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From the wilmington star:
Mar 4, 2011
By Sarah Shew Wilson / Breakingnews@StarNewsOnline.com
The North Carolina National Guard is bringing 140 people to Brunswick County April 2-17 for helicopter training at the Cape Fear Regional Jet Port at Oak Island in preparation for the upcoming hurricane season.
Local tourism officials say they are excited about the training, especially since the soldiers will be staying on Oak Island for the duration of the exercise.
According to public affairs specialist Sgt. Miko Booth, the Guard will conduct training in the area of the airport and at Fort Fisher. The training will involve LH-72 Lakota and OH-58 Kiowa helicopters from Detachment 1, Company B, 2nd Battalion of the 151st Aviation based at the Guard's Army Aviation Support Facility 1 in Morrisville.
The training will include hoist rescue training, search and rescue, beach erosion/base line assessment with the Corps of Engineers, state Emergency Management personnel movement, emergency resupply and individual pilot training.
Howie Franklin, director of the Cape Fear Regional Jet Port, formerly the Brunswick County Airport, said this week the airport is providing 20 acres of operating land for the exercise as well as access to the terminal building and room in the maintenance building.
"They'll be setting up a complete operation for helicopters," he said.
"They'll bring in their own refueling trucks and command post. They are going to set up their own tower, so while they're here the jet port will have an official tower to help planes land and take off."
Last year, the guardsmen and women also trained at Oak Island but spent the nights at Carolina Beach.
"They were so impressed with how they were received here, they decided to stay here," Franklin said. "I'm hoping they come back as often as possible.
Happy Monitoring
From the wilmington star:
Mar 4, 2011
By Sarah Shew Wilson / Breakingnews@StarNewsOnline.com
The North Carolina National Guard is bringing 140 people to Brunswick County April 2-17 for helicopter training at the Cape Fear Regional Jet Port at Oak Island in preparation for the upcoming hurricane season.
Local tourism officials say they are excited about the training, especially since the soldiers will be staying on Oak Island for the duration of the exercise.
According to public affairs specialist Sgt. Miko Booth, the Guard will conduct training in the area of the airport and at Fort Fisher. The training will involve LH-72 Lakota and OH-58 Kiowa helicopters from Detachment 1, Company B, 2nd Battalion of the 151st Aviation based at the Guard's Army Aviation Support Facility 1 in Morrisville.
The training will include hoist rescue training, search and rescue, beach erosion/base line assessment with the Corps of Engineers, state Emergency Management personnel movement, emergency resupply and individual pilot training.
Howie Franklin, director of the Cape Fear Regional Jet Port, formerly the Brunswick County Airport, said this week the airport is providing 20 acres of operating land for the exercise as well as access to the terminal building and room in the maintenance building.
"They'll be setting up a complete operation for helicopters," he said.
"They'll bring in their own refueling trucks and command post. They are going to set up their own tower, so while they're here the jet port will have an official tower to help planes land and take off."
Last year, the guardsmen and women also trained at Oak Island but spent the nights at Carolina Beach.
"They were so impressed with how they were received here, they decided to stay here," Franklin said. "I'm hoping they come back as often as possible.
Happy Monitoring
