Post by magumba on Sept 12, 2011 11:03:28 GMT -6
Hi,
I served in Vietnam as a pilot with the second platoon of the 57th Assault Helicopter Company Oct 1968-Oct 1969.
Major Dowd (then Captain) was a platoon leader of the second platoon. We flew UH-1H 'slicks'. He was a very good pilot, I flew as his peter pilot on many missions including several FOB2 missions.
After I returned to the US I met him while taking a flight physical at Ft Ruckerl. He told me he had been selected for training as an astronaut. At the time the Army did not have any astronauts.
I read in the VHPA newsletter shortly after his death that he was checking out a Navy test pilot in the AH-1G. One of the required maneuvers was low G recovery. During the flight they got into mast bumping due to low G flight and the main rotor mast failed.
Very sad to loose a great pilot.
Take care.
I served in Vietnam as a pilot with the second platoon of the 57th Assault Helicopter Company Oct 1968-Oct 1969.
Major Dowd (then Captain) was a platoon leader of the second platoon. We flew UH-1H 'slicks'. He was a very good pilot, I flew as his peter pilot on many missions including several FOB2 missions.
After I returned to the US I met him while taking a flight physical at Ft Ruckerl. He told me he had been selected for training as an astronaut. At the time the Army did not have any astronauts.
I read in the VHPA newsletter shortly after his death that he was checking out a Navy test pilot in the AH-1G. One of the required maneuvers was low G recovery. During the flight they got into mast bumping due to low G flight and the main rotor mast failed.
Very sad to loose a great pilot.
Take care.