Brazilian Seahawks Over Long Island

[Gerard]

Was leaving TOBAY beach today around 1:15 and had just pulled out of my spot to head out when I look up to see a Flight of Two S-70 Seahawks coming in low over the Bay heading towards the shoreline westbound. Had my binocs in the car with me and grabbed them to get a look as something about the lettering on the tail looked different. The word "MARINHA" was on the tail and saw an orange circle with a black dot near the cabin. Mmmm I thought and when I got home I did some research and saw this was the livery of the Brazilian Navy. Also read that they are updating their fleet to Seahawks, 6 of them, and work should be finished by June 2012. So I'm figuring these two copters are on a ferry flight from Stratford, Ct. to some airport where they will be packed up and flown to Brazil. That was pretty cool to see these ships and they must have buzzed over LI and maybe they stopped at FRG for fuel? That would have been a good photo-op.

[Mateo]

Don't necessarily assume they'll be shipped. At Fort Lauderdale-Executive/FXE a couple of winters ago, I saw an A119 (built in Philadelphia) in the livery of one of the Brazilian state police forces. Helos don't typically have a ton of range, but there aren't a lot of open-water distances to traverse, even on a fairly direct route to South America.

[lijk604]

They did not stop at FRG, damn, would have been one heck of a catch!

[Gerard]

Don't necessarily assume they'll be shipped. At Fort Lauderdale-Executive/FXE a couple of winters ago, I saw an A119 (built in Philadelphia) in the livery of one of the Brazilian state police forces. Helos don't typically have a ton of range, but there aren't a lot of open-water distances to traverse, even on a fairly direct route to South America.

I actually made the delivery assumption on this article... http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/Brazil-Buys-Naval-Seahawks-Penguins-06071/

That would be some flight Stratford to Rio!!! :smile: