Helicopters used to prevent frost damage

The Independent - Lucky pair walk away from crashed copter

LIVINGSTON--Both the pilot and the co-pilot of a small helicopter were able to escape after their aircraft crashed into an orchard off Cold Spring Road just before 3 a.m. May 1.

The helicopter, owned by Northeast Helicopters of Ellington, Conn., was one of four hired to prevent frost damage to the orchards at the Klein's Kill Fruit Farm, owned by the Bartolotta family.
Copters hover over the orchard, about 40 to 50 feet up, to push down warm air and keep the air circulating so frost does not settle on and kill the tender blossoms. Temperatures overnight were expected to dip below freezing.