The Return of "The Chopper"

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308GUY · #61 Post by **308GUY** » Fri Aug 02, 2013 3:51 am

Make sure your camera (both still and vid!) are in perfect working order before you go up!

Looking forward to hearing/seeing your account of this experience. We both know you're gonna do it

(Great to see you posting again too.)

(Were there enough parentheses in this post?

)

golfmobile · #62 Post by **golfmobile** » Sat Aug 03, 2013 12:36 am

You're right. We're going to do it. IF we can!! And . . .

Don't worry, we both have cameras that shoot both videos and stills, and we have several SD cards for them -- three 8GB cards and two 16GB cards, plus we have three extra batteries (for a total of five batteries) and we will make SURE all the batteries are fully charged! These are the Sonys we use for filming our snorkeling adventures, and they are the ONLY point-and-shoot, smaller-than-cigarette-pack size cameras that zoom WHILE filming a video (Sony DSC-TX10 and DSC-TX20).

Larry actually quickly agreed to this "adventure." YEA!!!! Actually, I think he wants to wear HIS Magnum shirt (the parrot shirt in black and purple) for the flight, since I've managed to rather drag him into my "appreciation" for everything MPI!! So his agreement to the activity was communicated to me when I broached the subject as rather a concession to granting me a "bucket list" item, but I think he just wants to do it too. You may recall he rather made fun of me for heading for the tidal pool at the Anderson Estate within a day of our arrival on Oahu, with Magnum GI in tow a day or so later, and then a few days later, HE (Larry! not MGI!) was the one filming there!!! I guess I need to pack MGI for this trip . . . . You don't know HOW awkward it is to explain him to TSA agents . . . . and he gets really indignant when I put him in checked baggage (the last time I tried THAT, HE [and our checked bag] went to St. Croix while we went to St. Thomas!!!).

But what other musical accompaniment for OUR video can we use but the MPI theme?? Okay, everyone who goes to Oahu and takes the TC flight HAS to use the MPI theme as the background music!! It's going to be a challenge to beat that other video -- it's the one that sold Larry on doing this -- so MAJOR kudos to ThomasMagnum and his video. It was GREAT! The first and most impressive!

The sad part is that I still haven't gotten a response to the email I sent to Paradise Helicopters to see if they have anything available for the week that we will be there. I do hope all my excitement about this isn't a total waste of time and energy! I am SO excited.

Okay, I do have to confess something here. Larry works for Delta Airlines, and Hawaiian Air is a "codeshare" partner of Delta. So probably one of the main reasons that Larry was so quickly willing to do this activity is due the fact that we can take the flight hop over to Oahu for $44 per person round trip. That's rather hard to raise an argument against, isn't it?

Input?

golf

P.S. Just checked email and got an answer to my inquiry! Cut to the chase: They should have something available since we're inquiring so "far" in advance. So now the planning starts . . . . Excitement level just shot off the chart --again . . . .

scotty73 · #63 Post by **scotty73** » Sat Aug 03, 2013 1:55 am

Hi guys,

I made the flight on July 17 - time of my life! Did the 'doors off' Best of Oahu tour. Hovered over the Anderson Estate and the Makai Research Pier for quite a while.
When talking to Josh - the pilot - he told me Magnum PI was his inspiration to get into flying.

So here's some pics...

P7174495 by ScottyL73, on Flickr

P7174476 by ScottyL73, on Flickr

P7174326 by ScottyL73, on Flickr

P7174337 by ScottyL73, on Flickr

P7174332 by ScottyL73, on Flickr

P7170341 by ScottyL73, on Flickr

P7174484 by ScottyL73, on Flickr

P7174477 by ScottyL73, on Flickr

P7174478 by ScottyL73, on Flickr

P7174481 by ScottyL73, on Flickr

Happy to answer any and all questions guys! I did an hour tour, wasn't cold at all with the doors off, and wasn't 'scary' with the doors off - gives you a great opportunity to take awesome photos!

Also visited the Anderson Estate and had a swim in the tidal pool - I'll post them later.

Mahalo guys

#64 Post by **Doc Ibold** » Sat Aug 03, 2013 2:45 am

Nice pics!

And awesome shirt!

scotty73 · #65 Post by **scotty73** » Sat Aug 03, 2013 3:36 am

Cheers Doc Ibold - I get a lot of comments when I wear my Appetite for Destruction shirt

308GUY · #66 Post by **308GUY** » Sat Aug 03, 2013 3:39 am

Good googily moogily! Fantastic pics. Almost expected to see the Ferrari parked at the end of the driveway there. Don't see me ever being able to get there myself, outside of winning the lottery, and I guess you have to play for that to happen?

