Surprised at Being Alive cover art

Surprised at Being Alive

An Accidental Helicopter Pilot in Vietnam and Beyond

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Surprised at Being Alive

By: Robert F. Curtis
Narrated by: David Colacci
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About this listen

Sometimes you do everything right, but it just isn't your day. A part fails and your helicopter comes apart in flight, or, another aircraft runs into you and the pieces of both fall to the ground below, or the enemy gunner pulls the trigger at just the right moment and his rounds find your aircraft in exactly the right spot to take it out of the sky. Whichever way it happens, it wasn't your day.

Which is why, after 24 years and over 5,000 flight hours with four armed services, Major Robert Curtis was so surprised at being alive when he passed his retirement physical. Starting with enlisting in the Army to fly helicopters during Vietnam, and continuing on through service with the National Guard, Marine Corps, and Royal Navy, he flew eight different helicopters - from the wooden-bladed OH-13E, through the Chinook, SeaKnight, and SeaKing, in war and peace around the world. During that time over 50 of his friends died in crashes, both in combat and in accidents, but somehow his skill, and not an inconsiderable amount of luck and superstition, saw him through.

©2014 Robert F. Curtis (P)2019 Tantor Air Forces Armed Forces Military War Aviation Transportation US Air Force Vietnam War Memoir

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All stars
Most relevant  
I wasn’t sure I was going to enjoy this at first but it wasn’t long before I was really enjoying it! A really good biography of an interesting career across four military services.

A great listen!

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The laconic way the book is written beautifully counterpoints the very painful memories of the author. The account of a professional airman not a politician. Much enjoyed.

truthful and insightful

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I liked that the author took a slightly different approach to the “classical” stories that tend to come out of the experience of helicopter pilots in Vietnam. The author doesn’t spend too much time on his training experiences, and he has a much wider variety of experience than just his time in Vietnam. His story gives us an overview of an entire career in helicopter flying flying, in different services in different countries. He’s also very straightforward about the risks and how he dealt with them. There are no shortage of biographies from helicopter pilots, but of the many that I’ve listened to I would rate this is one of the best.

A worthy addition to the Helicopter pilot genre

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An excellent account of a helicopter pilots flying career. Brilliant narrator as well. A great read that was thoroughly enjoyed

Excellent biography

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Really enjoyed this book. Very interesting stories, funny in places, intense and sad in other places also. All very well written and very well narrated!

Very enjoyable!

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What can I say...
I've listened to many Helicopter based life stories but this one really drew me in.
What an amazing life, filled with both happy and really sad memories.
Brilliant.

So glad to have heard this amazing story

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Extremely informative insight into the life of a military pilot, informative, interesting, funny and at times very touching. Nicely written and very well read.

Very entertaining

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A most illuminating history of helicopter aviation across so many theatres. While not the best military aviation book, it is well worth listening to. As for the narrator: at first I disliked the American style, but he definitely grew on me. Stick with this book, and it will reward you.

The longer you listen, the more this book will reward you.

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This isn’t a patch on Chickenhawk but it spans a much longer period with a lot of interesting near misses on different helicopters. But it really grates when he keeps saying cheated death again - luck and superstition that’s all it is - ok ok I get it

Interesting life story

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