Federal law enforcement practice helicopter maneuvers at PA Capitol

I can understand them wanting to use a building they own, but isn't that why we have bases...for that reason? Especially when they're scaring the crap out of people...

Now you're thinking - military installations within the states - especially "closed" bases - are most often used. Closed prisons, or even prisons before opening are also often used. Training at this level is not a spectator sport.

There's just no reason to create the attention, generate the risk, and take on the liabilities - unless it was intentional.

Yep...my husband's not in the NG anymore, but I know there is a huge base not too far from Harrisburg...


Welcome to Fort Indiantown Gap (FTIG), Pennsylvania, Warrior Training Grounds. The Fort Indiantown Gap Team hopes that you find this website useful in learning about what “the Gap” provides to our nation’s warfighters.

[link to ftig.ng.mil]


Actually, this may be one of the bases that is authorized to test drones?

Agreed, there are many issues to contend with when operating within a confined metro environment. With training it can be done safely (rescue helicopters) but IMO it should never be considered routine.

Turbine failure due to FOD ingestion

Mechanical turbulence from surrounding buildings.

LTE from a anti torque rotor strike on structures

Main rotor strike (putting your wire strike kit to the test)

Translation tendency being aggravated due to close structures affecting wind flow

Unintended translation due to imbalanced load while fast roping

Sand and loose dirt blinding people and damaging property

Add to that all the risk factors and point of failures inherent to all rotor-wing flight and I would say that its an unnecessary risk to train over a populated civil location.. Unless you are training like you intend to fight.

Last Edited by EscapeVelocity on 01/30/2013 03:40 PM

EXACTLY what I was referencing - thanks E V

Rotor wash is no joke, and I believe people have no true appreciation what it's like to be under it - especially as the pilots works his/ her rear off in order to maintain a hover.

I agree with you guys that doing this type of training in the setting it was done in is very weird. I don't know what the skyline is like there but doing this kind of live training in a urban setting is very risky so would not be undertaken lightly, it has to be practice how you are gonna play!! Now when you add up all the live urban excercises that have been happening thelast few years I think you can only come to the conclusion that we are about to be in a shit storm...then just add all the other crap going on, EO's, economy, middle east, etc. I think one can only conclude that we are at the endgame...push is about to come to shove. once again, jmho

Very good points you made.

this is a bad sign.....

they're preparing for their next war .... against US citizens, make no mistake about it......

It looks like the original article was updated:


"We didn't alert the public because there was no danger to the public by conducting the drill, and it needed to be an in and out type of drill for this particular law enforcement agency," he said.

Capitol police and Dauphin County 911 did know this was going to happen.

They didn't tell the general public because they didn't want people videotaping it and seeing the tactics being practiced.



[link to www.abc27.com]

Also from link -

Troy Thompson, PA General Services Spokesman, explained why there was no early warning about the maneuvers.


I guess this is him?


Troy A. Thompson, Agency Open Records Officer

[link to www.dgs.state.pa.us]

It's pretty interesting that they didn't want anyone taping their tactics, probably the only truth spoken about this drill so far. Will be interesting to see how many more of these drills go on around the country in the near future. I think it's pretty obvious that they are getting ready for something.

Well, it's so weird/stupid to say something like that...knowing those little things called cell phones are so popular these days, with the ability to record at a moment's notice. Question is though, will the media even report these drills? That ABC station is the only one that reported it, as far as I have found.

No more than a blip on the local news probably. They are getting a lot more in your face with this type of stuff, which makes me feel that we are very close to the tipping point. If they push through a comprehensive gun bill with registration, bans etc, and it gets through the both houses than i think that will be sign that the end is near. Everyone says the republicans won't allow it...well if they do then look out...they are no longe worried about reelection and doing what their masters tell them to do.

Yep. Here's their Facebook page where they were looking for video of it, kind of funny:

Did anyone get photos or video of the helicopters practicing touch-and-go maneuvers in downtown Harrisburg last night? If so, we want to see them! You can post them on our wall of send them to us via Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #abc27News.

