Left: Chief Pilot Lee Hamilton Above: Chief Pilot Lee Hamilton conducting high reconnaisance prior to landing Photos: Dana Maxfield
The aviation facility was everything you
would expect of a well-organized and well-man- aged flight operation. Neat, orderly, and hangar full of obviously well maintained aircraft.
to take pictures of everything that has an Alabama State Seal on it,” Hamilton advised us. Enough said. The unit, when able and available, conducts train- ing and operations throughout the state, with near- ly every law enforcement agency that submits a request.
The one aircraft that stood out amongst the others in the hangar was the Bell 407.
Forget the
fact that this aircraft was manufactured 11 years ago, this machine looked like it had just rolled off the showroom floor. It was clear this team takes a great deal of pride in the manner in which they main- tain their equipment.
This 407 was very nicely-
equipped, full Chelton panel, NVG compliant, searchlights and FLIR, rescue hoist and quick dis- connect Dart tactical benches. As we arrived, the team was just finishing up the installation of the tactical benches and preflight. Interesting to note, everyone is involved in the preflight and aircraft preparation phases. Very little chance anything is overlooked with this approach.
“You are free
ELMORE COUNTY The training site was an abandoned farm. Off
the beaten path would be an understatement. However, I soon learned that these training loca- tions are carefully selected so they do not attract too many curious onlookers. This place fit the bill perfectly. Upon arrival I discovered that
the Bell
407, crew and Rotorcraft Professional’s Dana Maxfield and Sarah Kritner had already landed and the aircraft was being prepared for the first segment of today’s training exercises and tactical insertion. The Bell 407 is the perfect vehicle to get a small group into a small landing area.
Equipped
with the Dart Tactical Benches on each side, the 407 can deliver four Special Operations types - two on each side. We were allowed to get as close as we felt we could without interfering, a def- initely unique vantage point.
Elmore County Insertion Team boarded the 407’s bench seats, secured their seatbelts, and off they went.
The target of the insertion was an abandoned
farmhouse adjacent to the landing zone. The air- craft was to approach and land to a designated area then the
insertion team was 19 to conduct their
Properly briefed, the
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52