Mexican helicopter over Texas sparks drug war concerns

[docstew]

Pics of the incursion!

Mexico has Mi-17's?

[The Village Idiot]

Mexico has Mi-17's?

That is what it looks like to me. But they ordered 6 EC725 (Mi-35) Cougars last year, so I guess they are slowly getting more modern.

[The Village Idiot]

Mexico has Mi-17's?

A google search says yes. Their Navy has some too, I saw a pic but it wouldn't let me post it.

[The Village Idiot]

Looking around on Google I have seen a few sites (probably old) saying you can buy an OH-6 "Little Bird" or "Loach" for a quarter million to half million.

That would be interesting.

[DumbAss Tanker]

Therefore assuming that it is....

A.  Truly foreign.....and

B.  An unauthorized incursion.....

No "affirmative defense"?

doc

Correct; 'Foreign' does not automatically equal 'Hostile,' without a state of war or demonstration of current hostile intent, there is no excuse for private citizens trying to fire it up. 

[Chris_]

Correct; 'Foreign' does not automatically equal 'Hostile,' without a state of war or demonstration of current hostile intent, there is no excuse for private citizens trying to fire it up. 

In Texas, however......I would suggest two words....

"jury nullification"....

doc

[DumbAss Tanker]

...Or 'Straight to the needle, do not pass Go,' (Except in Spanish, Spanglish, or Ebonics), depending on the jury pool where the Feds decide to try the shooter.

[Thor]

The saving grace for me is by the time I get out my good rifle, load it and get outside, any aircraft should be long gone. However, were they within 100 yards, that might change the scenario a bit.

The fact is, if one takes out the engine(s), (which it would be very difficult were there two engines), a helicopter CAN  auto-rotate to the ground. Given a decent pilot, there should be NO deaths.

I probably would be on the phone with the Sheriff until I received some sort of hostile intent.

[The Village Idiot]

I probably would be on the phone with the Sheriff until I received some sort of hostile intent.

This copter apparently hovered for a little while.

[Chris_]

...Or 'Straight to the needle, do not pass Go,' (Except in Spanish, Spanglish, or Ebonics), depending on the jury pool where the Feds decide to try the shooter.

Although a chopper crash in my swimming pool might make things a bit more complex, the "Three S's" come to mind.....and I have access to a backhoe.....

Of further note, according to US aviation law, intentional unapproved flight within 1000 feet of any occupied dwelling (other than an airport) is verboten, and can result in severe penalties......including imprisonment.....

Kind of a shame what our national sovereignty has degraded to........in a just world, shooting down the bastards should result in, at the very least salvage rights, and at most, a substantial reward......

doc

[Randy]

The saving grace for me is by the time I get out my good rifle, load it and get outside, any aircraft should be long gone. However, were they within 100 yards, that might change the scenario a bit.

The fact is, if one takes out the engine(s), (which it would be very difficult were there two engines), a helicopter CAN  auto-rotate to the ground. Given a decent pilot, there should be NO deaths.

I probably would be on the phone with the Sheriff until I received some sort of hostile intent.

Taking out 1 engine would be good enough. It may not bring them down but I'd bet dollars to tacos it'd get their asses back across the border toot-sweet!
 

[DumbAss Tanker]

The saving grace for me is by the time I get out my good rifle, load it and get outside, any aircraft should be long gone. However, were they within 100 yards, that might change the scenario a bit.

The fact is, if one takes out the engine(s), (which it would be very difficult were there two engines), a helicopter CAN  auto-rotate to the ground. Given a decent pilot, there should be NO deaths.

I probably would be on the phone with the Sheriff until I received some sort of hostile intent.

I used to wonder about why so many choppers crash in low-altitude flying (Other than the fact that's mostly where they fly anyway) given the capability to autorotate, I mean obviously reaction time had a lot to do with it, but still...then I found out that a chopper needs about a thousand feet of altitude free and clear underneath it before autorotation starts to work and make a substantial difference by the time it comes into contact with Mr. Hardplace.

[Thor]

DAT, true for the most part. The higher the altitude, the better chance of a GOOD auto-rotation. However, if they're a decent pilot, an auto-rotation from 500 ft AGL will still be possible and increase survivability. There IS a point where a helicopter may be too low to auto-rotate and just crash and burn.