If you live in Maine..

a reply to: Corruptedstructure

Nothing wrong with disagreeing, but I've watched the guard in many places fly medevac, assist with SAR, and other missions. There are fewer UH-1s flying so parts are getting harder to get, so it makes sense for them to help out.

a reply to: Zaphod58

i understand but 5 years? wouldn't they want to take the strain off of the 50 yo aircraft? lol. the blackhawks have done nothing in the realm of reason since we got them.

a reply to: Corruptedstructure

It's not that easy. They can't just step in and say they're taking over. They have to work out who is paying for flight hours, when the Guard unit flies the mission, etc. Between them having to train on the new aircraft (which can take a year or more to get them fully operational), and work those details out, it could easily be 2-3 years. And that's not counting how long it took the government to realize they had that option.

The Hawaii Army Guard flew medevac missions for 20+ years, until there was suddenly a funding issue and they ended it with maybe 90 days notice.

a reply to: Zaphod58 5 years? really? i could know nothing about them. been givin ine disassembled ir and had it operational in half the time.. i'm no superman... lol. nevermind. not arguing the matter any longer..

a reply to: Corruptedstructure

Getting them assembled takes a few days. Then you have to finish training the maintenance and flight crews, train up medics, figure out procedure, etc. That's months right there.

Then the state government has to run a study on whether it's worth having them fly the mission, which is 6 months to a year, which is already pushing a year and a half to two years. Then figure out budgeting, another few months, and on and on.

a reply to: Zaphod58

why the consistant patrolling? like i said. i get 1 maybe the 2 but 4 really?

a reply to: Corruptedstructure

Each pilot has to fly a set number of hours a month to maintain their ratings. The more hours they can fly, the better off they are. The Marines lost two CH-53s with 12 people to a midair last year. One of the pilots had flown something like five hours in the prior 30 days, and had zero night vision goggle time in the previous year.

a reply to: Zaphod58
i know. but basic operations of a helicopter are the same. no need to ttravel undreds of miles a day..

a reply to: Corruptedstructure

They still have to practice navigation, rough terrain flying, low level flying, cross country (usually anywhere away from their base) operations, and more.

a reply to: Zaphod58
i know what you are saying. my grand father trained ww2 figter pilots in AT6s. not exactly a p40. ended up director of aeronautics in my state after. for all due respect. they are not training for ems..

a reply to: Corruptedstructure

No, they aren't. The EMS is a secondary mission as the news article said. There are no dedicated EMS military units. They fly them for the state as necessary, but the rest of the time their training for their primary mission, which is moving troops.

The Blackhawk is far more capable than their previous helicopters so they can do more with them. That means flying in different areas.

a reply to: Zaphod58

not from portland to bangor . they don't need 4 blackhawks to accomodate the project. i worked wit guys tat ad weekend guard duties after iraq nonsense.

sorry my keyboard is having issues

a reply to: Corruptedstructure

Unless where they're going happens to lie along that line.

a reply to: Zaphod58
i hope your veteran income is decent if you are one, all i really care about on the subject....

a reply to: cosmania

Land, debrief, fill out the maintenance forms, turn flight gear into the paraloft, change clothes and drive to the club, an hour sounds about right.