If you have seen a giant green helicopter flying over Big Bear Lake this week, that craft is a Merlin, one of 30 in England’s Royal Air Force. The crew of the Merlin has spent the last five years in Iraq and, this month, is stationed in El Centro, California for flight training in preparation of a tour in Afghanistan at year’s end. As FL Lieutenant Sam Fletcher tells KBHR, “It is good crew training with the mountains, the desert, and dust, which is similar to Afghanistan because, in Iraq, it is really flat.” The Royal Air Force crew has been flying from El Centro to Twentynine Palms and, Fletcher adds, “We’re simulating mountains in Twentynine Palms, and are here in Big Bear to refuel.” As the entire fleet of Merlins will be taking part in this training, the flight lieutenant says, “You can expect to see a helicopter up here every week, five days a week, into mid-November.” After being in Iraq and, most recently El Centro, Fletcher raves, “It’s pretty beautiful here, and we’re enjoying cooling off in Big Bear. It looks good from the sky as well—the lake is beautiful. It’s a good R&R spot!”
