Eurocopter main-rotor blades that reduce sound by 3-4dB (50%): http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/smart-takes/silent-rotor-blades-could-lead-to-true-stealth-helicopters/4663

Sikorski/Boeing RAH-66 Comanche with ducted fantail and stealth bodywork: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing/Sikorsky_RAH-66_Comanche

And finally the real “whisper-mode” helicopters: AIrwolf and Blue Thunder.

E

It is always sweet to say “Reduce the huge Executive bonuses.” Those are usually part of those same executives’ contracts. They (the executives) are paid to provide results. Their shareholders — as these are public corporations — expect increased profits. Manufacturing in countries that don’t have unions, OSHA, and three letter agencies starting with F is more profitable. The South Park episode where the people say “They Took Our Jobs”, while humorous, and while “demanding” that “they” “give us our jobs back” doesn’t address the real issue.

WHO is it that should “reduce” those bonuses? They are contracted. WHO should negotiate contracts that pays those executives less? Usually it’s a board of directors. IF they somehow did this, would they then have a larger profit, higher distributions to shareholders (either through dividends or reinvestment) or would they decided to FORGO those profits, and put their manufacturing plant somewhere that regulatorily is a hellhole. I suspect the former.

If you would like there to be more “Made In Merka” stuff (and I would), the way to get it is to remove all of the barriers standing in the way for companies to do so profitably. Sadly the unions and the insurance lobby have made it difficult to impossible. Any sufficiently large company “outsources”. That’s a nice way of saying “we can get it done much more profitably elsewhere.” I learned yesterday that if I buy a new Dell laptop, I can pay $100 extra (per year) for “North American support.” Otherwise it’s outsourced. Would you pay $2M for a $1.5M helicopter because it was made in the US? Would you do so with taxpayer money (LEP, Armed Forces, etc.) or would you do so with your own personal money? I would rather save the $500,000.00.

It’s nice that Bell Textron does some manufacturing in Merka. Most of that… however… is in Canada. The United States’ current regulatory and union stance are staunchly anti-success.

Best regards,

E

Re-packaging Aerospatiale as “American Eurocopter” or any of the other manufacturing outsourcing gimmicks can’t be covered up with a pretty paintjob- It’s a total whitewash.

Reduce the huge Executive bonuses, pay the American worker a living wage, and build aircraft here in America!

I fly the flag everyday and get many positive comments.
I would encourage others that are sitting on the fence to spend the money on a decent flag pole and flag and enjoy the sound of it snapping in the wind.

God bless America.

Thanks for the cool pictures… it’s unusual for controllers to even SEE a helicopter let alone comment on it. Great story!

Ehud Gavron
Tucson AZ