[TowerTalk] Helicopters

[Craig Clark]

        At 04:04 PM 6/30/97 -0400, you wrote:
>
>
>You should see the 22 year old punks that fly the Army helo's going to 
>the Ranger training camp (mountaineering section) near my shack.  I was 
>on the tower one day and could see the whites of the gunners eyes as they 
>banked around my hilltop.  What's really scarey is when they come buzzing 
>over in the middle of the night during a contest and the shack shakes.  
>
>I called the Army HQ down south and had them put my towers on their 
>advisory.  I dont know if it made a difference, but at least I tried.  
>Someone once told me that they have to stay 100' above treetops.  No idea 
>if that's true.

Doubt it. During basic training (Vietnam era at Ft. Bragg) we routinely flew
just above the tree tops doing infantry insertions. My guess is we were no
more than 50' over the trees. It's called "nap of the Earth" flying. It is a
real rush to be sitting on the deck of a Huey at 120 knts 50' over the trees.

I have a lot of respect for the guys (pilots and "grunts") who did go to
Vietnam 
and got shot at.

When Devans was in operation, we had night flights from time to time. These
guys have night vision goggles and FLIR to keep them from hitting something
on the ground. I suspect there are specific rules abt height and night flying. 

While I am prejudiced, these guys are the world's best! Let'em do what they
have to do!

73 Craig
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