May 7, 1962 - President Kennedy has a new helicopter, bigger and faster than his old one. He will ride in it for the first time tomorrow when he goes to Atlantic City to address the convention of the United Auto Workers. The new helicopter, a twin-jet Sikorsky, has a speed of about 150 miles an hour. This compares with about 90 miles for the single-engine helicopters Mr. Kennedy has used in the past. Also, the new helicopter can carry 10 passengers. The maximum for the old was eight. Brig. Gen. Godfrey T. McHugh, the President’s Air Force aide, said that as far as he knew the 125-mile flight to Atlantic City would be a record distance for a Presidential helicopter trip. Former President Eisenhower used to go back and forth to Gettysburg by helicopter, a distance of about 80 miles. General McHugh said the new helicopter would be safer than the older ones by virtue of its twin engines.
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