CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea - Korean high school students got a chance to experience a moment that only an elite group of Army Soldiers ever gets, that's to sit at the controls of an Army combat helicopter.
"I am surprised that there are so many instruments on the inside of a helicopter that a pilot must use. I was actually worried a little bit, because I might touch something by accident," said Huh Sung-Eun, a student from Shinmok High School, Seoul. "But overall it was a really great experience."
Soldiers from 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade set up various aircraft on the flight line at Camp Humphreys for Korean high school students to explore May 19. The students were participants in the Good Neighbor English Camp sponsored by the Unites States Forces Korea.
The students climbed into the helicopters and took pictures with the Soldiers. Following the morning events, pilots came out to explain their aircraft and answer questions.
"I liked the Chinook the best," said Ahn Byung-Hyun, a student from Wooshin High School in Seoul, "because it is the biggest and has two propellers."
The 3rd Battalion, 2nd Aviation Regiment, 2nd CAB provided the CH-47 Chinook that Byung-Hyun was so fond of, and a UH-60 Blackhawk.
The 4th Attack Battalion, 2nd Aviation Regiment, 2nd CAB allowed the students to tour the AH-64 Apache Longbow. During the tour the children were allowed go inside the helicopters and sit in the pilot seats.
While the tour was an exhilarating experience for the children, the Army personnel involved got a chance to show off their Army aviation pride.
"It's a great chance for us to come out and allow the kids to view the Apache helicopters," said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Ronald Zuber, an instructor pilot from B Company, 4-2nd Avn. "Not too many civilians have a chance to see real helicopters. I really hope the students enjoyed themselves and at the same time learned something about Army aviation."
USFK runs the Good Neighbor English Camp to teach Korean students about American culture and show them the various roles the USFK plays on the Korean peninsula. As part of the camp, the students were able to visit the Demilitarized Zone the day before they came to Camp Humphreys and they were also scheduled to visit Osan Air Base. The program is designed to help students understand the relationship between the United States and Republic of Korea and see what the U.S. Army does in their country.
"The static display is a very important part of our trip because students actually have a chance to see U.S. Army aircraft and equipment. This is the only chance for them to really get to do that," said Stephen M. Tharp, chief of strategic outreach public affairs office, Headquarters, United States Forces Korea and a coordinator of Good Neighbor English Camp.
"We think this is very important to let students know why we are here, what we are doing, and that we are a good neighbor," he said.
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