Quote Originally Posted by rayh__ View Post
I'm not convinced. It's the helicopter leaving (run in reverse). We need a BS imoji.

Notice how the helper holds the pull cord handle until the cord is fully retracted.
That would mean that the aircraft is flying backwards at the begging of the video. Flat and level in reverse, that is harder to believe.
If would see some of the maneuvers that military pilots do then this video is not hard to believe at all.
I have personally been in an OH-6 gunship where the pilot took-off at full power went straight up, rotated 180 deg with the nose down and got up to almost 60 mph ground speed at 80ft off the ground in about 2 sec. all the while not moving more than 20 ft from the original position on the tarmac. Same guy could hover that thing while we pick ed apples off a tree from different limbs. He said he had done barrels rolls and complete rotations before.
Some of the things I have seen the CH-47 guys do deify human comprehension and leave you with the feeling that they know how to do magic.