# Military Helicopters Over the Skys of Downtown Minneapolis



## lancestar2 (Jul 8, 2013)

I'm not sure this is "news" worthy but several Helicopters just recently shortly after dusk flew over downtown and kept getting lower and lower and lower! I think 2-3 passes were as low as about 6-8 stories. Many people stopped (including me) and watched the skys. Many people seemed shaken and concerned. Not sure how long the "drill" lasted. One person mentioned it was a drill. Several people kinda gathered into a group and started discussing and watching it together. It was interesting moment standing with a group of people while what looks to be military helicopters fly overhead with no lights (except one red and one blue light on the tail) The feeling of the crowed and the people was concerned if not fear....

I remember hearing about a drill like this 1-2 years ago but this is the 1st time I experienced it 1st hand... and being that 90% of everyone here lives in a rural setting perhaps this might be a intresting story... I'll upload some pix if they turned out I had my cellphone and it does not have good quality pixs.

Thoughts?


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## Inor (Mar 22, 2013)

It is just the Minnesota Air National Guard. They were flying all over the place by the MSP airport yesterday when I flew off. I think maybe they got some new ones because they had a bunch more lined up alongside the #12 runway in various stages of assembly/disassembly.


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## lancestar2 (Jul 8, 2013)

Inor said:


> It is just the Minnesota Air National Guard. They were flying all over the place by the MSP airport yesterday when I flew off. I think maybe they got some new ones because they had a bunch more lined up alongside the #12 runway in various stages of assembly/disassembly.


oh ok thanks for the info. I read on another forum they seemed to be landing on rooftops for a second and flying over the Hennepin river bridge and around the Federal Reserve building. It was pretty scarying watching them go in between buildings and just feet over my head. You would think they would warn the public before an drills of helicopters at such extremely low heights.


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## Jeep (Aug 5, 2014)

UH 60's are common place in big cities, especially from the Nat Guard. Now if you here something but can't see it and it sounds like a chopper Motorcycle that is a CH-53 and Marines will be on board. Now go and grab toilet paper in case it ain't a drill


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## Inor (Mar 22, 2013)

Jeep said:


> UH 60's are common place in big cities, especially from the Nat Guard. Now if you here something but can't see it and it sounds like a chopper Motorcycle that is a CH-53 and Marines will be on board. Now go and grab toilet paper in case it ain't a drill


Or if you don't hear anything until it is directly overhead and it sounds louder and lower than anything you have ever heard in your life you may also want to grab the TP because it might be Apaches. On second thought, if it is Apaches, you're already dead by then...


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## Jeep (Aug 5, 2014)

Good point lol. But they won't get seen, they can lob over hills


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## Hemi45 (May 5, 2014)

Once or twice a year we'll have anywhere from six to nine choppers doing flyovers at dusk. I reason that as long as they aren't firing rockets everything is OK


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## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

Listening to Apaches flying back to Hanchy AAF, right now.
Things don't seem right if I do _not_ hear helicopters.

Apaches have to have line of sight to the target, so they aren't going to fire _over_ the hill. Don't get the warm and fuzzies about that, though. They'll stand back to where you'll have no idea they are about to bust a round through your noggin. :shock:

Down side of playing with aircraft all day is my hearing isn't what it used to be. Upside of that is I don't pay attention to a lot of stupid crap that falls out of people's mouths. Deafness is not a bad thing for a shop steward, I assure you. :lol:


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## Inor (Mar 22, 2013)

Denton said:


> Listening to Apaches flying back to Hanchy AAF, right now.
> Things don't seem right if I do _not_ hear helicopters.
> 
> Apaches have to have line of sight to the target, so they aren't going to fire _over_ the hill. Don't get the warm and fuzzies about that, though. They'll stand back to where you'll have no idea they are about to bust a round through your noggin. :shock:


I only got to see them in action one time. I was doing a contract at Eglin AFB and they took us all out to watch a live fire exercise testing some new software. (That was about 2002 or 2003?) They are FAST and SCARY and make REALLY BIG BOOMS! I do not want to get one of them pissed at me.


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## Batty (Jul 31, 2014)

We get jets flying thru our valley, doing maneuvers. It's an awesome sight!


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## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

Inor said:


> I only got to see them in action one time. I was doing a contract at Eglin AFB and they took us all out to watch a live fire exercise testing some new software. (That was about 2002 or 2003?) They are FAST and SCARY and make REALLY BIG BOOMS! I do not want to get one of them pissed at me.


