If you’ve ever wondered what it was like to fly in a Vietnam-era Huey Helicopter, you’ll have a chance to find out in less than eight-weeks.
The nonprofit public education organization Friends of Army Aviation based in Ozark Alabama, will return to Iowa September 1 through the 10. To provide Huey helicopter rides in Ames Boone and Carol Jeff Dentlinger of Denison who founded the nonprofit Patriot peak foundation is helping to organize the event which first occurred in 2021 as a way of giving back to the troops and communities.
The first flights offered to the public were a way of saying thank you to Vietnam veterans. Denlinger served in the military in Iraq and Afghanistan. He says they’re hoping to have 2,000 riders altogether this year to raise $43,000 to cover the cost of the aviation fuel along with pilot and support staff accommodations. He says they’ve raised about $28,000 so far. There are only 900 tickets left so you’re strongly encouraged to buy your tickets now. Dentlinger says the flights led to a lot of conversations among veterans.
“They started actually opening up to their families and friends about ‘hey here’s what I went through when I was over there,’ So stuff we weren’t really planning on just kind of came to fruition just by having them come up the one time, we decided we should probably keep doing it,” he says. During the 15-minute trips, the sliding doors on the Vietnam War-era 1970 Huey UH-1 Iroquois chopper are wide open, allowing riders to experience the thunderous “Sound of Freedom.”
“And that’s what we really liked about it because even if you’re sitting in the center sections you’re still getting a lot of wind you’re getting a lot of views that you wouldn’t normally get and then if you’re sitting in the gun well then you’re really just leaning outside that helicopter the whole time and yeah it’s pretty good time out of this,” Denlinger says. He says they try to add something extra to each flight.
“Last time we did this flyover of the Iowa State game, and this time we’re going to try and fly over the Iowa State- U-N-I game and then see if we can kind of line up some bigger events to truly get people going. I know when we come back to the Carroll area, we’ll be doing that with the Carroll flight breakfast at the Carol Airport with Don Metzen. And then when we’re in Boone, we’ll be there for Super Nationals,” Denlinger says.
Seating is limited on each trip, and is determined prior to each flight, along with pre-flight instructions. Helicopter ride tickets may be purchased either online or at the ride event. Online tickets may be purchased up to one day prior to the event, but entering your name and contact information now, will enable organizers to let you know if there are any delays prior to your flight day (due to weather, etc.). For specific details on the dates, places, times and cost of the flights, see the FOAA website. The purchase of tickets is tax deductible.
(By Ric Hanson, KJAN, Atlantic)