HEADS UP NORMAN OKLAHOMA
SteveQuayle.com
Aug 11, 2015
I live in Norman Oklahoma, very east edge of town. Was awoke approximately
3:00 am , 11 AUG 2015, by sounds of powerful helicopter noise.
Went outside to witness several helicopters without Nav Lights on
circling over Norman with partial clouds overcast approximately 3500 AGL.
Silhouettes appeared to be UH-60s.
Visible to south, approximately 1 mile, about 1000 AGL was 1 UH-72 Lakota,
distinguished by the vibrant LED Nav lights turned on and Lakotas have a
high speed rotor making a buzzing sound unlike the traditional Whoop Whoop
of lower speed Traditional rotors. It was hovering near HWY 9 and 24th St.
East.
I heard additional Helicopters approaching from east.
1 helicopter began entering a partial hover approximately mile from me,
around 3200 AGL overhead, partially visible in cloud deck, was one CH-47G
hovering with Nav Lights on and ramp appeared open.
The model is very familiar to me, it had the Large saddle Tanks and
Inflight Refueling probe.
Lower FLIR turret was visible in the metropolitan light, it appeared to
be looking directly down.
Several Parachutes dropped with LAPES deployment to a cleared field about
mile east of me, which is slightly higher in elevation.
Time was around 3:30 am. Very Surreal event to witness.
I went back inside and went to get ready for work.
I left for work 1 hour later and upon turning onto a main street, I saw 2
individual on each side of the street dressed in civilian short pants and
button up shirt, each was different in civilian attire. Both held
flashlights pointed down at the street.
They, each, had a Very Large black Pack, about 3 feet tall by 2 feet
diameter, strapped with the exact same type reflective belt, secured in the
exact same fashion, high on the pack for optimal visibility.
They were walking west, toward the University of Oklahoma.
Further down the road was 2 more, differing in civilian attire, but same
Pack, same secured reflective belt, replication that said a training
standard was utilized.
I passed more than 16 such individual walking into town, all had excellent
haircuts, all looked young, straight out of, probably, Ranger School, no
one looked over E4 rank in age.
I am intimately familiar with Army Flight Procedures, Army Reg. AR 95-1
Section 2-12 makes it a requirement to have Nav lights on during night time
hours.
I am intimately familiar with Local CH-47s, UH-60s and UH-72 Air National
Guard Helicopters out of Muldrow Station in Lexington, Oklahoma, just south
of here, whom always fly with Nav lights on due to Student flight training
in the area. They are doing PIC Certification Training at night in the new
UH-72s they just received.
They do not have CH-47Gs.
I am intimately familiar with 160th SOAR Group Operations and Equipment.
I believe they are from the 160th out of Fort Campbell Kentucky.
Around 11:00, 3 CH-47Gs, which I believe from the 160th, flew north across
lake Stanly Draper on to Tinker AFB, I assume for fuel and Ops Brief at
Transient Alert.
Could you please Post on your Q Alerts.
