In the latest instance of White House vandalism, construction of a helipad at the White House has begun.
I'd post a photograph of it, but the only photo I can find is copyright protected, so I'll abstain. I will note, however, that the pad is way, way, too close the White House itself.
This is frankly a really bad idea, and some bad result will occur sooner or later. There's no excuse, however, for building a helipad that close to a structure, let alone an 18th Century structure.
And now it's a helipad
King Donald has spent a lot of his time this term of office remaking Washington D.C. itself. He's already vandalized the Rose Garden, the East Wing, and the Reflecting Pool. Messing with buildings is something he is familiar with, and which he fancies himself good at, even though the evidence from D.C. is that he has the taste of a 19th Century bordello owner.
Now it's a helipad. It'll be granite and on the White House grounds, and have the Presidential Seal on it.
The supposed reason is that the new Marine Corps 1 choppers are bigger, or more powerful, than their predecessors and therefore weren't working out well on the White House lawn.
The new helicopters are Sikorsky VH-92 Patriots. They are big.
Trump claims that Sikorsky will pay for the pads. Lockheed Marine, which now owns Sikorsky, has more or less confirmed that.
I'll credit some of this story as credible. These giant helicopters are really heavy, no doubt, and Washington D.C. is a swamp. It may indeed have surpassed the dent in the lawn level.
Still, there's reason for concern. Not one of Trump's major DC endeavors has worked out well. The East Wing desecration is way over the original price estimate and is likely to be torn down as soon as the illegitimate claimant to the office is out. The Rhino Lining on the reflecting pool has been a disaster and has lead to a false criminal charge against an innocent former Olympian. Just on sheer experience, there should be concern that the price here will be off, the taxpayer will foot the bill (which maybe in this instance they should) and that it'll go badly.
Moreover, the helicopters maker footing the bill is disturbing, relationship wise.
Marine Corps 1 itself is one of those things that has turned the Presidency from being representative of the people into a type of king. Eisenhower introduced it in 1957 as he wanted a quick way to get to his summer home in Pennsylvania. There's no reason that the taxpayer should have been stuffed with that. Now we've been stuck with a Presidential helicopter ever since.
Different countries, it might be noted, approach this differently. Lots of countries do use government aircraft for chief executives, but some really restrain it. Finland is one example. It has aircraft for the chief executive, but if that person is traveling long distance, they do so commercially A relatively recent Mexican president intentionally did that.
There's probably no way around this at this point, but frankly it is a bit much.
Last edition:
The Civil Aeronautics Bard granted a certificate to Bell Helicopter for the Bell 47 to be sold to civilians.
If you've seen M*A*S*H you've seen the Bell 47.
Last edition:
Wyoming State Geological Survey
June 26, 2025
******FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE******
Media Contact:
Bryce Tugwell, Media and
Communications Manager
bryce.tugwell@wyo.gov
Wyoming State Geological Survey
Office: (307) 745-2236
Cell: (307) 703-0761
WSGS Releases Public Information
Circular on Airborne Geophysics in Wyoming
LARAMIE, Wyo. — A new publication from the Wyoming State Geological Survey
(WSGS) discusses recent acquisition of airborne magnetic, radiometric, and
electromagnetic surveys in Wyoming. Geophysical surveys are key tools for
geological mapping, mineral exploration, evaluating geological hazards, and
better understanding the distribution of groundwater in the subsurface.
“I can’t emphasize enough the
importance of these baseline, high-quality, publicly available geophysical
data,” says WSGS Director and State Geologist Dr. Erin Campbell. “With the
completion of these surveys, approximately 20 percent of Wyoming will be covered
by Rank 1 data that will allow for interpretation of the framework geology,
furthering our understanding of the geologic structure and mineralogic
composition of Wyoming.”
The
majority of the recent geophysical surveys in Wyoming involve the simultaneous
collection of magnetic and radiometric data. These magnetic and radiometric
datasets are particularly useful for locating certain types of critical mineral
deposits. The airborne geophysical surveys discussed in this publication are
either completed, currently being flown, or will be flown in the near future.
