Had an unexpected visitor a couple of weeks ago...a KING of sorts...

Cableguy9238 wrote:

I live about 300 feet from the main enterance to the local municipal airport.  It is generally a quiet place, but from time to time, something interesting flies by or stops in for a spell.  Generally we only get light fixed wing traffic.  There is a helicopter training academy that recently opened up.  I think they fly a TH-55, but I am still trying to figure it out.  It has the convincing engine noise of a gnat straining against gravity. Well, I was lounging about one day when I hear a BIG sound coming through the walls....and then those walls started to vibrate.  Okay, I thought.  It's not "the gnat" and it's not Care Flight.  I slipped on my shoes and ran outside.  I was just in time to see a giant beast fly directly over the eave of my roof, front to back, and come in to land at the airport just on the other side of the trees. "The Gnat" was buzzing around like a fly to a cow, but it did not land. I went back inside, told the fiancee what new silliness I was up to, grabbed camera and car keys and headed for the door like a kid chasing after the ice cream man.  Here are a couple of the best shots that I could come away with when I wasn't standing there in awe, with my jaw in the snow. If anyone can i.d. the helos in the pictures, I would appreciate it Thanks -Adam   The Gnat: The KING:

The one at the top DOES look like a TH-55

The larger aircraft is a Sikorsky S-61.

HTH

Jonathan Primm

Amazing you didn't get into a wreck headed out there! If it was me, i woulda been dragging my tongue about 3 full car lengths behind me!

I had a similar experience though. Growing up, i was involved with the Civil Air Patrol Cadet program (yeah, i'm one of those!), so i got to be exposed to alot of vintage warbirds and events throughout southern california. but my home airfield in La Verne (Brackett airfield) was usually pretty quiet. But always twice a year, we would get a B-17G ( i think it was Sentimental Journey) and a B-24 lant and just spend a couple of days there- i think they were on tour, but i never got to talk to any of the pilots. But i always knew they were in town cause i would see em fly over my house since we were in the flight pattern. I would rush out there on bike and just gawk at them for hours. I'd seen warbirds many times before, but it was still just such a rush seeing them right there! May i never grow up....

Or.....as some of us like to still call them , Schwiezer 300C' s

 Yep, civil S-61 variant of the SeaKing family. You find a lot of the them in the offshore and logging business.

David