THIS HAD TO BE ONE OF THE BEST SHOWS WE HAVE EVER HAD. MANY VISITORS STOPPED BY AND WERE PLEASANTLY SURPRISED TO SEE US WITH THE BHT’S G4A UP IN THE HIGH RENT DISTRICT RIGHT NEXT TO BHT HEADQUARTERS AND THEIR NEW 429. MANY VISITORS REMARKED THAT THEY APPRECIATED THE RESPECT THAT BHT SHOWED TO THE BELL 47 HELICOPTER THAT BUILT THEIR COMPANY. THE MAJOR THEME PRESENTED BY B47HA WAS “BHT REMEMBERS THEIR ROOTS.” THE SHOW WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE KINDNESS OF SHANE EDDY, LESLIE FERRY, MARTY WRIGHT, AND PAT BUTLER. DANNY RODRIGUEZ ARRIVED WITH TONS OF GOODIES AND MEMORABILIA. IA NEAL TOLER ANSWERED MAINT QUESTIONS. PRESIDENT RHODES SHARED THE B47HA STORY.

FOR THREE DAYS STRAIGHT FROM 10AM TO 4PM THE WHIRLYBIRDS AUTOGRAPHED THE NEW 2X3FT BELL 47 J POSTERS FOR FANS. SPECIAL THANKS TO DR. PHIL JONES FOR THE HI-DEF PHOTOGRAPHY AND UNSELFISHLY DONATING HIS J FOR THE POSTER. ON HAND TO ASSIST IN THE BOOTH WERE BILL SHRUM, KEVIN RATTEY, ANDREW BARR, AND CRAIG MUELLER. PRESIDENT RHODES GAVE FOUR MAGAZINE INTERVIEWS (ONE OF WHICH WILL BE FEATURED IN ROTORCRAFT PROFESSIONAL MAGAZINE IN MARCH.) RHODES ALSO SPOKE TO THE HAI INTERNATIONAL AFFILIATES SYMPOSIUM AND SPOKE IN FRONT OF HAI’S PRESIDENT. WHEN ASKED BY HAI WHAT THEY COULD DO FOR B47HA, RHODES QUICKLY REPLIED THAT HE WANTED AN OFFICIAL STUDY OF BELL 47 ACCIDENTS OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS. RHODES STATED THAT B47HA HAS CLAIMED VICTORY IN THE BOGUS PART WAR THAT BHT INITIATED IN THE SEVENTIES AND B47HA TOOK ON IN 2002. HE FELT THAT IT WAS TIME TO VERIFY OUR EFFORTS BY AN UNBIASED STUDY. HAI AGREED TO DO SO. WE WILL ADVISE THE MEMBERSHIP WHEN THE RESULTS ARE IN. MANY AUDIENCE MEMBERS STOPPED BY LATER AND STATED THAT THEY WERE “MESMERIZED AND REVITED BY JOEY’S BOLD ADDRESS AND ASKED FOR HIM TO COME AND SHARE THE 47 MESSAGE WITH THEIR MEMBERSHIPS. VP DANNY RODRIGUEZ WAS ABLE TO DO A SPECIAL RUSSIAN TELEVISION INTERVIEW AND THE WHIRLYBIRDS INTRODUCED YOUNGSTERS TO THE 47. FOR SOME, THEY WERE ALLOWED TO SIT BEHIND THE CONTROLS OF THE G4A. PRESIDENT RHODES WAS PLEASED TO SPEAK WITH MANY MEMBERS AND HAS NOW FORMULATED B47HA’S POSITION ON THE MILITARY HELICOPTER ISSUE IN COOPERATION WITH BHT’S DIRECTIVES. SOME OF THE MEMBERS STOPPING BY THE BOOTH WERE SCOTT CHURCHILL, AL BROUSSARD, RUSS JAMES, SAM CASTILLO, KENNY KOTHMAN, TOM WILLIAMS, RICHARD HART, JOHN AND DANIEL SCIBELLI, TOM JARLINGE, JEFF EVANS, BOB PETITE, SALMON RIVER HELICOPTERS, JOAQUIN BRANDI, FERNANDO CORREA, DON RUGGLES, ERIK BUSSE’, TONY SODERSTROM, ROBERT HORNER, SAM CASTILLO, DAVID HEWITT, JIM HAWES, AND MANY MORE. NEXT YEAR ANAHEIM, CA. WILL HOST THE EXPO AND WEST COAST DIRECTOR DANNY RODRIGUEZ HOPES TO SECURE A 47 FOR DISPLAY.