I have never been in a group of adult males that didn’t drop everything to search the sky as soon as they hear chopper blades. The “it’s go time” part of the brain activates I think.

If you’re GenX, I believe “get to tha choppa” has been sleeper-agented into your brain, the sound of rotors forces you to watch.

I stopped yesterday while walking to my car at quitting time to watch the med flight copter fly over. When I looked down three other people had also stopped to watch.

I live under the Long Beach Airport’s takeoff path. I get jet planes right overhead throughout the day. It was a novelty at first, but now I feel like it’s just like a semi truck rolling by on the street. Part of the landscape (or soundscape) if you will.

We get a LOT of “ghetto birds” here in the LBC also. It’s fun when you hear them go by over and over again, and then look them up on FlightRadar24 and see their little paths around town. They start at the airport and then circle around one block, then they’ll head downtown and circle around another block, then they’ll head east and circle around another block, then they’ll head back downtown and circle around another block. It’s fascinating. Like watching a bee go from flower to flower.

2018 to 2024 we lived near Fort Knox. The home of Godman Army Airfield. We regularly saw Chinooks and Blackhawks and the occasional Apache.

Sometimes we see a whole squadron of them up at the same time.

It was awesome.

No one ever really grows up, some people are just better at hiding it.

Helicopters are freekin cool.

I’m an adult male and I stop what I’m doing and pay attention the moment I hear an ice cream truck.

I’m confused, am I not supposed to get excited about helicopters?