бұрын

Thank you for the vids...keep em coming.

@ccacrislan 5 жыл бұрын

very nice aerial helicopter tour, thanks for doing it for us. happy flights.

@lmartinez3633 5 жыл бұрын

Beautiful scenery and thanks for the tour

@keithp5669 5 жыл бұрын

Great tour! Thanks much

@thomascuddy6439 5 жыл бұрын

Another fun and interesting video. Thank you Maria. 😊

@wb6she 5 жыл бұрын

Maria, that was a really beautiful flight, thanks for taking the time to show us the trip, be watching!l Also have a couple questions I want to ask, but will wait until the next "livestream" video..

@miller745 5 жыл бұрын

Nice tour, thanks for the smooth ride!

@maguinun3 5 жыл бұрын

Great job, thank you

@Liam-tj8mf 5 жыл бұрын

Really enjoyed the video, thank you. Beautiful area.

@jason2232 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the ride

@reynaldo_santos 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks for your sharing of videos flying this helo.🇵🇭🇵🇭🇵🇭 I'm your fan from Philippines.

@Tailhook69 5 жыл бұрын

Superb!

@markaoslo5653 5 жыл бұрын

I must say, that was a _dam_ fine little flying trip! :D Thanks, again, cheers- _from the West side_

@FRRitter 5 жыл бұрын

Good video, good flight...good pilot! Fly safe Maria.

@HerrWerlein 5 жыл бұрын

Thank you for that wonderful tour! It's nice to see my old stomping grounds from the sky! There are so many things I miss about the Great PNW but now I'm living in Georgia and making the best of it :) I really enjoy your videos!!

@swarfrat311 5 жыл бұрын

I enjoyed your dam tour :-) Thanks for the video.

@mspates5982 5 жыл бұрын

Very beautiful video Maria! I always enjoy your videos and the tours of that area! I never seem to get tired of looking at the landscape there. You live in a really beautiful area! Do you ever do any flying at night?

@FlyingMAir 5 жыл бұрын

I don’t fly at night anymore. No reason to.

@jeff8289 5 жыл бұрын

I just discovered your videos a couple of weeks ago. I'm giving serious, serious consideration to relocating tho the area. These videos are a tremendous help. Thanks for the shoutout about the winery. I've been in the wine biz my entire adult life. Small wineries need all the help they can get!

@FlyingMAir 5 жыл бұрын

There are a handful of wineries in the Wenatchee area, but there are even more up near Chelan. Dozens of them. It’s a very wine friendly area. One of the services I offer is taking people to two of the different area wineries. Fun stuff, beautiful scenery.

@derkernspalter 5 жыл бұрын

Love the landscape. Funny thing is, i watched a motorcycle video these days and and thought: wow, that's a nice area where the guy is riding his bike. Turned out he's from Spokane. And i did not intentionally search for vids from Washington or the US at all since i am from Europe. :-)

@rvasquez8057 5 жыл бұрын

Nice and informative video. Must be a great job as long as everything works properly. You are a excellent tourism ambassador for your community. Stay Safe.

@timhutchinson3264 5 жыл бұрын

Absolutely love your “narrated tours,” regardless where you fly. Very entertaining! Also, at around 3:30, just upstream from the Rock Island dam on the right bank of the river, was that a landslide on the side of the hill? That looks huge!

@SteveWrightNZ 5 жыл бұрын

Cool! Thanks!

@3475883 5 жыл бұрын

Great flight, great piloting, nice legs.

@rockinpiano1 5 жыл бұрын

The area is beautiful but this brings back sad memories about the aluminum plant being closed. They did the same thing to the one at Goldendale. I drove for Les Schwab back in the 90's saw the many cars that were parked at the plant up river from Goldendale on 14. I went by there this spring and they've pretty much tore the whole thing down. This sure looks different from the air than on the ground. Thanks for the sight seeing tour, Maria.

@melvinelder3587 5 жыл бұрын

Keep up the great work I have been watching your videos for a while and you have inspired me to try to get my helicopter license!

@eagleeyeviewimages 5 жыл бұрын

Very nice ty so much

@angelreading5098 5 жыл бұрын

That is a lovely scenic route nicely captured with your cameraMaria,you could easily fly seaplanes from that river.

@FlyingMAir 5 жыл бұрын

They scoop water in SEAT seaplanes, so I bet they could. (Not me! I don't fly planes.) Just need to know where the wires are.

@charlie5631 5 жыл бұрын

Great video.. Enjoy the Chopper flight.

@jenniferwhitewolf3784 5 жыл бұрын

Nice tour!

@wolfskind_official 5 жыл бұрын

Nice flight!

@RichieRouge206 5 жыл бұрын

600th like👌🏼 what a great video! Love the tour and where you live!

@jamesandrews29 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks

@cowboy742 5 жыл бұрын

I was supposed to go to Ft. Rucker Al. to become a helicopter pilot (Warrant Officer 1989)..unfortunately for me...all slots were full and I was diverted Ft. McClellan Al.....secondary MOS... for Military Police. Thank you Uncle Sam for killing my dream.

