First solo around the world by helicopter, 1983.
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 11 พ.ย. 2024
- Australian legend, Dick Smith, completed the first Atlantic crossing and circumnavigation of the world, by helicopter, solo . This incredible feat of flying was accomplished in 1983, when Dick flew his JetRanger, for 37,000 miles, on a flight from the Bell works in Fort Worth, Texas and was featured in a BBC documentary, which I recorded on VHS and subsequently transferred to DVD then MP4 for upload to TH-cam. There are some mute sound parts where copywrite songs had to be removed..
During Dick Smith's successful North Pole flight in 1987; on the return flight, he came back through Kotzebue, Alaska. At that time I was the Chief Pilot at an AirTaxi in Kotzebue. I met Dick that day and we had dinner at the hotel that he was staying at prior to the day that he continued his flight. I was certainly impressed by his adventures.
I watched this as a kid and always loved the Bell 206. To this day, I still love the 206 and think Dick is a living legend and national treasure.
Haha you said dick
@@YeS-pn9hw Still no thumbs up for you Dick.. ha..ha..
Pathetic.
Thanks so much
A Chinon Pacific 200/12XL super 8 sound camera was used for this.
First time I've ever heard about someone flying solo around the world. Dick Smith sure is one brave & gutsy guy & a fantastic pilot .
1983, is it that far back?
Dick, you're an inspiration to so many people. Back when I was into electronics and radio it was your stores I went to and I never got a bum deal.
God bless you mate.
Fantastic. Saw the original when it was first broadcast. Never thought I would see it again. Thanks. Jimmy from Ireland
I learnt to fly (fixed wing) in 1984 after Dick completed this trip. He certainly was an inspiration and he's been a key figure in Australian General Aviation and business ever since.
I met dick smith back in 1984 . Very nice bloke , he was a major sponsor for an expedition down to Antarctica to determine the feasibility of restoring Douglas Mawsons hut and my brothers partner at the time was involved as a diver and photographer
I remember seeing this when it first aired and today it's just as awe inspiring as it was back then, well done Dick Smith that was an amazing accomplishment
Awesome video cheers for sharing! I was lucky enough to go for a fly in Dicks Aussie Explorer II B206, the second incarnation of VH-DIK out of Bankstown NSW back in 2007 when I was completing my Commercial Helicopter pilots license.
Dick Smith hopefully Australia's future Prime Minister.
😂😂 you said dick
Ah the good ole 80's, when a narrator can call Japanese pilots kamikaze's and no one sues him for being politically incorrect.
Well, I still call it as I see it.
vlogging before it was cool🤔🤔
Vlogging on super 8 film!
Thanks for uploading. I’ve been trying to find this documentary for years. I remember it from when I was a kid back in the 80’s. Cheers 🍻
I’ve got the book of this trip. Fantastic and he is truly an inspiration and a genuine person! Glad to find this!
Man ...he has BALLS ....
This must be very dangerous to accomplish !!!
Big RESPECT to Mr. Dick Smith !!!
Thankes for Sharing a video ! 🖐️
Thank you Thank you for posting this...amazing documentary footage and epic journey
wow, so glad I found this, brilliant
I have the book about this and its one of the best things I've read! Dick is an inspiration and the 206 my fave helicopter
I was aware of this flight from a book I randomly picked up a library many years ago. Possible the same one. TH-cam shows one of its best aspects, that is publishing otherwise lost and and unavailable footage long after it was created.
That's crazy that he couldn't understand the French ATC because they preferred to speak their native tongue. Wow, how times change, because now the French ATC speak English, even to the French pilots.
It was long before EASA...
I am enjoying watching this yet again..
Great Flying, congratulations. Love the parts where he is 50ft off the ground, nowadays you get shot for this. Good old days.
I think he did get shot!
Such a cool documentary
Great video and a very amazing man. Over water and no floats too. Only 315 hours and 1 year in the making of this World Record.
He must have big balls to fly that far in a helicopter by himself and without all the modern navigation aids we have today like GPS!
what great man and a great pilot/navigator.
I think he had GPS but just no map update on a scrolling screen, when he crossed the equator he was looking at the numerical readout from something instrument that seemed to know exactly where he was.
I could be wrong though.
So happy to have found this. Saw it on TV not long after he made the flight and haven't seen it since. I'd love to do it. Although with todays GPS, satellite phones etc it would be a bit easier navigating.
Holy Mackerel, how did that bullet miss him? He was one very lucky guy.
THAT WAS A GREAT LONG HELICOPTER TOUR AROND THE WORLD INDEAD.
That's cool he flew around the world 🌍 same year my dad was born
God bless him for shooting on 35mm film
A movie hasn,t look this good since Carl Sagan,s Cosmos!
Please note guys this is how a movie is supposed to look!
Special fuel increased the range of his Bell from 249 miles to 1200 miles. That's some extraordinary fuel.
Extra tank at start gives 1000 mile range, plus 1 more tank in Japan and special fuel, gives the 1200 mile range in favorable conditions..
