Los Angeles finally received some rainfall over the weekend, but not enough to delay tonight’s doubleheader at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. This evening, America’s favorite pastime will be brought to fans by the 712 turboshaft horsepower of the City of Anaheim’s Police Department helicopter, an American Eurocopter AS350.
The City of Anaheim’s Police Department flew their air unit (known by some as the “ghetto bird”) inside the stadium and hovered mere inches over the perfectly manicured grass field, using the downwash from the rotors to blast away any remaining moisture. Thankfully, someone was there to capture the action in the form of a Vine:
This isn’t the first time a helicopter has been used as a water abatement tool for sporting fields. In May 2015, Dallas Baptist University arranged for a helicopter to blow dry their field prior to a regional NCAA tournament. A high school in Arkansas also used a helicopter to blast the water from their football field back in 2009 (see video below).
There are other cases for using a helicopter like a gigantic blowdryer. Some specialty agriculture applications, such as cherry growers, utilize light helicopters to blow moisture off crops prior to harvest. This keeps excess water from forming on the fruit, which makes it mushy and decreases deliciousness. So next time you enjoy a nice bucket of cherries, you may want to thank your local whirlybird pilot.
Photo credit: Anaheim Angels
Follow the author on Twitter: @collinkrum