May 19th 2008
Iowa
Helicopter Story In The Boone News Republican
Those wanting to take a closer look at air travel got their way on Saturday, as the Boone airport had several small aircraft and helicopters on display all afternoon.
There were about 15 small fixed wing airplanes out on the tarmac, with some vintage models mixing with newer ones. Also out for show was a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter, on loan from the National Guard base next door, and an RH-44 small helicopter from Iowa Helicopter.
Both hangars were also open to the public, with one showcasing the aircraft workshop, and the other with some aviation relics, such as a World War II fighter and the Norden Bombsight, which was considered an Allied top secret during the war.
During the middle of the afternoon, visitors were treated to several Blackhawks coming in from a training exercise for a landing in strong crosswinds.
Jason Hohanshelt, a pilot with Iowa Helicopter, described flying as an experience-based career.
"You have to go to flight schools to get different licenses, which require different amounts of logged flight hours," he said.
Hohanshelt and his partner on Saturday, Kelly Wilson, were offering rides in their helicopter for a small fee. Both are Boone natives who have gone on to a unique career path.
"We're pretty much the only school in Iowa that can give helicopter training," Wilson said.
Those looking to pursue a private flying license can anticipate spending around $6,000 to $7,000 be plane certified, or around $14,000 for their helicopter license.
"Almost everything is twice as expensive on a helicopter," Hohanshelt said.
The ride offered on Saturday by Iowa Helicopter was not for those easily airsick, as there were strong winds buffeting the airport all day.
"This is nothing to worry about," Hohanshelt joked. "This just means I'm going to have to actually work."
You can read the story by clicking here.
April
28th 2007
Iowa
Helicopter Acquires Captain Jack Aerial Photo
Captain Jack Hands Over Keys to Aerial Photo
Business to McLaughlin's Iowa Helicopter.
Nobody
has spent more time photographing the Des Moines metro area
from the
air than Bill Dennis of Ankeny, better known to central Iowans
as CaptainJack. Since 1977, Captain Jack has been taking pictures
out the window of his
two-place Cessna aircraft. "The airplane was a great vantage point to watch the
explosive growth in the metro area with projects like 801 Grand, Prairie Meadows,
and the recent Jordan Creek Mall," he says.
Captain
Jack became a household name in the 70s and 80s, thanks to
his airborne traffic reports on WHO-Radio. It
was only natural that when local companies needed an aerial
photo of their building
project or real estate development, they called the Captain. But after more
than three decades, 23,000 flight hours, and tens of thousands
of aerial photos, it
was time for Captain Jack to find someone to take over the business. The Captain
says, "Recently, I had started hiring John McLaughlin and Iowa Helicopter to
do some photos for projects where the airplane wasn't practical. The results
were excellent. John can fly both airplanes and helicopters and already had
all the digital photo equipment, so it seemed like a natural fit for him to
purchase
Captain Jack's Aerial Photography."
McLaughlin,
a local TV meteorologist, started Iowa Helicopter three years
ago at the Ankeny airport. Iowa Helicopter provides
flight training, support to local law enforcement, and DNR wildlife counts
in addition to aerial
photos and High Definition video projects. "This is a really good fit for us.
We had already been doing photo work for Captain Jack when he was busy or needed
shots that only a helicopter could deliver. Plus, buying the business and his
airplane is like getting a piece of local history," says
McLaughlin. "We've focused primarily on using the choppers for our photo
work, but purchasing the Captain's Cessna will allow us to be more flexible,
especially
for jobs requiring high altitude work or long distances."
McLaughlin says he
looks forward to delivering the same high quality results that Captain
Jacks existing customers demand and building the client base
by offering both helicopter
and airplane photo options.
For more information:
John McLaughlin
Iowa
Helicopter
3737 SE Convenience Blvd.
Ankeny, IA 50021
515-240-4328
April
19th 2007
Congressman Boswell Returns to the Helicopter
Cockpit
Iowa's Third District Congressman is no stranger to helicopters,
serving two
tours of duty as a pilot in Vietnam. But since retiring from
the US Army in
1976, Leonard Boswell hasn't flown a chopper. That will change
on Saturday,
April 21st when he will take the controls of a brand new Robinson
R-44 four
place helicopter during a Helicopter Open House at the Ankeny
Regional
Airport.
John McLaughlin,
instructor pilot for Iowa Helicopter in Ankeny, will
accompany the Congressman. "Make no mistake about it,
he'll be doing the
flying. I'm just along to point out the differences between
these new ships
and the old Huey's Mr. Boswell flew as an assault pilot," says
McLaughlin.
The 73 year old Democrat is scheduled to fire up the helicopter
at 10:00 a.m.
and fly for 30 minutes. Iowa Helicopter just took delivery
of the aircraft
from the factory in California.
You can
view video of the flight in our video
gallery.
In addition to civilian helicopters, the Iowa National Guard
is expected to
bring a UH-60 Blackhawk to show the public and emergency medical
helicopters
from Mercy and Methodist hospitals have been invited to drop
in. Iowa
Helicopter will have a free simulator set up so would-be pilots
can try
their hand at controlling a chopper!
The Helicopter Open house at the Ankeny Airport is open to
the public from 9
a.m. to 5 p.m. Lunch will be provided from 11 a.m. until 1
p.m. and the
first 500 children get a free helicopter toy. Helicopter rides
are
available for $35 for adults and $25 for kids.
December
29th 2005
Iowa
Helicopter Assists Des Moines Police with Missing Person
Search
Iowa Helicopter pilots Matt Horn and John McLaughlin
responded to a request
from Des Moines police
to assist in the search for a missing female in a heavily wooded
area on Des
Moines' southwest side.
Flying
the Robinson R-44, known as "Air One" during
official police work,
the pilots
flew a search pattern looking for the woman whose vehicle had
been located
near Walnut Creek and
North Valley Drive. The woman had been missing for 13 hours
when a police
officer on the ground
found the victim semi-conscious in a heavily wooded area about
one mile from
the vehicle.
Pilot Horn hovered over the location while McLaughlin
used Air One's police
radio to assist
other officers and a medical team in finding the woman. Police
are
investigating.
Helicopter time was 1.0 hour.
November
25th 2005
Iowa Helicopter Assists National Weather Service Tornado Damage
Survey
Iowa Helicopter
Chief Pilot/Meteorologist John McLaughlin joined pilot Nick
Olson of
Ankeny in photographing the damage paths of the November 12,
2005 Iowa
tornado outbreak.
The Des
Moines National Weather Service used the photos in determining
the
track length, width
and intensity of the tornadoes. In all, 11 tornadoes were
reported in Iowa
with major damage being
reported in Woodward, Stratford, Ames and Gilbert. Additionally,
many rural
farmsteads were damaged.
Several of the photos are available here. Any use of the
photos must
courtesy IowaHelicopter.com http://mesonet.agron.iastate.edu/cases/051112/iowahelicopter_survey/
October
12th 2005