@@RoryTrackrod Thanks, Urban Legend Says he bought it stock and took off the next day, was looking to see what mods were made to fuel system.
Dick Smith is amazing!! Truly a legend!!
Congratulations, well done!
Amazing flying solo in a helicopter around the world
Insane when you think about it! He is a hero!
@KING I take that back, he WAS a hero!!!
Most awesome people do most awesome things
Man, Dick Smith is a champion!
Just ran across this. Balls of STELL. Awesome and VERY VERY late Congrats. 😀
Tricky Dicky, what a top bloke
u so lucky i admire your motive .. thanks for sharing this with us great spirit
It looks like he flew this VFR most of the time. Anyone know what ratings he held at the time?
Thanks for sharing. Do you have any method I could purchase a copy with the sound not cut? I watched this as a kid and holds a very special place in my heart
Sorry, can't help you there. This is the best I've got.
@@RoryTrackrod thanks anyway
Legend!
😢Back when we took challenges not drugs in this country!
And I wondered why I am watching this at 1:42am in the morning
Awesome
thanks for sharing!!! great video
14:12 That large white sea plane must be the last Shorts Sunderland before Kermit Weeks acquired it.
I,m pretty sure he flew over Carstensz Pyramid and the glaciers but it looks like we aren,t going to see that!😢
Is there any website that lists his complete flightplan for this trip? I'm recreating this trip in Microsoft Flight Simulator and would like to be as accurate as possible.
Top video 👈🔝🎬🎥🔝🔝
Really enjoyed that - thanks!
Incredible journey!!
good show.
Who's the narrator in this, he has the best voice from that era :)
In 1983 only charts and compas... No GPS!
It was great in those days, learnt to fly in the mid 80s, it was fun, real flying.
Didn’t Dick later become head of CASA, the Australian aviation regulator ?
Nice round!
Thanks Rory Trackrod for oldie but goodie gym!!!!
I was told he refers to his Bell 206 as the FJ Holden.
There's nothing like spending time with the family to make one fly back off half way around the world... Lol
so actually we could travel across the world only with helicopter? Wowwwww.. like how long it takes to get back?
What's the music at the start of the vid called?
Pulstar by Vangelis.
@@tiadaid Thank you very much. I keep forgetting its name for no reason. Have been a fan of it since childhood. It has that "kick" to it.
Just watching this solo flight video makes me tired and fatigued. How does Legendary Dick do it? I'd probably take a week's rest and make it a vacation after the first stop to refuel. Jet lag.
some Day i will do that so cool.
When you’re ready let me know I’ll come too !
The opening piece of music in this film was a famous piece of music produced back in the 80s.. In the first minute during the opening introduction - the synthesised composition.. if someone knows it...
I've been looking for it for years and can't remember what it's called.
Anyone know it please..?
Pulstar. Vangelis. (No, not Pulsar!)
ianrkav you sir, are lifesaver, thank you very much!
why wouldnt he just sleep in the thing
Austin Powers flew around the world? I didn't know that.
Why did u do it .. for us
so "drink" means "water" in Australian (?)
Yes. It's an English saying. "Going in the drink", means, going in the sea or water...
Istvan Sipos
No, actually "water" means "water" in Australian, it's just a funny way of saying it "I am going in the drink" but normally in Australia you would say "I am going in the water". It's same thing like sometimes people joke around and say "I got hit on my melon" instead of saying"I got hit on my head".
Just please don't ask me if "Melon" means "Head" in Canadian. 🤣😂
yeah. I thought exactly that type of meaning. Slang. which sometimes is totally different in every country of the same language. Is it Australian ONLY? I've never heard it in 'Murican.
@@istvansipos9940
British say it also and even in the US people are starting to say it, I heard it a couple of times in video's but they could have been Canadian.
Going into the drink on the east coast of 'Merica means going into the water. It's gallows humor.
The americans beat him to it with spirit of texas
FAN-TASTIC
Krikey, he's flying low sometimes! No wonder he got shot at by poachers.
I will make a similar trip but we will not run out of fuel also all helicopters can join as it is a race for cash
What business does he have?
He founded a chain of electronics shops, a little like Radio Shack.
Bloody well done, no doubt, but why? It's like using a screwdriver for driving in nails. Use a fixed wing A/C for that type of flying, fcs.
More fun?
He bought a helicopter and they needed to deliver it down to Australia anyway, so why not!
@@tiadaidHe started in America and end in America, it didn't stay in Australia!
LOL Flat Earthers gonna love this video..
He flew around a FLAT EARTH!!!!!
Lol.. Dick Smith has also done a polar circumnavigation. He has flown over the north and south poles. The earth is a revolving globe, which orbits the sun.
DownsideUp my little nephew came home from school once, and told the family that he learned about captain James Cook and his attempt to do around the world circumcision..
You have no idea how much the family cried laughing. Much to his bemusement.. 😆
Flat and fixed ))
@@BentConrod The earth is no revolving globe and nor does it orbit the sun
lol
A nice flight around our flat earth ))