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Covering the
history of the helicopter from it's inception right through to the killing
machines and rescue choppers of today, this documentary is great viewing.
The thing I
like the best about the Discovery Channel docos is that they don't run so long
that they are boring. They are concise, entertaining and to the point.
There are so
many details about choppers here and how they work (or don't) that I would
never have imagined. From the first attempts at flight, to troubles with
torque (the fact that the body of the chopper wants to spin as well as the
rotors themselves), to the design of the of the rear rotor that balances out
the torque of the machine.
We get to see
choppers prepare for combat and how they fly low to avoid radar and surprise
enemies. Live firings at targets are also included. A variety of commentaries
from the people who use these machines in their day to day work is also
included and it makes for a nice change from the narrator.
Get onboard
with a rescue crew and see how these nimble craft operate when saving someone
who has fallen down a cliff face. The helicopter has been the greatest
invention in terms of it's ability to save human life as well as take it. I
was flabbergasted at the ability to carry huge loads including trucks by some
of the larger choppers, their awesome capabilities were inspiring to behold.
I'd heartily
recommend this title, it's entertaining, informative and best of all, cheap as
chips to buy. You can get most of the docos from Discovery Channel through
Magna Pacific for about the $15 mark which means there is no excuse for folks
and schools not to pick them up.
- Tory Favro
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