A Black Hawk files over the crowd during the combined arms demonstration
Many of you are probably aware that “Look Up Rhode Island!” is the slogan or catch phrase being used in conjunction with this year’s Rhode Island National Guard Open House & Air Show. I do think the phrase is pretty catchy, and I wish I through of it myself. Today I received a rare chance to instead look down during the Air show.
Just to be clear I do not look down on anyone in the metaphoric sense, I just feel I was blessed with a chance to view the show from the sky, which could have easily of gone to many other people who are probably more worhty such a chance. If you want to learn more about how you can be blessed stop by Quidnesset Baptist Church’s living water booth; of course I cannot promise that you will get a helicopter ride or anything like that, but I can guarantee you God can supply all our needs through Christ.
Now I must say the view was spectacular; I saw Jamestown and the bridges with a low lying fog around them while flying in a formation of UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters. The formation also included one UH-1 Iroquois (aka “huey”), which they are sadly going to be retiring next year. The Black Hawk which I rode in deployed three infantry when it touched down in show center during the combined arms demonstration, and then quickly lifted back up. Of course if it was going into a real battle situation it would likely deploy up to 11 combat troops. The helicopter flies with two spotters, one on each side; they wear a belt which stretches and allow them to almost hang out the windows.
The Rhode Island squadron which I flew with had actually deployed to the Dominican Republic just recently on a humanitarian mission and had returned only last week, (They try to refrain from calling it humanitarian while down their to avoid offending their sense of national pride, which is always difficult in the same way that you often never know whether you should hold the door open for a physically disabled individual or not, because they may take offense). It just so happens that my brother deployed with them, so I have some photos to show you from the Dominican Republic. Including lots of common cement homes, a few castles or resorts scattered through out the countryside, and a photograph of a true “FORD” car; FORD meaning “fix or repair daily”. There is also a photo of an airplane which is probably in even worst condition than the car; it apparently had a double engine failure. Further, there are photographs of them sling loading a huey helicopter that had crashed in the mountains, and truly demonstrating the abilities of the Black Hawk’s ability to carry a load. They typically demonstrate this at the Air Show by attaching a car or something, and sometimes they even drop it just for effect. This image will just strike you as a little different when you see it, because you see the Black Hawk as almost being in the position of helping out a fallen comrade almost (granted they are just machines in reality but there is so much symbolism reflecting the human factor in seeing these machines hooked together). It can also symbolize the younger generation helping out the older generation. So check back for those photographs taken by Mike Haynes tomorrow.
Today the gates open at 9 am and they will have basically the same show as yesterday, so long as the weather holds. Last I heard there was about a 50% chance of rain, and the weather man was opomistic. Today’s schedule is as follows (Most acts last about 10 to 15 minutes):
9:50-10:00 Opening Narration
10:00-10:15 Opening Flag Jump Black Daggers
Sean D. Tucker
John Klatt
Army Blackhawk Demo
Ed Hamill
F-22 Raptor
Mike Goulian
F-16 Viper
C-130J-30
The USASOC Black Daggers Mass Jump
The Horsemen P-51 Demo
Heritage Flight
Canadian Snowbirds
Combined Arms
The US Navy Blue Angels
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Tags: Air Show, aircraft, black hawk, blue angels, chopper, combined arms, helicopter, helil, navy, plane, raptor, snowbirds, us navy
