Army National Guard Helicopter Lands on High Point Campus with a Special Message for Students

On Friday, May 15, students at the High Point Elementary & Adolescent Schools greeted two special visitors who landed an Army National Guard helicopter on the school’s baseball field. The Kiowa 58, piloted by Chief Warrant Officers Todd Collins and Mike Chiaco, is used in leadership and drug awareness programs for schools, as well as Counter Drug Programs by the State.

Once the dust had settled and the rotor had stopped spinning, students were invited to get an up close look at the Kiowa, which is equipped with counter drug equipment for surveillance and heat sensing. Officer Chiaco explained that observation helicopters like these help fight the war on drugs by assisting the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and local police departments with counter drug operations.

The pilots used this larger-than-life visual to focus the students on a message of safety. Officer Chiaco reviewed essential safety procedures like: always wearing a bike helmet; wearing seatbelts; and don’t drink and drive. His most important message was “don’t do drugs.” He explained to the students the importance of making good decisions because they will affect your life. “Stay away from drugs because they are the quickest way to get into trouble.”

Officer Chiaco also illustrated how the helicopter flies and its major parts. The students were eager to ask questions, which included: “Can my friend and I get a ride?” “Do birds fly into the helicopter or squirrels get in the cockpit?” “Why don’t you have doors?” “Do you use parachutes?” “Where do you keep the bombs?” “How big is the engine?” “Where are your seatbelts?”

They explained that the 25-minute flight from the Mercer County Airport in West Trenton was like going on a ride in a convertible on a hot, sunny day. That’s why the doors were off. They couldn’t fall out because they were strapped in by a harness and seatbelt. Flying in a helicopter is very safe because the rotor takes a long time to stop and they can coast to a landing. Parachutes aren’t used because you go up when the chute is opened and that wouldn’t be safe with a spinning blade. They don’t carry bombs, only surveillance equipment which includes using their eyes to look for suspicious landscapes. And, the small motor is equivalent to a high performance Corvette. “What makes this chopper unique is its 40-years history which includes flying in Viet Nam,” explained Officer Chiaco.

This special visit was coordinated by Chief Warrant Officer and Pilot Todd Collins, who is the brother of CPC’s IT Manager Ryan Collins. Officer Collins has been flying since he was 16-years-old, and recently returned from a mission flying the Black Hawk helicopter in Iraq. This helicopter visit was made possible by the New Jersey Reconnaissance and Interdiction Detachment (NJ-RAID).

Both officers agreed that flying helicopters is a lot of fun. “To be a success in life, do something that is fun,” said Officer Chiaco.

5/18/2009