A U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter will make a public appearance on Saturday, June 3, at Rogers State University as part of the annual Oklahoma Military Academy alumni reunion.
The public is invited to view the helicopter as it lands between 8:30 and 9 a.m. in front of Preparatory Hall on the RSU campus in Claremore. The helicopter will appear at the morning formation and cadet memorial ceremony at the OMA reunion and will remain at the site until approximately 10:30 a.m.
Randy Vierling of Edmond, Okla., a 1963 OMA graduate, was instrumental in coordinating the appearance of the helicopter.
In addition, the U.S. Army 95th Division Band from Oklahoma City will perform at the event.
About the Black Hawk
The UH-60A Black Hawk was the Army’s first squad-carrying helicopter. It is capable of carrying an 11-man fighting team and their combat gear, as well as a three-man flight crew. The helicopter can deposit an entire squad onto the battlefield ready and equipped for combat. In front-line duty, the helicopter also can be used to extract troops, replace and re-supply troops and reposition units.
The Black Hawk also is used for medical evacuation and administrative transport of command, medical and maintenance personnel. As an air ambulance, it can be used to carry medical personnel and life-sustaining equipment.
The Black Hawk can cruise at over 145 knots and has a maximum flight speed of 165 knots. Its normal mission endurance is over 2¼ hours and has a range in excess of 300 nautical miles. The UH-60A has a service ceiling of 5,000 feet and a vertical rate of climb of over 450 feet per minute. While primarily a troop transport, it carries two M-60 weapons that fire 7.62-mm rounds. Having the latest in rotary wing avionics, it can fly to the operational area under instrument conditions and, once in the operational theater, can deposit its load of troops or cargo during the day or night.
For more information on the Black Hawk appearance at RSU, call (918) 343-7773.