Billion-Dollar Helicopter?

[Leatherneck]

Well yeah, Hawk.

Did you know that one previous Administration spokesman actually had the gall to say: "The President really hates to see all the regular folk sitting at blockaded intersections when he travels by Limo, so he prefers Marine One."

We actually have reinstated royalty in this country.  :rolleyes:

TC

[Thor]

Early in my Navy career, the shore duty component of my squadron had all of the VH-3As for the Navy on the East Coast (HC-6). I had the opportunity to go into them. They made Cadillacs look cheap. Plush carpet throughout, fine leather recliners, several peculiar comm systems, accessible to the passengers and many other things that can't be discussed. The rules at the time was E-4 and below only did wash jobs and waxed the aircraft. E-5 and above performed any maintenance. Maintainers were required to remove their shoes before entering. It was surreal.

[RevDisk]

Early in my Navy career, the shore duty component of my squadron had all of the VH-3As for the Navy on the East Coast (HC-6). I had the opportunity to go into them. They made Cadillacs look cheap. Plush carpet throughout, fine leather recliners, several peculiar comm systems, accessible to the passengers and many other things that can't be discussed. The rules at the time was E-4 and below only did wash jobs and waxed the aircraft. E-5 and above performed any maintenance. Maintainers were required to remove their shoes before entering. It was surreal.

These days, you put on specialized slippers over your shoes.  Roughly the same one doctors use, but more padded on the soles.  Don't want stinky feet smelling up an aircraft, you know? 

The VH-3A was phased out in 1989.  Good aircraft, but old. 

And they need all this to fly from the White House lawn to Andrews AFB?

:Barf:

Nyet.  A bird is always ready to go "nearby" where ever the President happens to be.  VH-3D's are for the PR events and anything normal.  VH-60N's are for when things get (or have potential to get) interesting or the President is far from home.  Or shipping around second tier VIP's.  If you see a cluster of VH-60N's followed by a couple 53E's, things are very interesting.   

[280plus]

The only thing we see around here are B1-RDs Occasionally a GU-11 but those are usually hovering around Mount Trashmore. 

[Headless Thompson Gunner]

And they need all this to fly from the White House lawn to Andrews AFB?

:Barf:

Well, yeah.  If they didn't have the helimochoppers to fly him to Andrews they'd have to drive him, and then they'd need billion dollar limousines.

[Matthew Carberry]

At night all MIL DTL53039 dark green (shade FS34031) helicopters are black...

[FTA84]

Wait, it won't be painted earth-cooling white?

[Waitone]

Gold plating make a great faraday cage.

[Sergeant Bob]

Well yeah, Hawk.

Did you know that one previous Administration spokesman actually had the gall to say: "The President really hates to see all the regular folk sitting at blockaded intersections when he travels by Limo, so he prefers Marine One."

We actually have reinstated royalty in this country.  :rolleyes:

TC

I really take the statement to mean, "He hates to see all the regular folk having to sit blockaded at intersections because he chose to take the limo. When he takes Marine One, he doesn't cause traffic jams.

[Matthew Carberry]

I really take the statement to mean, "He hates to see all the regular folk having to sit blockaded at intersections because he chose to take the limo. When he takes Marine One, he doesn't cause traffic jams.

That's how I read it too.  Quite sensibly he hates to be a bother unnecessarily.  

Technically, if he weren't driving through a region that produces nothing of value, the opportunity cost of all those individuals unable to work for the amount of time delayed by the motorcade would probably outweigh the comparatively higher cost of choppering it.

[RevDisk]

That's how I tead it too.  Quite sensibly he hates to be a bother unnecessarily. 

Technically, if he weren't driving through a region that produces nothing of value, the opportunity cost of all those individuals unable to work for the amount of time delayed by the motorcade would probably outweigh the comparatively higher cost of choppering it.

Choppering it isn't that expensive, relatively speaking.  Compared to the delays and security prep work for any route he takes.  Helicopters are expensive in infrastructure, but per engine time hour isn't that bad.

[Matthew Carberry]

Choppering it isn't that expensive, relatively speaking.  Compared to the delays and security prep work for any route he takes.  Helicopters are expensive in infrastructure, but per engine time hour isn't that bad.

Welllllll, look at fact boy here with his facts and stuff.

[seeker_two]

Darn it, it's MIL DTL53039 aircraft dark green, specifically Federal Standard# 34031 (as specified in the FS 595B - Colors used in Federal Procurement).  Is it REALLY that hard to say "Em dark green (shade FS34031) helicopters are doing XYZ" instead of "Em black helicopters are doing XYZ"

Gah!  I swear tin foil makes people immune from using proper and accurate nomenclature!   





 

You gov't types are only saying that because you don't want to admit to the black helicopters....



 

[RevDisk]

You gov't types are only saying that because you don't want to admit to the black helicopters....

I'm aware that "denial is proof", but I haven't worked for the govt in any capacity in many years and back then I was just an innocent, boring commo geek.  If ya need help with a SINCGARS or a network, I'm your dude.  Now, on the other hand, Leatherneck IS one of 'em nefarious govt folks.  Ask him about his black ops missions involving a coffee pot, a bottle of vodka, a TPS report, and three cute Pentagon secretaries.


But seriously, black is a bad color if you're trying to hide.  It's too dark, and thus easy to spot.  Lighter colors blend in better and are much harder to spot.  Some spy aircraft and UAV's actually have lights on the bottom to make them harder to spot.  Simple wiring, you literally just need a light dependent resistor, a control relay and a light.

[Gewehr98]

Black, blackish-green, greenish-black, that's no way to paint a helicopter.   

[RevDisk]

Only thing better would be a shot of that helo doing a low forward sweep, with some dudes dressed in mice costumes running away as fast as possible.   

[Matthew Carberry]

Low-level flyover at a Furry convention?