IF YOU MISSED THE WEST COAST BELL 47 FLY IN HELD AT BRACKETT AIRPORT IN SUNNY LA VERNE CA.....THEN YOU MISSED BELL 47 HEAVEN AND YOU WILL HAVE TO WAIT FOR ANOTHER TWO YEARS TILL MAY 2005!

THE EVENT WAS FULLY COORDINATED BY WEST COAST B47HA DIRECTOR DANNY RODRIGUEZ AND FEATURED NINE VINTAGE BELL 47 HELICOPTERS. B47HA CEO JOEY RHODES ASSISTED DANNY AND WAS ON HAND TO GREET PARTICIPANTS.

VENDORS ON HAND WERE TOM WHITE OF WHITE AERO WHO WAS THE VERY FIRST VENDOR TO SUPPORT B47HA. AND ALL THE WAY FROM THE EAST COAST, JACK CARSON AND HIS BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER RACHEL

OF HELICOPTER SPARES AND HELICOPTER TECH B47HA GOLD MEMBERS AND SUPPORTERS. RHODES ENCOURAGED THE MEMBERSHIP TO SUPPORT WHITE AND THE CARSONS WITH THEIR PATRONAGE.

SPECIAL THANKS WAS ACKNOWLEDGED TO BILL NEIGHBORS OF PACIFIC AIR LOGISTICS FOR HIS SPECIAL CONTRIBUTION TO FUND THE EVENT. BILL ASSISTED IN AWARDING THE GRAND DOOR PRIZE FOR THE FLY IN.

THE EVENT, WHICH WAS HELD IN HONOR OF "THE WHIRLYBIRDS' KEN TOBEY" WHO PASSED AWAY A FEW MONTHS AGO AT AGE 85, INVOLVED GUEST SPEAKERS DICK HART

OF NATIONAL HELICOPTERS AND HOLLYWOOD DIRECTOR BRUCE BILSON

ENTERTAINED THE VAST AUDIENCE WITH THEIR EXPERTISE AND MEMORIES. ON HAND WERE MANY BELL 47 MAINTENANCE AND FLIGHT GURUS TO SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES CONCERNING THE LEGENDARY BELL 47. THEIR CONTRIBUTION WAS VERY MUCH ENJOYED ESPECIALLY BY THE OWNERS OF BELL 47S.

BILSON WHO WAS ONE OF THE ORIGINAL DIRECTORS FROM "THE WHIRLYBIRDS" THEN INTRODUCED TO A VERY EXCITED AUDIENCE, "THE NEW WHIRLYBIRDS"

WHO INTRODUCED THE YOUNGER GENERATION TO THE BUBBLE ANGEL OF MERCY AND PROVIDED A RIDE TO A VERY HAPPY YOUNGSTER. NWB AFTER THE CONCLUSION OF THE EVENT BEGAN FILMING AND STILL PHOTOGRAPHY FOR THEIR CONCEPT VIDEO FOR THE DISCOVERY CHANNEL. NWB IS PRESENTLY PLANNING TO DEVOTE THEIR TALENTS TO UNITED STATES PEDIATRIC HOSPICE PROGRAMS TO HELP MAKE A DREAM COME TRUE FOR A TERMINALLY ILL CHILD. RHODES STATES, "I FEEL THE CONNECTION OF THE BELL 47 AS ONE OF THE FIRST MED EVAC HELICOPTERS HAS PROVIDED DANNY AND I A TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY TO HELP THESE KIDS FIND SOME HAPPINESS IN THE BRIEF TIME THAT THEY HAVE LEFT AND WE WILL PROVIDE OUR APPEARANCES FREE OF CHARGE WHEN FEASIBLE AND IN CONNECTION WITH AIRSHOWS AND EVENTS."

B47HA MEMBER AND FILM GURU PAT GROSSWENDT

DEBUTED HIS VIDEO STARRING HOLLYWOOD DIRECTORS ROBERT ALTMAN AND BRUCE PILSON DEALING WITH HOW "THE WHIRLYBIRDS" WAS FILMED.

DOOR PRIZES WERE DONATED AND MANY IN THE AUDIENCE ENJOYED THEIR FREE GIFTS ALONG WITH THE CATERED MEAL. SPECIAL PREPARATIONS WERE ALSO EVIDENT WITH AN ASSURING FIRST AID BOOTH PROFESSIONALLY STAFF IN CASE OF EMERGENCIES OF WHICH THERE WERE NONE.

BRYAN GOLDSMITH IN HIS NEWLY ACQUIRED BELL 47 G2 (WHICH NEAL TOLER FERRIED FROM OK.)

CAROL SIMPSON AND DOUG KERR WHO FLEW THEIR COAST GUARD AUX BELL 47 G2 FROM SAN FRANCISCO

PRESIDENT RHODES IS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE GENERAL MEMBERSHIP INCREASED FROM 313 TO 325 AND RHODES WAS PLEASED TO SEE MANY RENEWALS OF VETERAN MEMBERS.

DANNY AND JOEY WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FOLLOWING FOR THEIR HELP IN THIS HUGE SUCCESS.

AND MOST OF ALL JOEY WOULD LIKE TO THANK DANNY FOR BRINGING HIS LOVELY DAUGHTER SARA RODRIGUEZ TO HANDLE MEMBERSHIP AND REGISTRATIONS WHICH WAS DONE WITH THE UTMOST PROFESSIONALISM AND ACCURACY.

JOEY CONCLUDED, "THE EVENT'S SUCCESS IS CHIEFLY OWED HOWEVER TO DANNY RODRIGUEZ'S SUPER PLANNING AND DEEP POCKETS OF GENEROSITY. B47HA OWES DANNY RODRIGUEZ

A GREAT DEAL OF THANKS FOR SUPPORTING THE BELL 47 AND WORKING WITH DANNY IS GREAT FUN!"

RHODES SHARED HE FELT SO GOOD THAT HE WAS ON CLOUD NINE ON HIS FLIGHT HOME ENJOYING A CONVERSATION ABOUT HELICOPTERS WITH NONE OTHER THAN HIS BASEBALL HERO - LEGENDARY PETE ROSE. JOEY SAID, NOW THAT'S THE WAY TO END A TRIP!!!

THIS EVENT WAS VERY WELL COORDINATED AND THIS IS ATTESTED TO BY THESE TESTIMONIALS.

Mr. Rhodes:

Just wanted to take a moment to express my thanks to you and Mr. Rodriguez for all your hard work in organizing yesterdays Fly-In at Bracket Airport!

I, too, grew up with the Whirlybirds; and the Bell 47 is definitely my idea of the perfect "flying machine" . . . so I was in seventh heaven amongst my fellow enthusiasts and of course, the magnificent machines that flew in for display!

Three cheers for the New Whirlybirds! I think it's a great idea; so many of us can relate to the characters, and more importantly, so many new to helicopters now have a focal, learning point just as we did! And you're much more authentic than "Heli-hound" . . . HAI should embrace your whole concept!!

Hope to see many more Fly-Ins; as a very experienced Ground Service Technician and helicopter pilot, I also offer my services as ramp staff (or whatever) in the future! Glad to help!

Thanks again for a day full of memories,

Tom Lundie (Member # 239)

COMM/INST HELO