EXERCISE RATTLESNAKE | When An Apache Top Gun Hands Over The Controls

[Music] it's extremely grueling we always say that we're we stretch you to the point where we can see all your your holes the joint readiness training center rotation is like a cricket uh bat in the face over and over again and i'm joining the welsh cavalry as they spend 12 days in what's known as the box a feared training area that's been used to test troops to their limits for decades it's the most advanced attack helicopter in the world the apache rains down hellfire missiles it's known as the tank buster it became iconic in afghanistan where prince harry served as an apache co-pilot and gunner the taliban nicknamed it the mosquito weighing 10 tons with a two-person crew it can dive into action at speeds of up to 200 miles per hour it's armed with a 30 millimeter chain gun firing 600 rounds a minute it can carry up to 76 rockets 16 hellfire missiles and 1200 rounds but what's it like to fly in one the u.s army is allowing me to become the first british journalist to be granted special permission to be flown in one of their apaches 10th combat aviation brigade part of 10th mountain division are on one of the biggest military exercises that's taken place in the world this year they've traveled from new york to louisiana and one of their top guns has agreed to fly me so we've just been told that there are only two pilots here who are even allowed and trained to take a civilian up in an apache helicopter they can't remember the last time this happened it's so unprecedented i am incredibly excited randy wanted to join the military since he was seven years old he started off as a mechanic on apaches and is now one of the most senior pilots in the u.s army next year when he retires he will become one of their top gun instructors at their flight school i have uh actually as an aviator i've deployed to iraq once in afghanistan twice and then on the front in korea twice as well have you ever flown a civilian in an apache before oh i have not this will be my first time so uh when we get back and if they look down there and the helicopter's doing all kind of funny things just know that she's on the controls and not me the configuration and complexity of the aircraft means it's exceptionally rare for a civilian to be flown the detailed safety brief makes that very clear i'm paying very close attention all right if we go down in water i'll blow the canopy first prior to going in because it'll implode instead of explode okay once you get in water due to the pressure we lose calms i will level the aircraft training at that point stop right it's day you would hear me bang on the the the uh the uh bulletproof glass that's letting you know the look back there's a little mirror you can actually look back and see me and if i point towards my mic that means that i can't hear you all right but if you do well out on the objective i may let you fly a little bit on the way back but at at no time if i i said hey i have the controls just allow me to have the controls okay at no time will i allow you to fly by yourself i will be shadowing the controls at all times sounds very sensible thank you so much next i have to get fitted for my helmet and kit there's lots of preparation before we get off the ground that's actually pretty darn good feels feels great that's good right there [Music] meanwhile randy makes a call to the weather team thunderstorms had been forecast for the day but things are looking much brighter all right weather looks good so weather brief complete just gotta hop in and go right so this is the uh the sick bag um some pretty apt artwork on it here i think but uh i'm gonna try not to use it it's time and dragon zero zero even gives me my own call sign goose goose flying with dragon zero zero when you talk to tower you tell them goose zero zero he's a big fan of the film top gun i'm very happy with that we talk her in and get her situated okay and then they give it back for starting engines dozens of crew are involved in getting an apache off the ground their work is absolutely vital and ensures all runs smoothly so i don't own it this young lady here owns it so that is her we just we just borrow it yep so it belongs there it belongs to her well thank you for letting me fly in it hey give me the front seat oh yeah and around the cycle there you go perfect she's buckled in yeah so [Music] oh [Music] okay every night [Music] and now it's time to have a go for [Music] myself [Music] wow [Music] is [Music] um okay what i have to say um my favorite pilot of all time randy absolutely [Music] right moving it felt like it was part of my arm i was struck by the speed and the maneuverability and next it was time to see whether i could keep my breakfast down randy wants to demonstrate something called a pitch back turn and with that it's time to head for once in back life i'm actually speechless it was incredible the view from up there uh and when he said you've got control of the aircraft the the spike of adrenaline was just unlike anything i've ever felt how did she do well goose did well i mean she's definitely a natural you know a natural chuck yeager so by far one of my easiest students to train and just bring this there you go came back with a little pitch back turn and she's good to go now thank you so much join me next time as we meet the enemy and find out why they're called geronimo sean goes czech forces news alexandria airport louisiana if you enjoyed this video don't forget to like and subscribe to our channel

Channel: Forces News

Views: 129,343

Rating: 4.9440475 out of 5

Keywords: Forces News, Forces TV, British Armed Forces, British, Forces, military, serving, military personnel, Ministry of Defence, British defence, British military, fort polk, louisiana, us army, us forces, apache, apache helicopter, bfbs, helicopter, military aircraft, military helicopter, aircraft, exercise rattlesnake, rattlesnake, ex rattlesnake

Id: hrYEZmtzBsw

Length: 11min 0sec (660 seconds)

Published: Mon Jun 21 2021