This does not inspire confidence:
Illegal immigrants threw rocks at a Border Patrol helicopter, forcing the pilot to make an emergency landing when one of the rocks damaged the rotor, the agency said.
Neither the pilot nor the Border Patrol observer was injured.
The A-Star helicopter was two miles west of the U.S. Port of Entry in Andrade, Calif., on Tuesday when a group of immigrants began throwing rocks at the aircraft.
I think helicopters are fascinating, and have flown in them numerous times, but I don’t think most people know how easy it is to bring them down. I know some people who swear that helicopters are the one machine out there that actively fights you when you use it as designed.
capelza
Everything I know about helicopters I learned from the husband. He was in MAG15 in that other war…though the only time his copter ever crashed was back in the States, I think at Edwards or one of those…the copter caught fire and they auto-gyrated down. His eyebrows got singed, a flash fire or something. They had to spend a couple days there under guard becuase of the sins of previous Marines who has been there (the AF was not amused apparantly) and as soon they got the copter fixed, they had to take off. That’s the most amazing part to me. A burned up copter that crashed gets patched up to fly…
srv
What is the point of hovering within throwing distance? These guys usually have night-vision cameras and all. On the border, you see these guys zooming back a forth at low level all the time. It was common in cities like Houston when the cops got their new toys. Waking me up at 3am, flying downt he street at 200′ because they could. Then people started shooting at them and they got a clue.
Alas, now they’ll start wanting to armor them and put guns on them. More expensive toys instead of common sense.
Davebo
I spent a lot of time in a Navy SH-3 and the single most disconcerting thing about it was how the front of it looked like a boat hull.
It’s like the were expecting it to go down.
RSA
In my time at a defense contractor company working with air force types, I learned that helicopters don’t fly–they beat the air into submission.
Rick
Well, just the image of “rotary wing aircraft” gives one pause.
Cordially…
KC
I was lucky enough catch a ride in a helicopter over the Sierras. We flew from just above Placerville up to Lake Tahoe. It shocked me at how fragile the thing seemed. When it got a little windy, the thing got pushed around like nothing.
BinkyBoy
The immigrants must also be on their way to meet up at Camp Casey, blame Cindy!
goonie bird
These are the crinmals that velente fox are dumping on us they should have been allowed to return fire with machine guns
Jim Caputo
I have no idea what happened out there, but I gotta think if a helicopter was close enough to reach with a rock, then the pilot might’ve been engaging in some kind of intimidation tactics and maybe….MAYBE…those people were in fear of getting chopped up by the blades.
Again, I have no idea. All I know is that a copter has to get pretty close to hit it with a rock. I’m glad no one got hurt though.
Charlie (Colorado)
If God had meant for those things to fly, He would have put the propellors on the front.
TallDave
Mexico is a quagmire. Bring our troops home now!
ppGaz
Mostly they are workers who will take menial jobs for low pay, and send money home to their families in Mexico, which is why Mexico doesn’t bother to stop them.
To suggest that they are disposable and should be mowed down with machine guns is ….. sociopathic. I’d be favor of sending you to Mexico to get you out of my country.
When you have to send choppers out to buzz around the flood of illegals, the game is over. Either tighten the border, or open it up completely. But choppers? Do you know how much it costs to operate one of those things for an hour, with a trained crew? For that money, we could just buy those people houses and cars in Mexico, bribe them to stay home, and come out ahead.
stickler
Want to solve the problem of illegal immigration?
Don’t use helicopters — especially in ways which allows campesinos to cripple them with rocks. (Rocks? Sheee-it, let’s call up Graf Zeppelin and see if any of his 1916-era flying ships are available. Bet they’re rock-resistant.)
Use “enforcement.” Only, not at the border (though that would be nice); instead, go after the bastards who hire illegals.
Gasp!
Ponder who that might be, and you’ll quickly understand why neither party has attacked this problem. You got your: meatpackers, landscapers, homebuilders, babysitters, Qwik-E-Mart-ers, and on and on.
And not to throw more flame on the thread, but the problem here is remarkably similar to that we face with illegal drugs. Bust the actual end-users? Crimp demand? Oh, hell no.
Ken Hahn
Have any of the rock throwers been charged with attempted murder? Were they even “caught and released”? We have an invasion and no response.
Why is it that liberals feel any low paid labor situation should be a crime except when it involves illegals. If employers couldn’t hire them at below minimum wage, maybe some of these jobs might bring in a better compensation.
MM
Ken Hahn Says:
Oh wait, was that a bit harsh? Sorta like painting liberals with a broad brush harsh?
Me? I’d worry about the actual crime committed regarding the chopper, rather than the brown scourge.
Keeping in mind that I like my food reasonably priced, and just don’t see a pile of Americans waiting to pick onions. Thusly, I’ll enjoy my winked at, grey market goods that keep me chock full of nutrients, while you enjoy all those juices that came from citizenry.
And unless that juice came off of Puff Daddy’s chin, you are probably pretty thirsty.
MM
[strawman kill]For the record, trying to down a helicopter is a Bad Thing and should be punished to the fullest extent of the law.[/strawman kill]
ppGaz
Whyis is it that rightwing potatoheads can’t make a post without putting words not said into other peoples’ mouths?
Mr.Ortiz
Hey wait a minute, if conservatives hate illegal immigrants so much, why aren’t THEY the ones boycotting corporate farms and buying locally produced organic goods at the farmers market? Looks like “libruls” are way ahead on this one.