So I'm looking forward to everybody's pics, vids and stories of the excursion. Thanks scotty73 for posting yours.

GM-sounds like you've got everything under control, glad to hear you will be able to add this experience to your adventure, don't suppose you could fit me into a suitbag or something huh?

Never thought I'd be envious of a "doll", but kinda wish I could trade places with MGI for the trip!

You'll have a blast, I'm sure. Really like your writing style, so don't be shy when you tell us all about it....and TAKE NOTES!

scotty73 · #67 Post by **scotty73** » Sat Aug 03, 2013 3:52 am

Cheers 308GUY

#68 Post by **ConchRepublican** » Sat Aug 03, 2013 3:54 am

I bow to you! Awesome!!

Danno · #69 Post by **Danno** » Sat Aug 03, 2013 5:59 am

Wow, Scotty! We supposedly did the same tour but we didn't go anywhere near the estate!!!
Did you guys head over to Pearl?

scotty73 · #70 Post by **scotty73** » Sat Aug 03, 2013 6:36 am

Sure did Danno - spectacular views on a perfect day! Here's some of the pics - enjoy

P7174206 by ScottyL73, on Flickr

P7174204 by ScottyL73, on Flickr

P7174203 by ScottyL73, on Flickr

P7174201 by ScottyL73, on Flickr

P7174200 by ScottyL73, on Flickr

P7174199 by ScottyL73, on Flickr

P7174198 by ScottyL73, on Flickr

P7174197 by ScottyL73, on Flickr

P7174194 by ScottyL73, on Flickr

P7174192 by ScottyL73, on Flickr

Steve · #71 Post by **Steve** » Sat Aug 03, 2013 12:25 pm

Wow, that is all I can say (and great shirt and hat)............Don't forget folks, we still still need someone to attach a bullet hole sticker to the windshield (GOLF!!!).......Even if you get permission and do it temporarily..........

KENJI · #72 Post by **KENJI** » Sat Aug 03, 2013 2:27 pm

Hi Scotty,

Incredible pics and your so lucky to get a pic up close with the chopper. It must've been a slow day for them or you were the first ones of the day because they usually get people on and off as quick as possible to max out the day and you wouldn't get a chance to have a stationary shot with the blades not even turning......lucky you! I'm amazed that the USS Arizona is still leaking oil after all these years. Your shots of the Anderson Estate show the roof really well....it appears they may have painted the roof tiles....it looks two tone in a few spots. I hope that isn't the case because once the sun and salt starts to works its way under the paint and starts to peel it up there will be one heck of a mess/job to maintain in the years to come. Strange that you went over the estate and Danno didn't......did you request a fly over? How much was that one hour tour? Great call on the doors off.....the only way to go for taking pics and getting the true feeling of flying in a chopper.
Thanks for sharing Scotty! I was lucky enough to have one of those Paradise/Magnum posters signed by Larry and Roger sent to me by a friend who was there for the big day, but it doesn't compare to your experience. It's on my bucket list that's for sure!

#73 Post by **J.J. Walters** » Sat Aug 03, 2013 5:16 pm

Great post and pics Scotty! Awesome that the flight takes you over the Estate! Thanks for sharing!

Loaded like a freight train
Flyin' like an aeroplane
Speedin' like a space brain
One more time tonight

scotty73 · #74 Post by **scotty73** » Sun Aug 04, 2013 12:50 am

Cheers Steve

scotty73 · #75 Post by **scotty73** » Sun Aug 04, 2013 2:07 am

G'day Kenji,

Thanks so much. And yes, I think you're right, I was lucky that day. I made it clear I was a big fan of Magnum PI and Josh the pilot is too. It was all very laidback. I talked with Josh for a good 10 minutes after the flight while his crew refueled and put the door back on. He was more than happy to invite me into the cockpit. I asked if he met Roger & Larry on the launch day and he did! He said it was a dream come true!

The Arizona will leak oil for many years to come apparently - she leaks more than 2-4 litres a day. Varying reports on how much is left but could be up to 5000 litres.

The poor old Anderson Estate seems like it needs a lot of work. You're right about the roof tiles though, it does seem like some have been replaced. The poor old boathouse is falling apart though...

I did request a fly-over the Anderson Estate but it seemed like Josh was heading there anyway. Had to make sure! Pretty sure I paid around USD$250 for the flight, worth every cent! I also received one of those posters and a Paradise Copters trucker hat when we returned. I filled in a questionnaire and tipped Josh some extra cash at the end so maybe that's why I got them - no-one else seemed to get them.

Anyway, thanks for the kind words Kenji - mahalo!

Cheers, Scotty

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