Helicopter Pilot Facts for Summerville, SC: Specialized training, based on the kind of aircraft the pilot flies, is another requirement. Helicopter pilots are also required to have and maintain excellent physical and mental health.

Lift is proportional to the change in the air's momentum (its mass times its velocity): the greater the momentum, the greater the lift.

Lift is proportional to the change in the air's momentum (its mass times its velocity): the greater the momentum, the greater the lift.

Helicopter Spotlight for Summerville, SC

The Lockheed Martin VH-71 Kestrel is a variant of the AgustaWestland AW101 (formerly Eh401) built to replace the United States Marine Corps' Marine One U.S. Presidential transport fleet. It was developed and built by the Lockheed Martin–led US101 Team of Lockheed Martin Systems Integration – Owego (LMSI) AgustaWestland and Bell Helicopter.

In February 2009 President Barack Obama asked Secretary of Defense Robert Gates about placing the project on hold or canceling it because of its high cost: over $13 billion for the planned 28 helicopters. In June 2009 the U.S. Navy terminated the contract after spending about $4.4 billion and taking delivery of nine VH-71s. The helicopters were then sold to Canada for $164 million for use as spare parts for its fleet of AgustaWestland CH-149 Cormorant search-and-rescue helicopters.