Deeanne Gist - www.deeannegist.com - Inspirational Romance Author

Wednesday, June 28, 2006

Helicopter Training

My husband, Greg, went to helicopter safety training today. They strapped him in to a simulated helicopter (a cage with two seats and two windows), put a helmet over his head so he couldn't see anything, counted to three, plunged him into the water and rotated the cage 180 degrees (upsidedown).

He had to hold his breath until they tapped on the cage (approx. 8 seconds), before he was allowed to release his seat belt and swim out the window. The biggest thing they impressed upon him was, if the window was on his left before the "crash," it would still be on his left whether he was in the air or in the water, whether he was right side up or upsidedown, whether he could see or couldn't see. His left would still be his left no matter what.

Even though he knew where his window was and he knew they wouldn't let him drown, his adrenaline still maxed out and his heart pounded a mile a minute. He made it out his window first try.

Now, they sent him under with someone in the seat beside him. And Greg was told he couldn't go out his own window, but he had to go out the other guy's window--after the other guy was already through it.

This was a lot harder. Greg hadn't tightened his seat belt enough, so when he reached down to release it--it wasn't there. It had ridden up his stomach (remember, he's upsidedown, holding his breath and in total darkness). He found it pretty quickly, released it and hung onto a bar that he followed, hand-over-hand, to the opposite side of the cage.

Then, he plunged toward the window and rammed into a wall. No window. He became disoriented. Where was the window? To his right or to his left? He couldn't find it and ended up going out the "escape hatch" in the front of the cage.

He had to do it again. Next time , he got through the other guy's window with no problems.

Next, he had to don a cumbersome, thermal, rubber suit (to accomodate for freezing water temperatures). First he had to put in on out of the water, jump in and work out all the air bubbles. Then he had to put it on while treading water. Then he had to take it off (still in the water). He had to pull himself into a lifeboat. He had to form a circle with the other guys in the water. And I can't remember what all.

He came home exhausted, but with eyes glowing, gave me a play-by-play recap. Clearly, there was something about all that adrenaline that appealed to him on a level I can't even fathom. Had it been me, I'd have probably not passed. And when I got home, I'd have collapsed.

Where did he go after telling me all this and eatting his dinner? He went to play tennis with my daughter, her boyfriend and her boyfriend's mom. What is it with these men? Don't they know when enough is enough?

Anyway, I'm glad he's had this training, but if I were really open and honest, I'd have to confess that I *hate* it when he rides those helicopters out to the rigs. Absolutely hate it.

That's the bad news. The good news is, he has a really good job and they do everything they can to prepare and protect their boys.

I can tell you this much. Back when he was a kid and earning that B.S. in Engineering, never, ever did he think this would be part of the job. Whodathunk?

posted by Deeanne at 8:37 PM

9 Comments:

Barb said...: Good grief, that sounds like something James Bond would do! Does Mr Greg have higher aspirations???
Deeanne said...: He's always told me he would have made a great real-life James Bond. And I think he probably would have.

He has no such aspirations now, though--thank goodness. Not only is his body too old and uncooperative, but having such a job along with a wife and kids would be kinda tough, I'd think.

(I bet you didn't expect me to take your question seriously, did you?) :-)
Barb said...: Actually my husband might like to join him next time! Must be a lotta 40-something potential Bonds out there. But you'd make a better Bond babe than I would... :o)
Sharlene MacLaren said...: Hi, Dee! (I just whisked you off an email and now here I am on your blog site!) I think our hubbies would hit it off. My guy is always looking for a challenge. At 54, he still bench presses 200# and rides his bike 15+ miles a day. Me? Give me a wonderful book in which to escape and a sandy beach. Love your books BTW!
Meg said...: I was getting tense, just reading your description!

But now I'm picturing James Bond with a wife and kids swarming around him. Wouldn't that make a fun story? "Bond. Mr. and Mrs. James Bond...and the kiddos." Ha!
Deeanne said...: LOL, Meg.

I bet there are a lot of 40

I'm feeling your pain, Shar. And I'm a beach reader, too! Perhaps we should arrange vacations together. You & me can read on the beach and wave to our dh's as they jump out of airplanes. ;-)
Barb said...: I just can't conjure a picture of Sean Connery with a wife and kids. I'm sure it's happened in real life, but it's soooo wrong...
Tiff/Amber Miller said...: Hmm, adrenaline rushes and adventure/challenges. Sounds like you've married an Alpha Male. :) Those types of things sometimes thrill me too as I was raised around all guys for the most part.

Still, Dee, you gave a great description. Reminded me of that scene in An Officer and a Gentleman where they put the recruits through that kind of training. What does your dh do again?
Deeanne said...: Subsea engineering. They get oil from deep, deep water beneath the ocean's floor.