Sitting on the sides of an open Huey UH-1 in Vietnam war?

Question

You know how our soldiers in vietnam sat right on the sides of the helicoper? How didn't they fall out if the helo pitched too much? I'm pretty sure they weren't strapped in since they had to be ready to jump out, they just sat there with their feet on the skids, and their hands on the gun, not holding on to anything else. If I had to sit like that, I'd be vey nervous. Were there ever cases of people falling out?

Answer 1

when flying a coordinated turn, then your weight is pushing donwards  /relative to the floor of helicopter, like in the straight flight. the only difference is the Gload, the tighter turn, the higher Gs.

when flying a smooth turn, you can as well have a cup of coffee at the instrument panel and it wont spill out.

note the gunners of the LOH helicopters were ALWAYS strapped in the harness, so they could fire, lean out of the helicopter and all of this in the maneuvers the heavier Huey would hardly perform.

Answer 2

Yes.

Answer 3

13 months flying UH-1s in vietnam. Never lost anybody. Liked it when they stepped off those skids in a hurry in a hot LZ. We're outta here.

Hey, that ain't walt wilson is it, walt554?

Answer 4

There was a transition between engagement and recovery.  Allowed plenty of time to disengage from safety harness.  I didn't do it my self but carried back many who did.

Answer 5

I'm sure if too many people fell out, the DOD would have forbidden the practice. Marines were still riding in that manner when I left active duty in 2006.

Answer 6

It may have happened but I never heard of it. There were things to hang onto in the A/C and also with coordinated turns your f***y is always firmly seated and we never got into a negative "G" situation, or at least I never did.

Answer 7

NOTHING IS MORE EXITING THAN HOT BRASS IN YOUR FACE, AND ALL OVER THE INSIDE OF A SLICK--NO YOU DON,T FALL OUT--IT IS TOO MUCH OF A RIDE TO LEAVE

Answer 8

there are straps just inside the door on both sides of the door way a person can grab that strap at any time. as for the history of falling soldiers I don't know of any but I wouldn't doubt it has happened.

Answer 9

Look carefully at the pictures. There is a strap coming down from the ceiling of the helicopter to the gunner/observer. That is the safety strap.