Interview with Ernest Borgnine, Star of Airwolf |
Article by
Louis Theb  26 /
Published 10 Dec 2003, 17:50
Last updated 18 Dec 2003, 07:29
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Recently, Bell Flyer had the unprecedented opportunity to interview one of the most recognizable personalities ever to be associated with helicopters, Ernest Borgnine, star of the 1980s TV hit, Airwolf.
Besides a top acting staff, this series featured a highly modified Bell 222 that added to the action by attaining supersonic speeds, delivering countless varieties of ordnance, and always helping to save the day.
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| AIRWOLF: Ernest Borgnine and his helicopter Photo: airwolf.org |
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Despite its enhanced performance, this Bell product was generally in a supporting role. Borgnine, and his co-star, Jan Michael Vincent, were the ones to watch.
Holding a conversation with Ernest Borgnine is what you might expect to experience if you had a discussion with Santa Claus. He never goes very long without a loud laugh or a chuckle, and he covers a lot of ground, from reminiscing about an autogiro landing at his boyhood grammar school to discussing USMC rotorcraft operations.
The following comments reveal Borgnine´s passion for life, and some interesting reflections on rotorcraft - past, present and future:
When asked how it felt to be the most famous helicopter guy of all time:
"Are you kidding? Oh my Lord! My God! You just paid me a great compliment, but I´ll tell you one thing: it was fun working with the helicopter. Every day that we could go up in it, we did, until finally the insurance people got so they wouldn´t let us fly anymore."
Concerning his first time at the controls with the stunt pilot:
"He said ´OK, go ahead and take over.´ Well, I was all over the air in no time at all, boom, bam, bim, you know. Until suddenly I learned that by holding your arm steady on your knee it was cinch. We had a ball!"
On flying with close friend (and long time Bell customer) Mel Larson of Action Helicopters:
"Mel and I have actually flown helicopters clear across the country together following [Interstate] 40. We´d leave Las Vegas and just head for 40, the highway, and off we´d go. One time I had him fly over the theater that I had started out in, the Barter Theater, in Virginia. Abingdon, VA, but that´s another story."
Remembering the cosmetically modified Bell 222 used in the TV series:
"This Airwolf was really something! We gussied it up with machine guns and everything else, and made it look like it was really something. We´d take it to air shows and put a big cordon around it so people would just look at it, but (they were told) you can´t touch, because even the Russians are very interested in this thing." [Long Laugh!!!!]
Relating how he got the role on Airwolf:
"The producer of the show came by one day and he said ´Listen, I´ve got a part for you, if you´d like to do it. It´s written for you.´ I said, ´Sure, what the heck, it´s something different!´ I went from motor torpedo boats to helicopters. Hey, it´s all in a day´s work as far as an actor is concerned."
Recounting the impact that Airwolf had on his acting career:
"I just looked on it as a job, and a fun job at that. That´s the best part of being an actor. One day you´re a train engineer, the next day you´re flying a helicopter, or the next day you could be on a boat. Our imaginations are fulfilled."
Critiquing his piloting skills:
"I had pretty good control of the thing."
His opinion of helicopters in general:
"I think they´re a marvelous mode of transportation. It´s a form of wonderment."
On Tiltrotor aircraft:
"I´ve been begging him (friend Mel Larson) to get one of those."
Did Ernest ever get his helicopter pilot rating?
"Oh no, no, no. I´m strictly an amateur, and all I did was ride in them. I just love to go up in them. I still enjoy it. It´s fun!"
Commenting on the Bell AH-1 Cobra:
"Wow! That´s a piece of machinery! I´ll tell you! That´s a flying fortress in itself!"
Reflecting on his experiences with Airwolf:
"It was a lot of hard work, I´ll tell you. I think we could still be doing it, because there are a lot of amazing stories connected to helicoptering. It´s an amazing thing!"
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Submitted by Patrick Foley, Business Development Manager, US/Canada.
Special Thanks to Mel and Marilyn Larson for arranging this interview. This article is Copyright Bell Helicopter Textron and has been authorised for use by airwolf.org under a special signed agreement. Not to be reproduced in any form. |
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