[steve86]

Really not that much unusual about it -- drills over populated areas have been going on forever -- EXCEPT for the apparent sound of automatic weapons fire. Since there were no flashes, and evidently no empty casings, was the sound even coming from the helos? Was it an automatic air-gun training weapon as one comment suggests? Whether blanks or airgun, if the sounds were coming from the choppers they have the same oppressive effect on the civilian population. I am surprised no drivers freaked out and wrapped cars around each other on that highway, which makes me suspicious the reports were not from the Apaches.

[steve86]

Blackhawk, not Apache.

[DakotaRed]

I find it very curious that we can hear the gunfire very distinctly, but not the helicopters themselves. I crewed the OH-6 and later the OH-58 in the late 60’s and early 70’s and helicopters are not the quietest aircraft around.