Classic Old School Huey Helicopters Become Attack Drones

[SZonian]

If a remote outpost or a distant patrol needs aerial resupply, a human pilot now has to fly cargo in, despite hostile fire, bad weather and worse terrain. So why not have a robot do the dirty and dangerous work?

The legendary Bell UH-1 Iroquois helicopter, otherwise known as the Huey, has done it all. It has served as military transport, helicopter gunship, medical evacuation, search and rescue, special operations, and antisubmarine warfare. Pretty much anything a helicopter can be asked to do, the Huey has done.

But now, is the Huey to become a drone?

That’s quite a sixtieth birthday present for the Huey, which made its first flight in 1956. More than a helicopter, the Huey is a cultural icon, the most famous symbol of the Vietnam War. But even beyond Vietnam, the Huey was a prolific aircraft. It ranks as the most widely produced of all Western helicopters. Between 1956 and the 1980s, almost twelve thousand Hueys were built, plus another twelve thousand Bell 204s and 205s, the civilian version of the Huey.

Now unmanned aircraft manufacturer Aurora Flight Sciences has a plan for the Huey to essentially fly itself as an autonomous robot by 2018.

[excerpted]

http://www.scout.com/military/warrior/story/1730858-classic-huey-helicopters-become-attack-drones

[Cripplecreek]

My uncle flew them in Vietnam. He says they're amazingly maneuverable.

He says they're big heavy beasts but once you get the feel and know the limitations a decent pilot could make one dance a ballet.

Graduation day at Ft Rucker back in 69ish.

[Oceander]

My uncle flew them in Vietnam. He says they're amazingly maneuverable.

He says they're big heavy beasts but once you get the feel and know the limitations a decent pilot could make one dance a ballet.

Graduation day at Ft Rucker back in 69ish.

Tell your uncle thanks for his service. 

[Cripplecreek]

He's got some dried up leaves in a frame at home that came from an infantryman he pulled out of the jungle on the day the guy was due to rotate home.

The landing zone was under heavy indirect fire but my uncle landed an already partially loaded chopper to pick up 2 wounded and the infantryman rotating out. The infantryman was so grateful he vowed to remember the pilot's name. The infantryman was dangling his feet out the door as they skimmed the treetops at 160 knots. Anyway the guy caught some treetop leaves in his boot laces and took them home with him. The guy found my uncle some 30 years later and gave him those leaves.

[SZonian]

My uncle flew them in Vietnam. He says they're amazingly maneuverable.

He says they're big heavy beasts but once you get the feel and know the limitations a decent pilot could make one dance a ballet.

Graduation day at Ft Rucker back in 69ish.

[bolobaby]

Man, as ex-air assault, I've flow so many sorties in Hueys and couldn't even give a count.

My uncle flew them in Vietnam, along with Chinooks. After the war, he flew with the National Guard. They actually had an LZ by my grandparents old farmhouse where he would land during drill weekends. Prior to landing, though, he would put on a show skimming the treetops of the NH forest around our nearby cabin.

The LZ was called LZ Cookie - so named because Nana would carry a tin of cookies out to them whenever they would land. Heh.

[SZonian]

Man, as ex-air assault, I've flow so many sorties in Hueys and couldn't even give a count.

My uncle flew them in Vietnam, along with Chinooks. After the war, he flew with the National Guard. They actually had an LZ by my grandparents old farmhouse where he would land during drill weekends. Prior to landing, though, he would put on a show skimming the treetops of the NH forest around our nearby cabin.

The LZ was called LZ Cookie - so named because Nana would carry a tin of cookies out to them whenever they would land. Heh.