The Steel Guitar Forum

A. The only thing anchored is the backside. Everything else is furiously working. Not a joke.

Bob

I've never flown a chopper but I imagine it's a good parallel. Pedal steel is cheaper if you go easy on the gadgets.

Heard at a gig..

"Like flying a Korean War vintage helicopter!"

hp

I have several friends who flew choppers in Nam. Scariest drivers of cars I've ever ridden with. They all seem to drive as if they were still flying.

Can't even imagine what had must have been like.

Dave

I'm a retired helicopter pilot and there are many similarities

both hands and both feet are working all of the time in coordination...the pedal steel may be a bit more difficult as both knees are involved as well!

pedal steel is a bit safer, though, unless you're playing in a really rough club

The biggest difference is that a helicopter can be tuned.

Jeff Garden wrote:I'm a retired helicopter pilot and there are many similarities

both hands and both feet are working all of the time in coordination...the pedal steel may be a bit more difficult as both knees are involved as well!

pedal steel is a bit safer, though, unless you're playing in a really rough club

Hovering is like standing on ball!

Doug Earnest wrote:The biggest difference is that a helicopter can be tuned.

My pedal steel guitar friend Harry Teachman is a retired helicopter pilot. This also reminds me of when Dave Letterman said playing the steel was like piloting a helicopter.

Didn't know that about Harry, Manny! Chris

A friend let me take the controls of his Piper Cherokee for a few moments once when we were at altitude. While I wasn't comfortable enough (financially, that is!) with it to follow up with actual instruction, I could see some similarities with steel playing in that in both situations there are numerous points of interaction with a mechanical device, and therefore a lot of parameters under one's control.

I've heard of fixed-wing pilots describing the experience as one of "wearing the aircraft", which seems very like playing pedal steel when everything is going right. My question is whether steel-playing helicopter pilots ever feel that degree of calm control when flying.

Dave Hopping wrote:My question is whether steel-playing helicopter pilots ever feel that degree of calm control when flying.

Don’t know whether he plays pedal steel, but…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUT-d_ZmIPY

—Al Evans

Spent some hours in a Hughes 500 J

I found it to be much easier than playing a pedal steel.

Being a “Retired Airline Captain” and Steel Player I have to chime in here.

Yes “all pilots” use hands, feet, at different times on the rudder pedals,throttles, yoke etc. However “ A Helicopter” is described as a “Thousand Parts” going in all directions and the “Pilot” is one of them.

Ok Helicopter Pilots now it is your turn.

Jeff Garden's a retired Coastguard helicopter pilot and has executed some pretty hair-raising rescues in hostile environments. He's been good enough to share a few stories with me.

The tough jobs he's done sound like they have a parallel in pedal steel: that's finding yourself on the Opry on TV night and having to play the intro and solo to 'I'll Come Running' in front of millions (especially if you can't play that fast to start with! )

For me the similarity is that I’m not very good at either.

"What do pedal steelers and helicopter pilots have in common?"

They're both in big trouble if their tail rotor quits!



`

My friend was a Top Gun, and I once asked him what it was like the first time he landed on an aircraft carrier, his response was "Every time is your first time"

I’m not flying in anything that don’t have wings and has to beat the air into submission so I’ll stick with pedal steel, lol.

as an "entry level" player, I've had a few gigs that I felt like I became "the pink mist" (Jeff Garden will know that term--walking into the tail rotor).

I've spent thousands of hours (well hundreds at least) in my past life in helos in 'necky' situations, mostly as a rescue guy, in the back, not flying. Wish I had those hours on the pedal steel.

Brooks Montgomery wrote:as an "entry level" player, I've had a few gigs that I felt like I became "the pink mist" (Jeff Garden will know that term--walking into the tail rotor).

:

We had a guy at NAS Whiting Field who approached a turning Huey on the ramp at night from the 6 o'clock position. Who does that? The T/R cut his helmet completely through. Incredibly after a sewing machine worth of stitches he recovered and continued on active duty - with the callsign Rotorface

Jeff Garden wrote:

Brooks Montgomery wrote:as an "entry level" player, I've had a few gigs that I felt like I became "the pink mist" (Jeff Garden will know that term--walking into the tail rotor).

:

We had a guy at NAS Whiting Field who approached a turning Huey on the ramp at night from the 6 o'clock position. Who does that? The T/R cut his helmet completely through. Incredibly after a sewing machine worth of stitches he recovered and continued on active duty - with the callsign Rotorface

Ouch. I tackled a few in the field that were headed back there. Thankfully, never saw the mist. With all that racket and high anxiety, it sure can cause some jack-wagonry.

Just this afternoon at my eye health appointment, the doctor and I were discussing the amazing flying prowess that CGS pilots exhibit. The weather that these guys have to fly in to effect rescues is mind boggling !!!! Jeff, you have my ultimate respect !!!!!!!

Harry T.

I often go into auto rotation on a solo ride!

Proud to have served, Harry. Everything was about operating as a crew and we'd all do anything to help each other out to get the job done. Great group of dedicated folks to work with. I did a tour at Air Station Cape Cod down your way in the early 1980's. Very fond memories. The weather out on Georges Bank can kick up pretty good!