Seahawk Takes Place In History

VENOM 500, assigned to the "Vipers" of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light (HSL) 48, recently concluded a quarter-century of Naval service when it landed in the parking lot of the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Fla.. Piloted by Cmdr. Steve Banta, Capt. Carl Bush, and Air Warfare Rescue 1st Class Matt Haydu, the aircrew pulled off the helicopter's engines, shut down its rotors, and the cockpit grew dark one last time. The next day, during a brief morning ceremony, the Naval Aviation Museum unveiled VENOM 500 as the first SH-60B "Seahawk" added to its collection.

"This occasion is bittersweet," said Banta, the Commanding Officer of HSL-48, to the crowd gathered in the museum's atrium to witness the ceremony. "Today we retire VENOM 500 after 23 years of dedicated and faithful service to the United States Navy, but we are thankful and honored that our community will be represented in this great museum."

Banta was joined at the podium by representatives from the HSL helicopter community and industry, including Rear Adm. Gary Jones, Commander, Naval Education and Training Command; Bush, Commander, Helicopter Maritime Strike Wing , U. S. Atlantic Fleet; and retired Capt. Greg Hoffman, Director of Navy Requirements at the Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation.

Jones commented that with the current size and future growth of the helicopter community it was only fitting that a SH-60B "Seahawk" be included in the museum along with the icons and great aircraft of Naval aviation. However, he reminded the audience that throughout the history of Navy aviation, it was the people - the aviators and the mechanics - that made the aircraft come alive, and remain today as the greatest strength as a fighting force.

The retirement and museum induction of VENOM 500 also served as an important symbol in the ongoing implementation of the helicopter CONOPS, as the new state-of-the-art MH-60R and MH-60S aircraft are gradually replacing the aging fleet of helicopters currently in service.

Hoffman noted the great success of the SH-60B aircraft program, calling it a "fundamental game-changer" and that it "exceeded the Navy's expectations, functionally, operationally, and especially from a tactical standpoint."

As the Navy transitions to the newer versions of the Seahawk, with more advanced avionics and combat systems, Hoffman also issued the challenge that the time is now to start thinking about the requirements of the next generation of rotary-wing aircraft.

As the ceremony concluded, Banta formally presented the aircraft logbooks to retired Capt. Bob Rasmussen, director of the museum.

Rasmussen then lifted the atrium doors and ceremonially unveiled the museum's newest exhibit. The former HSL-48 squadron "showbird" sat on display on a spot outside the atrium. VENOM 500 proudly displayed its markings in the green and yellow colors of the squadron, with an impressive airbrushed Viper coiled around the tail of the aircraft.

Ironically, the museum induction almost never occurred. Instead, the aircraft was originally scheduled to be delivered to the desert boneyard at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. A seemingly ignoble end to an illustrious warbird, the plans changed once the museum got involved.

"We owe all of this to Captain Rasmussen, Ms. Helen Watson, and the museum staff," praised Banta. "Without their involvement, this great day would have never occurred."

During its career, VENOM 500 (Bureau Number 162137) flew 8,785 flight hours and made more than 29,000 field and shipboard landings while assigned to three different Navy squadrons. The Navy officially accepted the aircraft in February of 1986 and assigned it to the HSL-40 "Airwolves," the SH-60B Fleet Replacement Squadron, where it flew almost 2,500 hours training SH-60B aviators and aircrew. Six years later, the aircraft transferred to the HSL-44 "Swamp Foxes" and was designated as MAGNUM 457. In 1998, the aircraft transferred to HSL-48, where it was re-designated as VENOM 500. During its service life, the aircraft deployed around the world on numerous Atlantic Fleet ships, including USS Thomas S. Gates (CG 51), USS Boone (FFG 28), USS Stump (DD 978), and USS McInerney (FFG 8).