U.S. Customs and Border Protection retires first helicopter used for border protection in El Paso

by Paula Monarez Diaz \ El Paso Times

Posted: 10/20/2011 05:20:26 PM MDT

Clay Tippit, an OH-6A pilot for the past eight years, jokes that if they would let him fly it one more time he would fly it straight home. Tippit and other current and past OH-6A pilots were on hand for the final flight ceremony on Thursday. The OH-6A has been retired from service. (Vanessa M Feldman / El Paso Times)

 

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Air and Marine retired the OH-6A Cayuse, the first helicopter used for border enforcement, today.

The OH-6A was first used by the Border Patrol in El Paso in 1979, and eventually grew to a fleet of 42 aircraft. It flew over a million hours, contributing to millions of dollars worth of drug seizures and assisted in more than 9.5 million illegal apprehensions during its service life. Prior to being used for border security, the OH-6A was a highly effective observation helicopter used by the U.S. Army in Vietnam.