Friday, November 9, 2007

Army is spending $2.6 billion on hundreds of European-designed helicopters for homeland security - But they can't fly on hot days


Sacramento, California - The Army is spending $2.6 billion on hundreds of European-designed helicopters for homeland security and disaster relief that turn out to have a crucial flaw: They aren't safe to fly on hot days, according to an internal report obtained by The Associated Press.
While the Army scrambles to fix the problem — adding millions to the taxpayer cost — at least one high-ranking lawmaker is calling for the whole deal to be scrapped.
During flight tests in Southern California in mild, 80-degree weather, cockpit temperatures in the UH-72A Lakota soared above 104, the point at which the Army says the communication, navigation and flight control systems can overheat and shut down. Full Story - Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Discount Cigarettes & Tobacco - Karmaloop