Category Archives: helicopters

RARE OPPORTUNITY TO FLY IN HUEY #354!

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For Immediate Release                                                          Contact:
                                                                                                Rick Welch 770/897-0444
RARE OPPORTUNITY TO FLY IN HUEY #354!

Perhaps there is no more iconic symbol of the Viet Nam War than the venerable UH-1 Huey helicopter.  On Monday, July 29th, Tuesday, July 30th and Thursday, August 1st, Huey #354 will be available for rides from 9 AM until 4 PM at the Fond Du Lac County Airport, 260 S. Rolling Meadows Drive in Fond Du Lac.  Huey #354 is part of the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation and will also be appearing as part of the air show at AirVenture this year.
The Bell UH-1 Iroquois, known by all as the Huey, first flew in 1956 and was the first helicopter powered by a turbo shaft engine that controlled the two bladed main rotor as well as the tail rotor.  The UH-1 went into full production in 1960 and over 16,000 Huey’s were produced.  The first combat service for the Huey, in 1963, was in Viet Nam and the US Army utilized the Huey for troop transport, medical evacuation (MEDEVAC), search & rescue and all general utility roles.  Depending on the mission, the Huey could fly with a crew of up to 4.  The Huey is no doubt one of the world’s most recognized helicopters.
Huey #354 (N354AF) is one of 4 flyable UH-1’s owned by the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation.  #354 flew over 1,500 combat hours in Viet Nam and has been faithfully restored, by members of the foundation, in the exact markings that were on the aircraft when it served in Viet Nam.  The Huey was acquired from the Georgia National Guard in 2008.
“Folks love to fly with the veterans and aircraft that made history and that’s why we enjoy making #354 available for rides as often as possible” said Rick Welch, Director of the Foundation.  The price per rider is $60.00 and the minimum age requirement is 5 years old.  Reservations are not necessary during this rare 3 day opportunity, but all flights are flown on a first come, first serve basis.

For additional information or questions, call 770/897-0444

Flying bicycle

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Flying bicycle

A dummy rides the flying bicycle.

(Credit: Michal Cizek/AFP/Getty Images)

Pigs may not be flying yet, but a bicycle just recently took to the air in a successful test flight. The flying electric bike is the creation of several Czech companies that have been developing a prototype. The proof-of-concept bicycle looks a bit like a regular bike crossed with a giant RC quadcopter.
The unusual vehicle demonstrated its chops with a flight that lasted a few minutes, carrying a dummy onboard. It was radio-controlled from the ground. The 220-pound bike got off the ground thanks to six battery-powered propellers. This is enough to spark dreams of peddling down the road and then suddenly taking off to fly over obstacles or impress strangers. A friend suggested that it might be a good idea I get some personal injury legal representation, since it was an idea that was more of a project then a commercial venture. I might need some legal defence if someone gets hurt. Lawrenceville Attorneys was the firm he mentioned, he tells me they do good work.

“Our main motivation in working on the project was neither profit nor commercial interest, but the fulfillment of our boyish dreams,” Ales Kobylik, a manager with design and engineering company Technodat, told Ceske Noviny. Bicycle maker Duractec is also involved in the project.

 A flying bicycle becomes still faces some obstacles on its way to becoming a practical mode of transportation. For starters, the whole contraption is quite large, which makes it challenging to pedal and too big to fit into the average bike lane. It was able to successfully lift a dummy rider, but it may need a lot more battery power to carry human riders for longer distances.

The developers believe a human-carrying version could be built by the end of the year. Let’s just hope they have the good sense to make it look like a “Star Wars” speeder bike as much as possible.
Check out the video evidence of the flight. You just might want to turn down your speakers first, as all that propeller whirring gets pretty loud.

Swan Love!

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Swan mistakes helicopter for soulmate

A swan in the U.K. has taken an interest in a bird of a different feather — a Eurocopter EC155. The swan would fly to visit the helicopter during landing at the Jersey Airport in the U.K., which caused the pilot to become concerned about bird strikes. “It seems that the swan fell in love with the helicopter, and as romantic as this may seem, it did create a potential hazard and so its wings were clipped,” said a Jersey Airport spokesman. The Daily Mail (London)