CBC News – Military chopper lands for burgers — If A&W had a clue they would market this to death. Of course an investigation has already begun.
A Canadian military helicopter pilot with a sudden hankering for hamburgers set his aircraft down on a Kenora, Ont., baseball diamond, and walked into an A&W restaurant across the street for a takeout order.
“He ordered four papa burgers with cheese combos and two papa burgers on the side,” server Stacey Hawes told CBC News on Thursday.
The pilot was nice and polite, and made it seem as if he was just driving a regular car, she added.
Found by Mark Sissons.
BFD! It wasn’t like he could have them delivered.
As an Active Duty US Army Soldier, I am assuming this pilot is screwed! First off, a Soldier never leaves his equipment unsupervised. Leaving a helicopter in a parking lot while you go in for burgers is the same a leaving a M-4 unsecured while you go to the latrine.
Of course this is Canada. So maybe this is acceptable up there.
There’s a followup story… worth a read… The local police knew they were going to land and secured the area. Sounds like permission was sought and was obtained, most likely.
http://www.canada.com/Investigation+launched+after+Forces+helicopter+touches+down+burgers/2065126/story.html
Oh, and that’s where I eat when I’m at the summer cottage! I know the manager.
#2 – Uh, do you know how many nuclear weapons we can’t account for and you’re worried about a fucking helicopter? Jesus Christ!
#2 – If he had landed in Baltimore, he would have come back and the chopper would be up on blocks and the radio gone.
“He ordered four papa burgers with cheese combos and two papa burgers on the side,” server Stacey Hawes told CBC News on Thursday.
Sounds like papa burgers for two. Co-pilot went to relieve him/her self. JK. Woop, woop, woop.
So?
That’s a very popular A&W, as you’ll see various provincial and U.S. licence plates in the cars in the parking lot.
#2 I suspect he’d have others with him, but still it shouldn’t be acceptable in Canada, and I suspect he won’t be active for long!
It’s a Canadian helicopter: the pilot should been given a medal for simply landing the thing safely. Most of our helicopters are over 40 years old and have an annoying habit of falling out of the sky.
I can’t speak for helicopters but in the Midwest I’ve seen a number of freight trains that stop in smaller towns so the crew can p/u some food to go.
It’s a question of judgment.
Would you want someone with this type of indiscriminate judgment with his finger on the chopper trigger when your life is on the line in urban combat?
Can you say friendly fire?
So what I was upstate New York in the summer of 76 when a flight of 3 Candian landed their helios near the burger joint I was at and had lunch. We all had a lovely time.
What? Canadian soldiers eat FOOD? What pussies!
Make heartburn not war!
Hey, of all the things a military helicopter could be doing… this is pretty good.
And A&W in Canada doesn’t carry the stench of Yum! Brands like it does here.
in reply to #8
Chuck is an idiot this is a CH-146 Griffon, these have been in service for less than 10 years.
Chuck is an idiot this is a CH-146 Griffon, these have been in service for less than 10 years.
the helicopters Chuck is referring to are the Sea Kings which have been in service since 1963, the US and the UK both still operate the Sea King also Marine One is a Sea King (ya know the presidential helicopter)
oh and btw the Sea Kings will be replaced next year when the CF takes delivery of CH-148 Cyclone
Happens all the time in Texas. I have seen many gunships and blackhawks stopping at timy little places on 183, nw of Austin. They are from Ft Hood.
As Napoleon said “an army marches on it’s stomach”
I have personally witnessed a city police helicopter land in a vacant field near a Chicken Express in North Texas. The copilot got out, spent about five minutes inside placing an order, then walked back the the helicopter and flew away, presumably to the city police heliport for lunch.
At the time, I was rather shocked and aghast at the cavalier use of millions of dollars worth of city property for what was basically a fried chicken run. I wondered how much money that decent, landing, idling, power up, and climb out cost the city in fuel and shortened service interval. Needless to say, that fried chicken basically cost a lot more than $4.99 only the difference was paid for by the city.
I suppose that this could be justified as equivalent to a cop taking his police cruiser to Burger King. I tend to say that is not an apples to apples comparison. If I were in charge, the pilot and co-pilot would have been severely reprimanded but would have been returned to helicopter patrol duty in the end. Hopefully, that way, this kind of thing wouldn’t happen again.
These guys have been slugging it out in Kandahar for seven years now. If I was in the A&W I would have bought the burgers for them.
BTW, this is not the middle of Toronto – Kenora is only about 15,000.
True easygoing Canadians. 🙂
#14 – tGill – Chuck is an idiot this is a CH-146 Griffon, these have been in service for less than 10 years.
14 years… but, whatever… you’re just 40+% off.
I’ve seen US Army choppers stop at McDonalds for lunch. Big deal. They landed in the vacant lot across the street, ran in and grabbed an order, came back and left.
#6 put it best: “So?”
Complete non-story. A man’s gotta eat, who gives a shit?
It’s Canada! Instead of an FBI they have
Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
@Mark T. said
Unlikely that the cop took the helicopter out for chicken. More likely they had been on duty for X hours and the alternative was to fly back to base, get a meal and fly back to the scene, Wasting time, fule and leaving the scene without cover.
Would a reporter realize that the pilot sits in the RIGHT front seat?
(So, maybe it wasn’t the pilot and maybe the equipment wasn’t left undefended?)
# 18 Mark T. said, “…that fried chicken basically cost a lot more than $4.99”
Ain’t nuthin’, Mark. When I was in the Army, I was not only an emergency room supervisor (this was Fort Carson, Co.) but secondary MAST crew. (Military Assistance to Safety and Traffic) We responded to police requests for medical assistance in remote areas usually after traffic accidents. Although we flew a fair number of missions, the secondary crews were hardly ever called out. However, in order to maintain our flight status (and extra pay) we were required to fly a certain number of hours each month. Weekends would often see us choppering off to various ski areas for a day of downhill. Wanna figure out how much those ski passes cost?
In Alaska when I worked on the pipeline, I remember Piper Cubs with tundra tires landing on the street and taxing up to the takeout…
Really, They got their order and then taxied out of the parking lot and took off again!
So cool…
Helicopter? big deal…
The machine doesn’t seem to be armed. Crew was left on board and he may have needed to make a pit stop.
Where’s the beef?