Wings of Destiny prepares for Super Bowl XLVIII flyover

By Sgt. Duncan BrennanFebruary 4, 2014

Lining up for take
1 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – AH-64D, UH-60M, and CH-47G aircraft from 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault,) line up on the runway at Stewart International Airport, New Windsor, N.Y., January 31, 2014. The pilots lined up en masse prior to a rehear... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Snowy Takeoff
2 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Pilots from 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault,) lift off after refueling at an airport in the Hudson valley area of New York, January 31, 2014. The refueling stop was in between rehearsals for the Super Bowl flyover.... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Training over the Super Bowl
3 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – AH-64s and UH-60s from 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault,) fly over MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., January 31, 2014. The training flight was preparation for pilots and flight crews participating in the Sup... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

NEWBURGH, N.Y. -- Pilots and air crews from the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault,) conducted rehearsals for the Super Bowl flyover at Met Life Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., January 31, 2014.

The flyover will be executed by pilots and crews from the 1st, 5th and 6th Battalions of 101st CAB. The aircraft sent will showcase the unique capabilities of the individual battalions.

The AH-64D Apache helicopters from 1-101st CAB �"Expect No Mercy" are the Wings of Destiny's primary attack aircraft. The Apaches provide close air support with rockets, Hell Fire missiles and a 30mm machine gun. The UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters from 5-101st CAB �"Eagle Assault" are the used to support Air Assault missions by providing troop and light cargo transport. The CH-47G Chinook helicopters from 6-101st CAB �"Shadow of the Eagle" are the brigade's heavy-lift platform and are capable of lifting up to 27,000 pounds of combined cargo and carrying large numbers of troops to support Air Assault operations.

The flyover presents a unique opportunity for the pilots and aircrew to work with each other in such close proximity with all airframes being present. Much like in an air assault mission in combat, timing and coordination of different platforms have to work together as a cohesive whole.

"The Super Bowl flyover is a highly detailed, choreographed time on target," said Sgt. 1St Class Jerry Brooks, platoon sergeant, Company B, 6-101st CAB �"Pachyderms." "Timing is critical because we're coordinating with other aviation assets and sometimes pre-assault fires. If we're too early on a mission like that, we may find ourselves in the middle of an artillery strike. If we're late, the enemy has a chance to move in and fire on the ground forces."

The air crews and their pilots constantly train to ensure that all the skills needed for missions and contingencies are honed to a sharp edge. For the flyover, another level of complexity comes from flying in tight formations. Normally, the helicopters give each other room to maneuver, the Super Bowl requires a narrower gap between the aircraft.

�"When flying in close proximity, you have to immediately make any correction that she makes otherwise you'll be dangerously close," said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Amy Lynn Barnes, a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter pilot, Company B, 5-101st CAB �"Lancers." �"You have to judge the way her aircraft pitches and pitch immediately after her. During our training we're calling out our movements so that other aircraft in our formation can anticipate our movements. If we don't, we could be as close as 20 feet from another aircraft or get inside their rotor disk and cause a crash."

It is often said among military circles "the deeper the discipline, the deeper the pride." With the discipline that is going into the training for this event, there is no doubt that the pilots and crews have poured their hearts into it.

"I haven't been here very long," said Barnes. "Being here at the 101st CAB and training with these pilots and crews, I know they picked the right people and that we can make this perfect."

Related Links:

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