Marines host free helicopter rides

Record breaking number comes out to fly above the UNH campus

By Brian Ward

Durham- When Steve Lopez, a UNH sophomore and business major, received an email offering him to a free helicopter ride hosted by the U.S Marines he thought it was just junk mail.  However, on Oct. 5, he still went down to Bremner Field, to see what was going on.

What he found was a small red tent with the Marine Core symbol emblazoned on it, the thumping of rotor blades and a rapidly growing line of people waiting to take off. Over 400 people showed up to fly in the Bell 206 JetRanger helicopter last Thursday, the largest number of people to show up to this event since its inauguration. Riding three or four at a time, UNH students and faculty were given a five to seven minute joyride over the school campus. “I liked how you got to put on the headphones and talk to the pilot; he said it was like his office.” Lopez said about his trip. “When we were flying, what I noticed most was Stoke, it’s the biggest and the new construction site, where their putting in the new business school.”

The helicopter rides were scheduled to run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., but due to the unexpected number of people, ran late into the afternoon. Despite arriving at 10:30 a.m., Lopez had to wait till 1 p.m. before he could take his turn in the cockpit, though according to him, the wait was worth it. “Yes definitely, skipped accounting for it, so it better be worth it.” Lopez said. UNH students Brendan Scalley and Pete Maxfield waited in line for two hours for their turn on the helicopter, and believe that it was worth the wait. “One of the cooler things I’ve done in my life, campus is a lot smaller from up top.” Brendan said. This was their first time riding in a helicopter, and they said they would most likely go to the event next semester, but intend to plan the wait better.

Lopez said the event had no effect on his already high opinion of the Marine Corps. “I have a high value of them; they protect and serve our country. They have normal conversations with people who aren’t in the Marines, and have personalities and aren’t always serious or trying to get you to sign up.” While his views on the Marines have not changed for better or for worse, he is still grateful for the opportunity the Marine Corps offered him. “Usually they give away pens and pencils, this time they were giving away a life experience.”

Capt. John Webb is one of the Marines who organized the event and runs the Durham recruitment branch of the Marine Corps.  The helicopter rides brings a lot of potential recruits, with at least 21 people requesting for more information about the Marines as a direct result of the event this semester. However the main goal of the event was to build ties with the community and let people know that the Marine Core is here, and was “Not directly targeted to those interested in becoming Marine aviators, just anyone who wanted to take a helicopter ride and see the school from a bird’s eye view; a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

Webb runs this event at various colleges across the state, recently hosting the event at Dartmouth University. “I pick which school I want to do it at, I chose UNH because it’s local and the largest school that we deal with.” Webb said. According to him, it wasn’t difficult getting permission to fly a helicopter on campus; it was finding the people who could give them the permission to do so.

One of the Marines working at the event, Staff Sgt. Dale Metcalf, said the goal of the event was “Mainly to bring awareness to the Marines; hey we’re in the community.”  He explained that the event has been going on for the last ten years, although neither he nor Webb knew exactly when the event began.  The helicopter used in the event, a Bell 206 JetRanger, was the civilian equivalent of the military uses in flight school for training. According to Metcalf, the Durham office leases the helicopter only a yearly basis and only has to pay to fuel.

Work cited

Webb, John. "Marine Corps Helicopter Rides." Personal interview. 06 Oct. 2011.

Scalley, Brendan, and Pete Maxfield. "Marine Corps Helicopter Rides." Personal interview. 5 Oct. 2011. Metcalf, Dale. "Marine Corps Helicopter Rides." Personal interview. 5 Oct. 2011.

Lopez, Steve. "Marine Corps Helicopter Rides." Personal interview. 6 Oct. 2011.