PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Americas early guided missiles... utilising three Pigeons, yup you heard it correct.
Old 6th Dec 2022, 03:54
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Gne
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: With the Wizard
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Megan,
I can confirm the NSCA were involved in trials of pigeons to assist in SAR activities. In 1988 or 89 (the memory fades) the boss and I were flown to Townsville in their Dornier to see some trails. From memory it looked very effective. The "simulator" even had a shaker device and audio to simulate the ride in a chopper. Back at home base we had already seen the trials of para dogs, groin protection for humans jumping into wooded areas to either search for downed pilots or fight fires and had a brief on the potential for horses to parachute.

As the first of the contract SAR bases, i must say the services offered were impressive and I'm not sure ADF had sufficient funds to pay for those levels of service had the organisation survived long enough the negotiate a contract renewal.

Gne

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