Foil: 11 Panel: 4 Column: 3 Line: 114

Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:
Scott Barer

Allen Joseph "Helicopter Al" Broussard was born on June 16, 1942 in Canton, Massachusetts. His parents were Bill and Emilie Keenan. Upon graduation from high school, Al served a tour of duty in Viet Nam as a Marine helicopter Crew Chief. It was during the war that his love of aviation began.

Upon leaving the Marine Corps, Al settled in California, and in 1965 he and Paula were married. He obtained his Airframe & Powerplant license and his private pilot rating. He went back to Viet Nam as a civilian Technical Representative for Bell Helicopter, and upon his return he started his own helicopter business. He also became a commercially rated pilot, and obtained his Inspection Authorization certificate.

Al built and flew his own helicopters, and took on a wide range of contracts and jobs both as a pilot and mechanic – movies, crop dusting, or anything else involving a helicopter. His love of flight – especially helicopters – became an all-encompassing passion, and it took him to the corners of the globe. He landed on Alcatraz for Clint Eastwood, and chased cars for director Ron Howard, earning his Screen Actors Guild card. He took a group of scientists up to Mt. St. Helens following its eruption. He shared his love of flight by training others to fly, and imparting to them the wisdom he learned over the years.

As time went on, Al became recognized nationally as an expert on the Bell 47, both as a pilot and mechanic. His skills, advice and talent were regularly sought by people across the country. His dream was to build the finest Bell 47 G3B1 ever, and take it to Air Venture in Oshkosh to win first prize. And despite keeping a busy, sometimes hectic, work schedule, he always had time for his friends when they needed help with their Bell 47s. Sadly, though, he never finished the G3B1.

In 2002, Al was given a great honor – he was asked to fly the Bell 47 in an IMAX film entitled "Straight Up: Helicopters in Action." The film was screened at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.

In 2005, Al was inducted into the Bell 47 Association Hall of Fame as a pilot and mechanic for his contributions to the Bell 47.

For 25 years, Al did what he loved – he dusted crops across the country. This is what he was doing when his helicopter crashed on July 24, 2010. He died with his boots on. Helicopter Al would not have wanted it any other way.