Griffon Helicopters, INGRESS and Kandahar [Udate: Deployment officially announced!]

[Nfld Sapper]

Don't know and go to the site to find out.

 

[The Bread Guy]

Photo below - hope all can continue to stay as safe as possible.

Griffon helicopter crews make history over Kandahar
Captain Dean Menard, CF Air Force News Room, 2 Feb 09
Article link

On January 6, 2009, the crews of two CH-146 Griffon helicopters made history: they flew a group of soldiers to a Forward Operating Base, thus completing the first sorties by Canadian helicopters in a theatre of war. Both helicopters belong to the Canadian Helicopter Force Afghanistan, part of the Joint Task Force Afghanistan (JTF-Afg) Air Wing.

"We've waited a long time to be here, and it feels really good to finally be adding to the overall mission," said mission commander and pilot Major Trevor Teller of 408 Tactical Helicopter Squadron in Edmonton. "Some of us have only been on the ground for a short time, and to already be flying missions with the Griffon is a huge success for the Wing. There was a heightened sense of anticipation for me, and to have actually flown the first mission in Afghanistan was incredible."....

More on link

From left: Capt Curtis Wetyk, aircraft commander; Maj Trevor Teller, mission commander; Capt Michael Allard, first officer; Cpl Eric Fast, door gunner (kneeling); MCpl Rainer Roedger, flight engineer (sitting); Cpl Jesse Hall, door gunner (sitting), MCpl David Williams, flight engineer; Capt Ray Connelly, first officer.  Photo by Capt Dean Menard

 

[Good2Golf]

More info on the Griffon's...probably makes the Taliban cringe knowing these pilots aren't at home wearing burquas.

http://watch.ctv.ca/news/#clip136007

Good stuff!

G2G

 

[AirCanuck]

well, less about Griffons than women in theatre (not that that isn't an important topic by any means), but still has some great shots of the Griffon in the sandbox!

 

[X-mo-1979]

Please stop buzzing vehicle's. Everytime we were parked in a leaguer you did. Please.My guys were usually trying to catch a nap between moving everytime you buzzed over banking left and right.We didn't think you were cool we just really learned to despise you. :nod: Fly like 20m left or right not right over top of our vehicles please.I really enjoyed the day you blew our tarp we were using across the leaguer.Thanks.


Cheers to the Chinook.See you guys do some fantastic stuff!Thank you.

And thank you American attack helo's.THANK YOU.

 

[armoured recce man]

point noted i will pass that along to the pilots, and hopefully the'll get the point

thanks for the job you did

 

[Good2Golf]

Please stop buzzing vehicle's. Everytime we were parked in a leaguer you did. Please.My guys were usually trying to catch a nap between moving everytime you buzzed over banking left and right.We didn't think you were cool we just really learned to despise you. :nod: Fly like 20m left or right not right over top of our vehicles please.I really enjoyed the day you blew our tarp we were using across the leaguer.Thanks.

"Dear sir, please stop running around with those stinky diesel-powered vehicles, parking all over the place and making that loud "pop-pop-pop" noise with that big gun..."


Think about it it...perhaps the guys and gals are manoeuvring to stay low and avoid taking SAFIRE that would hurt them a lot more than it would hurt you in your LAV.  At low level and 100 knots (180 km/h!) stuff comes up in front of you pretty fast.  Do you think the guys and gals are deliberately aiming to purposely overfly you and a) wake you up, or b) give away your position? 

Is it something that back at KAF in a DFAC you'd take the opportunity to walk up to BGen Vance and tell him that the Griffons are frickin' you boys, or is it something you'd tell the guys on the boardwalk the next time you see them, "Dude, you're busting my rack time -- how about not flying around where we're at?"

2 ¢

Cheers to the Chinook.See you guys do some fantastic stuff!Thank you.

Message passed.

G2G

 

[X-mo-1979]

point noted i will pass that along to the pilots, and hopefully the'll get the point

thanks for the job you did

Cheers mate.

Think about it it...perhaps the guys and gals are manoeuvring to stay low and avoid taking SAFIRE that would hurt them a lot more than it would hurt you in your LAV.  At low level and 100 knots (180 km/h!) stuff comes up in front of you pretty fast.  Do you think the guys and gals are deliberately aiming to purposely overfly you and a) wake you up, or b) give away your position? 

Seen.And believe me I know what your trying to say.However sitting north of Hows e madad in an open desert leaves manoeuvre room.
If it was for a tactical advantage I could understand,however no matter where we were they were buzzing us.

We were quite excited to have Canadian aircraft with us at first.After usually working with the Americans they had some HUGE boots to fill.Those Chinook pilots drove it like they stole it.Landed in some awesome tight areas....hot areas.But from a guy on the ground everyone is sick of getting buzzed.And believe me you can tell when theirs tactical flying going on,and showboating.

 

[Good2Golf]

...ack "How's He Mad"...yup, you're point is valid, X. :nod: 

My apologies for launching on ya...I was thinking different terrain, and you really don't want to hang around...low, fast and irregular means survival!

Thanks for keeping those stinky, diesel smoking, pop-pop-pop things running!

Cheers
G2G

p.s.  On the whole, though, our Tac Aviators are doing great stuff!  Looking at how long (or not, long) it took, and what the folks are providing now, it's probably a fair assessment to say that they went from 2004 (post-Apollo, i.e. nothing on the ground) to a 2009 BG-equivalent for Avn (8 Griffon and 6 Chinook is a huge capability) in about 7 months flat...pretty fricking amazing!

 

[Franko]

"Dear sir, please stop running around with those stinky diesel-powered vehicles, parking all over the place and making that loud "pop-pop-pop" noise with that big gun..."

Some troops aren't in LAVs...the big problem lies when they go in front of 105mm and 120mm.   

I mean if you feel safer doing so, go for it. Hate to see someone pop up at the wrong time with a RR though. They should stay away from hedgehogs in close country.

Mind you one time we were in the middle of a desert when we got buzzed...all open for miles.

Regards

 

[X-mo-1979]

...ack "How's He Mad"...yup, you're point is valid, X. :nod: 

My apologies for launching on ya...I was thinking different terrain, and you really don't want to hang around...low, fast and irregular means survival!

Thanks for keeping those stinky, diesel smoking, pop-pop-pop things running!

Cheers
G2G

p.s.  On the whole, though, our Tac Aviators are doing great stuff!  Looking at how long (or not, long) it took, and what the folks are providing now, it's probably a fair assessment to say that they went from 2004 (post-Apollo, i.e. nothing on the ground) to a 2009 BG-equivalent for Avn (8 Griffon and 6 Chinook is a huge capability) in about 7 months flat...pretty fricking amazing!

Cheers mate.
Agreed they went from zero to ten pretty quick.

 

[daftandbarmy]

This is great stuff. You know you're in a real war with a real brigade when the army and the air force are bitching at each other  ;D