Landing a Helicopter on a Bank Robber's Car - Episode 61

Pilot Mike Silva recalls a high-speed chase that ended when his news helicopter stopped a fleeing criminal’s stolen car, allowing police to save a hostage's life.

Welcome to Season 7 of the Behind the Wings podcast! In this episode, Mike discusses Huey missions in Vietnam, piloting Copter4 at Denver CBS, returning to combat as the oldest Black Hawk aviator in Iraq, and saving lives during intense missions. From the Fire Base Mary Ann battle to flying alongside dangerous tornadoes, he has done it all in a career spanning more than 50 years. This one is going to be cool!

Resources:

• Wings Museum's Huey
• The UH-1 Huey (Wikipedia)
• The UH-60 Black Hawk (Lockheed Martin)
• The World: The Massacre at Fire Base Mary Ann (Time)
• 1988 Denver Police Chase (YouTube)

Chapters:

• (00:00) - Intro
• (01:36) - Which Aircraft Taught You the Most About Flying?
• (02:19) - Mike's Favorite Aircraft
• (03:17) - Aviation Beginnings
• (04:05) - Joining the Army
• (05:37) - Flight Training
• (07:24) - Going to Vietnam
• (08:03) - Lessons Learned From Vietnam
• (08:50) - Flying the UH-1
• (09:43) - Huey Roles
• (10:26) - Fire Base Mary Ann Battle
• (14:39) - Returning Home
• (15:28) - Working for CBS
• (17:02) - Landing on a Bank Robber's Car
• (23:14) - Journey to Iraq
• (25:18) - Encountering Snipers
• (26:10) - Vietnam vs. Iraq
• (27:05) - Awards and Honors
• (27:54) - Mike's Advice
• (29:15) - Outro