Blackhawk helicopters land at Notre Dame College during ROTC training excercise

SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio - Shortly after 10 a.m. Friday, two UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters from the Ohio Air National Guard touched down on the campus of Notre Dame College in South Euclid. The aircrafts are stationed at Rickenbacker Air National Base near Columbus, Ohio.

More than 100 people from surrounding neighborhoods and Notre Dame College braved the cold rainy weather as the helicopters passed over the administration building and then gently set down on a large grassy area in front of it. South Euclid fire and EMS units were on hand as a precaution.

More than 60 ROTC cadets from area colleges were on-hand to take part in a training exercise. The cadets gathered around the Blackhawks once they were shut down. They were briefed about the training mission, and the proper procedure for entering and exiting the aircraft.

Cpt. Matthew McGraw, with the John Carroll ROTC group, said there were two types of landings and loadings the cadets would experience. The first group was loaded just before 11 a.m. while the helicopters were shut down. This was the “cold load."

The Blackhawks then lifted off and took the cadets to Camp Ravenna where they will participate in additional field training exercises.

Once the helicopters returned, in about an hour, the second group of cadets would “hot load” into the aircraft. This type of loading requires the cadets to load into the aircraft while the engines were still running. Once they were loaded, the Blackhawks would immediately take off. This group was also transported to Camp Ravenna.

Participating ROTC units were from Notre Dame College, John Carroll University, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland State University, Ursuline College, Baldwin-Wallace College and Hiram College. Notre Dame College spokesman Brian Johnston said the exercise was held here because the school had ample room to land the two helicopters.