ANN Reader Joseph wanted us to know that an Historic Aviation-Rotorcraft event took place at the Hiller Aviation Museum, Vertical Challenge in San Carlos (CA) on June 22, 2002. At 2:42PM, Joe Pike lifted the completely restored, only flying HUP-1 to a hover.

Classic Rotors (The Rare & Vintage Rotorcraft Museum) then thundered straight up in the only flying H-21B (H-21, right).

Next, a Navy CH-46 Sea Night from NAS North Inland San Diego climbed into the sky, followed by the ascent of a massive Army CH-47 Chinook from the Stockton California Air National Guard. These giants, suspended in the air, capped off a year-long effort to complete a first-time hover and flight of four generations of Tandem Rotor Helicopters.  (Piasecki, Vertol, Boeing Vertol & Boeing Helicopters - 1940s-Present)

This historic event, was a special "Tribute to Frank N. Piasecki", the father of the Tandem Rotor Helicopter. The Milestone event was honored to have Piasecki's Chief Test Pilot, S.A. "Tommy" Atkins, as a representative of The Piasecki Aircraft Corporation. Mr. Scott Highton, a photographer for The Smithsonian captured the event on film for Air & Space.

Classic Rotors would like to give special thanks to the Hiller Aviation Museum, the flight crews, their maintenance  personnel, and all the volunteers who made this Historic Flight possible.  It should also be noted that the 2002 Hiller Vertical Challenge had the largest attendance of any rotorcraft airshow, according to HAI.

FMI: http://www.hiller.org/