The West Virginia Division of Forestry has quite a celebrity on its payroll. War hero, movie star, and current fire fighter all describe this airborne phenom...it's a Bell UH-1B Huey helicopter!

After tours of duty in Viet Nam and Germany, the 1962 Huey was retired by the United States Army in 1971. A California company then purchased the helicopter, and used it for agricultural applications.

Being so close to Hollywood, the Huey was in constant demand for movie roles. It's resume include appearances in Die Hard, The Rock, Broken Arrow, Under Siege, and Mars Attacks. Over the years, the Huey has co-starred with several megastars including Sean Connery, John Travolta, Bruce Willis, Nicolas Cage, Jack Nicholson, Glenn Close, Steven Segal, Tommy Lee Jones, Ed Harris, Christian Slater, and many others.

Currently being used to fight forest fires in West Virginia, the Huey is perfectly suited for the rough and remote terrain of the Mountain State.

Person Interviewed: Joe Altizer
Title: Chief Pilot
Location: Logan County, West Virginia
Address: P.O. Box 161 Rt.44S, Switzer, WV 25647
Phone: 304-752-0097
Website: www.marpataviation.com
EMail: joe@marpataviation.com

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