Visitors to the Picayune Municipal Airport on Saturday may have seen an unusual sight, a Black Hawk helicopter carrying a Humvee in the air.
The exercise was all part of regular training the 24th Aviation Battalion out of Hammond La. conducts to stay sharp, said First Sgt. Jack Leftwich.
As many times as they can they conduct the training, including at the Picayune Municipal Airport at least a couple times a year. Leftwich said they train in Picayune because of the easy access and amount of room they have to maneuver. They also conduct the training in other areas.
Part of their mission is to transport troops and equipment, so this training allows them to keep their flight skills honed.
The training involved a Black Hawk helicopter hovering over a Humvee at a very low altitude, where soldiers could hook a cable to the underside of the helicopter that is attached to the Humvee. Once connected, the pilot slowly ascends until all of the slack was taken out of the line before lifting the very large vehicle off the ground and carrying it around the perimeter of the airport and then softly placed it back on the grass. The training allows the pilots to meet the necessary flight requirements.
Leftwich said the helicopters can’t lift much more than the Humvees, but they do lift other things.
They also train how to scoop water out of a lake or river using a bucket capable of holding 600 gallons, a skill useful in fighting fires. Leftwich said his unit put out fires after Hurricane Katrina and most recently in California using that method.
“This is just a small piece of what we’re capable of,” Leftwich said.
Picayune Municipal Airport Manager Andy Greenwood said the men also conducted the Humvee training at night using night vision technology.
Greenwood said the men training in town provide more activities for the airport, and for the city.