The Apaches are awesome when they are doing their thing, but my favorite machine with guns is the OH-58D. Armed with Hellfires or a .50 cal on one side and a rocket pod on the other side, that bird and its crew will get down and dirty with the situation.

The Apache pilots are officers who are pilots. The Kiowa Warrior pilots are soldier pilots who happen to be officers. Don't piss them off. They have been known to use their M-4s to kill those they do not like!


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## James m (Mar 11, 2014)

There is an airshow soon in Allentown pa. A privately owned harrier just showed up today or yesterday. I also think they scheduled a private jet team with f-104.


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## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

The Army's 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment has a saying -- "Night Stalkers Don't Quit." It apparently doesn't always let people sleep, either.

The airborne unit's Black Hawk helicopters arrived without warning Monday night, rattling for hours over Highland Park and around apartment buildings in downtown St. Paul and Minneapolis, and angering residents and elected officials alike.


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## csi-tech (Apr 13, 2013)

Task Force 160/Nightstalkers. Compliments of Ft. Campbell and the Great State of Tennessee.


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## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

csi-tech said:


> Task Force 160/Nightstalkers. Compliments of Ft. Campbell and the Great State of Tennessee.


Several of the guys at work were assigned to the 160th. They have the best attitudes of all the folks.


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

Denton said:


> The Army's 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment has a saying -- "Night Stalkers Don't Quit." It apparently doesn't always let people sleep, either.
> 
> The airborne unit's Black Hawk helicopters arrived without warning Monday night, rattling for hours over Highland Park and around apartment buildings in downtown St. Paul and Minneapolis, and angering residents and elected officials alike.


Sorry for the semi blurry pics; below is a medallion given to us from a family friend and genuine bad ass Patriot American helicopter pilot.

"Vipers Strike to Kill"... is straightforward and to the point.

View attachment 6357
View attachment 6358


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

Denton,
I know my buddy was in Texas at Ft Hood and in Georgia (forget the base name but it was near Savannah if memory serves) and he may have spent some time in Ft Rucker.


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## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

Slippy said:


> Denton,
> I know my buddy was in Texas at Ft Hood and in Georgia (forget the base name but it was near Savannah if memory serves) and he may have spent some time in Ft Rucker.


If he is a pilot, he was here. This is where army helicopter pilots are trained. The unfortunate ones get training here and pick up wives at the same time. :lol:


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## rice paddy daddy (Jul 17, 2012)

Slippy said:


> Denton,
> I know my buddy was in Texas at Ft Hood and in Georgia (forget the base name but it was near Savannah if memory serves) and he may have spent some time in Ft Rucker.


The airfield near Savannah is Hunter Army Airfield and there are Special Ops helicopter outfits there that work with Army Rangers and Special Forces. OldSFGuy would know ALL about that, I'm sure!!


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## rice paddy daddy (Jul 17, 2012)

Pilots Prayer

God, grant me the eyes of an eagle,
The radar of a bat,
And the balls of an Army helicopter pilot.

Author unknown.


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

Denton said:


> If he is a pilot, he was here. This is where army helicopter pilots are trained. The unfortunate ones get training here and pick up wives at the same time. :lol:


Ha! He is most certainly a pilot and I know that he got is wife elsewhere!. I'll keep my mouth shut having been to the area surrounding Rucker on a few occasions. Then there is the story of the me and the little cute blonde chick from Crenshaw County (up the road from you) but being a happily married man for nearly 29 years I won't go into details again!


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## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

Slippy said:


> Ha! He is most certainly a pilot and I know that he got is wife elsewhere!. I'll keep my mouth shut having been to the area surrounding Rucker on a few occasions. Then there is the story of the me and the little cute blonde chick from Crenshaw County (up the road from you) but being a happily married man for nearly 29 years I won't go into details again!


Crenshaw county?!? You dated a girl from that county?

How'd you steal her from her brother? :lol:


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

rice paddy daddy said:


> The airfield near Savannah is Hunter Army Airfield and there are Special Ops helicopter outfits there that work with Army Rangers and Special Forces. OldSFGuy would know ALL about that, I'm sure!!


Hunter is the one! Thanks RPD, my old brain has more farts than a fat man in a bean eating contest!


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

Denton said:


> Crenshaw county?!? You dated a girl from that county?
> 
> How'd you steal her from her brother? :lol:


That's the 2nd time I fell for that one you dog!


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## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

Slippy said:


> That's the 2nd time I fell for that one you dog!


I'm pretty sure we've had this discussion in the past. I'd look it up, but am still waiting for the coffee to take effect.


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