HOT LAP IN A SIMULATOR WHEELIE HARD
NAVIGATING the Townsville 400 track in a “helicopter” proved difficult for V8 Supercars driver Lee Holdsworth.
“They ( the army) let me have a go in a helicopter flight simulator,” the 32- year- old Walkinshaw Racing driver said. “I tried to do a lap of the track in the simulator but I missed the apexes by a mile. After that I think I would rather be in the car on the
ground.”
Holdsworth toured RAAF Base Townsville on Wednesday, and got up- close- and- personal with Chinooks and the new MRH90 helicopters.
A lone Chinook will take to the skies over Reid Park with three flyovers scheduled for the Townsville 400. The first will be at 10.38am today, the second at 1pm tomorrow and the third at 10.28am on Sunday.
Army Captain Tye Masterson will be in charge of the flyover today and tomorrow. He said his Chinook was
often the subject of jokes, with some referring to it as an “eggbeater” or saying the helicopter was “so ugly the ground repels it”.
“But I love it. The noise, the size. They are always impressive to see,” Capt Masterson said. “We will be flying down pit lane and then doing a bit of a loop of the track.”
Major Andrew Mitchell said it had been a few years since the Chinooks had participated in the V8s event due to deployments. “It is good to show the Townsville community what we have got but it’s also good fun for the crews,” he said.