By Meg Peters
Review Staff Writer
It’s a bird, it’s a plane, no, it’s an abundance of choppers.
Lake Orion and Orion Township residents have noticed more helicopter activity in the community lately, keeping strong tabs of occurrences on social media sites.
First there was a sighting January 16 near Lake Orion High School. Then one on January 20 around Baldwin and Clarkston Rd., and another the morning of January 22 near the LOHS administration building, Carpenter Elementary, and Bunny Run Lane, among other locations.
Of the sightings reported last week, one involved a black, military style helicopter and another an orange federal chopper.
Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Orion Township substation confirmed the military chopper was a Chinook from the Selfridge Air National Guard Base out of Harrison Township. The 127th Wing, National Guard practices Air Combat Command, Air Mobility Command and Air Force Special Operations Command, and the helicopter was reported to be practicing approaches near Lake Orion.
Both Lake Orion and Oxford are within the flight path.
The other chopper, orange in appearance, was a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter from Air Station Detroit based out of Selfridge Air National Guard Base.?
On Friday, January 22, Michael Petrat was aboard that Coast Guard chopper, which flew over Carpenter Elementary.
Petrat, a Flight Engineer/Avionics Electrical Technician, and his family live in Orion Township, and his son attends Carpenter. The helicopter was on a routine ice patrol, and was also in the local area to honor Petrat, who will be retiring from the Coast Guard in June after serving for 20 years.
But it probably won’t be the last coast guard chopper to be seen in Orion.
According to Commander Michael MacMillan of the Air Station, Orion Township is a transit area.
‘If we are traveling over to Lake Michigan, or traveling up to Saginaw Bay we are going to fly right over you,? he said. ‘We are active throughout Michigan, so I hope you do see us, making sure everyone is safe, secure, and well taken care of.?