[link to www.facebook.com (secure)]

The comments are interesting. I think we know that they'll push something through...it's just interesting that the drill happened here in PA.

This has to be an intimidation tactic against certain elements of the U.S. population.

There is no reason why the law enforcement agency reportedly training with the feds could not simply go to a near by military base, or one not so near by, and conduct training.

The Obama administration just keeps pushing the buttons of those that believe in the constitution... push push push.

I hope that everyone realizes this and does not fall for it. All it will take it a couple of nuts to do something stupid -- that will give the Obama camp another excuse to push harder.

Is there something going on in PA politics that makes this interesting...or just cuz it's happening close to you???

I think you're right, it's a show of force!! Also it's acclimating the masses to military forces operating among us.

And yes it does look like they are trying to incite something. If no one takes the bait then they'll most likely stage something. Interesting times we live in.

I live here, I'm about 40 min from Harrisburg. When it happens close to me, my ears perk up all the more versus the Miami and Houston drills. Also, I find it interesting that they chose PA, why? I know at the Walmart we went to a few weeks ago, they cannot keep bullets in stock. This state is the "bitter clingers" Obama referenced, but yet this state voted him in, so I have to wonder why it's so important to show force here?

This just popped into my mind, check it out. Sorry the first part is referencing Think Progress but I wanted to highlight the one part since Texas also had these drills this week:


By Rebecca Leber on Jan 24, 2013 at 4:30 pm

Following the lead of Wyoming and Texas, state Rep. Daryl Metcalfe (R) introduced unconstitutional legislation on Wednesday to make enforcing federal anti-gun violence measures a felony in Pennsylvania.

[link to thinkprogress.org]


Here's the bill:

Bill Information
Regular Session 2013-2014
House Bill 357

Short Title: An Act providing that any Federal law which attempts to register, restrict or ban a firearm or to limit the size of a magazine of a firearm in this Commonwealth shall be unenforceable in this Commonwealth; and imposing penalties.


[link to www.legis.state.pa.us]

Yea I understand it's interesting when it happens close by. I live in WY so we'll see what happens around here...we have a very large NG base 30 miles away that is the main training center for several states, and regular army. It's also supposed to be the regional HQ for DHS, have heard that from several ppl over the years.

Wow interesting, definitely keep an eye on the news in case something happens there since Wyoming is one of the other states mentioned as trying to void federal law.

Hmmm...


Thread: Western PA concealed carry license system down

Altoona here

I did not know this...someone posted on Facebook that this could be why they did this:

NATIONAL 2ND AMENDMENT RALLY

When: Friday, February 8, 2013 - 10AM
Where: Your State Capital Building
Why: Support of The Second Amendment

This rally will be taking place at every single state capital building in the USA at 10am
on Friday, 2/8/13. Lets not be like the rest of America in complaining about why others
haven't fixed what we just let lay there broke. Its time to put in work for your own
benefit, so plan to attend.


[link to forum.pafoa.org]

I figure were a thorn under their saddle blanket. In the last couple of years we've passed permitless concealed carry, and castle doctrine laws. Now the bill to void federal gun laws, which passed it's first and possibly second commitee votes, and loosening of gun laws, ie. ccw holders can carry in a school. It also passed first vote with second scheduled for yesterday, don't know what happened though. I think states rights are about to become a major issue that the feds will have to deal with, which could explain all these "drills".

well, well, well...the plot thickens!!

As a PA resident, this thread is disturbing. Have the Feds ever jumped on our Capitol before?? On a side note, Phila. is responsible for our state voting blue. Much of PA is gun and Bible country and was mocked by Obama. It stands to reason that the Feds would practice taking out our Capitol.Gun applications have gone through the roof and now the "carry servers" are down. How convenient.

Yes, in addition...I guess there have already been local rallies held at the Capitol.

No, according to that link they said it's the first time the state has worked with the Feds for something like this.