“Collection
of these data has been a productive collaboration between the USGS and the
WSGS,” added Campbell. “Our geoscientists are working together to identify the
highest-priority areas in Wyoming in need of Rank 1 geophysical data. We are
pleased to see that the mineral industry is already using the datasets for
exploration.”
Airborne
geophysical surveys measure physical properties of the earth using instruments
mounted in aircraft that fly over a predetermined survey area. Airborne
magnetic surveys measure the total magnetic field intensity as the aircraft
flies in evenly spaced lines over the ground surface. These surveys can detect
magnetic signals emanating from deep within the earth’s crust. Magnetic surveys
can effectively map otherwise hidden geological variation, along with locating
deposits rich in magnetic minerals, commonly associated with critical mineral
deposits. Radiometric surveys measure gamma radiation released through the
radioactive decay of potassium, thorium, and uranium within the top few
centimeters of the ground surface. This type of survey can be used to constrain surficial geologic processes, along with
mapping exposures of certain types of mineral deposits.
Public Information Circular 49, Airborne Geophysics in Wyoming:
Methods for Exploring Subsurface Geology, provides an update on the
current status and geographic distribution of airborne geophysical surveys in
Wyoming. The circular also provides a broad overview of how these geophysical
data are collected, and what the various types of data represent. Lastly, the
publication discusses geophysical data from completed and published geophysical
surveys that cover the South Pass–Granite Mountains region and the Medicine Bow
Mountains.
This
circular is available for free download from the Wyoming State Geological
Survey website. The published geophysical data discussed in this publication
can be downloaded from the U.S. Geological Survey’s website (South
Pass–Granite Mountains, Medicine
Bow Mountains).
Cover
of Airborne Geophysics in Wyoming: Methods for Exploring Subsurface Geology
The Fireforce vertical envelopment tactic was used by the 1st Battalion of the Rhodesian Light Infantry in the first example of its use. The tactic was developed as Rhodesian Aérospatiale Alouette III had a limited carrying capacity in comparison to the very large helicopters used by the US in similar roles.
Mexican Federals defeated rebels in Tamaulipas.
The Berliner gyrocopter No. 5 gave its first successful demonstration. U.S. Army Lt. Harold R. Harris flew it for one minutes and 20 seconds at the College Park Airport, near the University of Maryland, in front of the press and members of the U.S. Navy.
Harris has been mentioned here before due to his career as a test pilot. He lived until 1988, dying at age 92.
The Beverly Hills Speedway hosted its final race, which was attended by 85,000 automobile racing fans. Harlan Fengler broke the world's record for a 250 mile race, averaging 116.6 mph.
Fengler would go on to be the Chief Steward of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway from 1958 until 1974. He passed away in 1981 at age 78.
George C. Marshall was Time's Man Of The Year.
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The USS Turner suffered a series of internal explosions while in harbor off of the Ambrose Light in New York. 138 of the 256-man crew died during the incident. A Coast Guard Sikorsky HNS-1 flown by Lieutenant Commander Frank A. Erickson flew two cases of blood plasma, lashed to the helicopter's floats, from New York to Sandy Hook, saving many of the injured crewman, and providing the first incident of a helicopter used in that fashion.
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Gregory "Pappy" Boyington was shot down and became a Prisoner of War of the Japanese.
The odd thing about this helicopter is that even though it retains the USAF or US Army Vietnam era camouflage scheme, it lacks national markings, which most surplus aircraft which retain military paint schemes do. Additionally, I could not see a registration number on it anywhere. That may be because I took this photograph from a distance, with an iPhone, and it could be painted in black on the dark green aft of the helicopter. It obviously should have this painted on it.
When I happened to arrive at the airport on the day this photo was taken, a crew was standing by it as the refueling truck was getting ready, and they were having their photograph taken. I thought they were a military crew, but I wasn't paying much attention. UH-1s are no longer in common US use, but the UH-1N is still used by the USAF in connection with nuclear missiles and missile silos, and that variant does in fact often have the nose mount fitting, although it should have USAF markings and this old camouflage scheme would be a surprise.
On this day in 1942, a German test pilot became the first individual to deploy an ejection seat.
You can read more about that here:
On the same day, the Sikorsky R4 flew for the first time.