@KutWrite 5 жыл бұрын

I got cut from Navy flight school but latter used VA benefits to get my commercial/instrument fixed wing and helo cards. Maybe you still can?

@markkirkland1878 5 жыл бұрын

Don’t feel bad, wanted to get into army or marines helicopter school in 1975. Nothing open, instead settled for 95B also. 75-82.

@bandislife2004 5 жыл бұрын

Ordered a shirt and sticker!! Thank you!!🚁😎

@FlyingMAir 5 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

@bandislife2004 5 жыл бұрын

@@FlyingMAir You're welcome!

@ik04 5 жыл бұрын

I always get the willies when I watch videos of helicopters landing in tight spots. I'm not used to tiny helicopters and have always had to plan confined approaches extremely well...

@joess6475 5 жыл бұрын

Got my FlyingMAir hat today. Thank you!

@FlyingMAir 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks for your support!

@eliasborges2 5 жыл бұрын

gostei muito do passeio

@garyherlth9031 5 жыл бұрын

And I ma your fan from Miami Lakes Florida. USA

@BlGGESTBROTHER 4 жыл бұрын

"We also have a couple pot farms." Man, I love Washington :D

@eastonlachappelle6402 5 жыл бұрын

I would love to fly with you! I’m working towards my license and can’t wait to do flights like this.

@estebanquito356 5 жыл бұрын

This 16 minutes went flying

@kittykat999a 5 жыл бұрын

Yea another video. Pass the popcorn.

@nobbynumbnut 5 жыл бұрын

Having spent the past 18 years going to Florida and visiting the big mouse. It's about time to look elsewhere. Seriously, these places you show on your videos look awesome. Would you recommend them as a tourist destination. Bob

@FlyingMAir 5 жыл бұрын

Washington is an amazing state.

@robertmitcham2427 5 жыл бұрын

Great tour video, Maria; thank you!! The call sign...359 Delta, if I got that right, that you use on the radio...Who assigns you that and how do they go about the one you have OR do you create that and if so, do you have to file some certain paperwork, and with whom??? Do you use that identifier no matter where you are?? Thank you!!!

@FlyingMAir 5 жыл бұрын

It’s actually the last three digits of the helicopter’s N number: 7534D, so Three-Four-Delta. Nothing more elaborate than that. 😊

@lazydog1964 5 жыл бұрын

Thank you for the flight, i suffer from a form of PTSD which causes sever Anxiety and i have always wanted to fly in a Helicopter those this is an awesome video for me, but i do have one question when your flying here in this video are you cruising at max speeds? Also the landscape looks like it might be in the Arizona area?

@FlyingMAir 5 жыл бұрын

Central Washington state.

@tgunka 5 жыл бұрын

Hello there! I love your videos! I own Columbia River Steel Supply Across from Pangborn Airport. Would love to go for a ride with you! I am a fan! ~Steve

@rapidcabin 5 жыл бұрын

Say hi next time you're over the golf course :)

@paulg.5511 5 жыл бұрын

Very nice. What type of GoPros are you using and at what settings? Pro tune on/off? FPS? I fly a Jetranger as well as the R44. 🚁

@FlyingMAir 5 жыл бұрын

Your questions are mostly answered here: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/Ztl8m9mcl9Stdn0.html

@WillBreitholtz1 5 жыл бұрын

Love the videos. What is the minimum height you would fly over houses. Would that not be quiet loud for that group of houses you mention?

@FlyingMAir 5 жыл бұрын

Helicopters have no legally defined minimum altitude requirement. That said, I try to stay at least 500 feet over homes and businesses.

@Greggspies 5 жыл бұрын

Nice tour, does the cherry farms pump the water from the river?

@FlyingMAir 5 жыл бұрын

It really depends on what the orchard's water rights are.

@richardjones4080 5 жыл бұрын

great fight new subscriber do you fly only a hele or can you fly fixed wing also?

@FlyingMAir 5 жыл бұрын

Helicopter only.

@dougf94912 5 жыл бұрын

Very nice tour, I followed along on Apple maps again. 8-) Do you have to get permission from the warehouse operator to land on their property?

@FlyingMAir 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks. Yes, the owner of the packing facility is a client and the flight I was doing next was for them.

@rueridge7597 5 жыл бұрын

Outstanding! Thanks. Could definitely tell there was turbulence. But cameras negated most. Why the weight difference in 2 birds? Different models or Dan just a chug butt? Kidding Dan. You need shirts w/epaulets like airline capt or Colonel Gaddafi. Charge riders more. lol

@FlyingMAir 5 жыл бұрын

I've got a Raven II and Dale has a Raven I. My max gross weight is 2500 lbs and his is 2400 lbs. Those two guys he took definitely weighted more than they reported. He had a bit of trouble keeping up with me as we were climbing out. LOL.