The helicopter was transporting Michigan National Guard Brigadier General Jim Anderson.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009 at 4:38 p.m.
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MARQUETTE -- For the past couple of days, you might have been hearing a Chinook helicopter in the skies over Marquette. The helicopter was transporting Michigan National Guard Brigadier General Jim Anderson. He was traveling to the Marquette Armory for a presentation about the road to reintegration for returning soldiers.
Monday, the Chinook and crew performed training missions over Marquette Township.
The 1988 Chinook served in Iraq, helped after Hurricane Katrina, and aided in extinguishing the Newberry Fire.
Although the chopper was just transporting people for this mission, it has some incredible lifting power.
"Basically the helicopter is a cargo helicopter used for heavy lifting," said chinook pilot Tim Miller. "The gross weight of the helicopter goes up to 50,000 pounds. We generally can lift between 18 to 20 thousand pounds."
Shortly after 1 p.m. Tuesday afternoon, the helicopter lifted off to drop the general off in Grayling before returning to Selfridge Air Base, north of Detroit.
To see this amazing chopper take off, click here and watch the video.