This is very cool.
The Kopp-Etchels Effect is the build up of static electricity on the blades of a chopper is it nears the ground. Very cool, surreal, and creepy all at once.

When I was in the Army, when I got picked up by a chopper, it was at night, so everything was blacked out. You could barely see a chopper coming in, if you were not wearing night vision. But as it got closer to the ground, this effects started to occur. It was like the chopper materialized out of nowhere.

 

Awesome pictures of a very cool phenomenon.

 

Ahh, yes. I think we were explaining this to someone on another thread. We just didn't know the name. Nice find bro.

 

+1

The first time I saw this happen, I was in 29 Palms. I remember thinking "holy hell the rotors are coming off!" lmao.....

StSgt was laughing his ass off at me.

 

Yeah, I felt like a dumb boot when I asked too. Those were the days!

 

Michael Yon takes some AMAZING pics.
Gotta love a former Special Forces operator turned journalist.
There is a thread on here where Yon caught an entire firefight frame by frame, as the bullets were coming at him.

 

LOL! I think that might be a common way to experience it for the first time!

I know my experience was similar.

In short, my first time, I could hear the bird coming in and had to un-ass my little AO because I was looking 12 o'clock at that effect for the first time, and the wind was kicking up!