MH-65 Cockpit And Heli Wrap-up

The first photo is the cockpit of the MH-65 Dolphin. You see a much simpler interface and a lot less electronics in this aircraft compared to the MH-60T Jayhawk. The mission of the two helicopters is very different with the Dolphin essentially an extension of the cutter on the open seas. The Jayhawk is more about longer range land-based missions. As with any group of professionals, the pilots and crews of each aircraft take great pride in their work and believe their team to be the best. The reality is that all of the groups play a key role. You saw some of the artwork on the Dolphin in the photos yesterday. None of the Jayhawks had anything similar. However in the second photo, you see that a Jayhawk crew doesn't mind poking some fun at the smaller Dolphin and its crew. You see a parking violation has been issued on the windshield of the Dolphin. A closer view is in the third photo. Obviously, CWO Terlinski is assigned to a Jayhawk! The fourth / last photo is one I missed regarding the MH-60T Jayhawk. This is the overhead console. A lot of it is electrical distribution and fuses but there are still plenty of flight controls up there. It is a further example of the complexity of these aircraft.

The general public's attention is typically on the pilots of these aircraft. However, we should never forget the men and women in the ground crews that keep these aircraft flying. These birds are not like your car where when something goes wrong you can just call a tow truck. This is an unforgiving occupation and the system complexity dwarfs anything on the road.

This wraps up the tour of the hanger and the Kodiak portion of our trip. The next message will start our trip on the Alaska mainland!

Thanks,

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