Door Gunning with Gunship Helicopters

The concept of ‘door gunning’ was born out of the Vietnam War era, which represented the first significant use of helicopters in combat. Getting to experience the thrill of engaging targets with a machine gun from a helicopter is one of the most uniquely exhilarating shooting experiences the average person is likely never going to get a chance to experience civi-side. That was, until Gunship Helicopters in Las Vegas came onto the scene.

The company’s founder, Robert Fahnstock, was initially exposed to aerial gunnery during his participation in wildlife depredation contracts for the state of Hawaii in the 1980’s – 1990’s. Under the tutelage of a family friend and flight instructor, Robert’s son Matt would later complete his pilot’s training. Matt’s instructor would often share war stories from his time as a door gunner in the Rhodesian civil war. It was from this origin, that the idea which would eventually become Gunship Helicopters was born.

Their range is located just a short, 45 minute drive from the Las Vegas strip and even if you don’t have a car, you can easily rent one for about $35/day.

Now, you would think that the adventure package starts only once you’ve boarded the chopper, but you’ll quickly realize that it started almost as soon as you turn off Interstate. Whether intentional or not, the dusty gravel roads, cratered mountains, sprawling valley, and surrounding topography all synthesize like a perfect visual symphony – setting the ambiance for this truly unique experience.

As you pull up to the property (easily mistakable for a US Army COP (Combat Outpost), complete with the MOD tent, HESCO barriers, and guys milling about in their DCU Uniforms), you can’t help but wonder if you may have accidentally woken up from last night’s binger and not be fully recollecting the events leading up to you somehow ending up in the Panjwai Valley of Afghanistan.

As I roll down my window, I hear the distinct creaking of APC tracks moving across the sand. Just over the ridge in front of me, I catch a glimpse of the infamous M1A1 Abrams Tank in all its menacing glory. Its main gun poised imposingly at an unknown threat beyond my view. Without warning, the familiar chatter of an M60 cuts through the air, followed by someone yelling, “FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEDOM!!” This is immediately followed by a cannon going off, sending its reverberating echo across the canyon. I felt an uncontrollable smile sweep across my face with a sudden urge to beat my chest and belt out the Star Spangled Banner right then and there!

As I pull up to the gates, a guy in full battle rattle and sporting a full on Magnum PI ‘stash walks up to my window. (At this point, I’m not entirely confident that I’m not about to be shot or arrested.) He turns out to be one of the staff of Battlefield Vegas (a local shooting adventure company that leases a portion of the land from Gunship Helicopters). He directs me to the upper parking lot which he informs me is where the mustering area is located for those who have booked the aerial gunning package.

It is there that I catch my first glimpse of the bird, which, like every vehicle I’ve seen so far, is sporting a desert camo paintjob. In keeping with the site’s overall theme, the office and ammo depot (consisting of two bisecting trailers), are draped in green army netting and are accentuated by a partial helicopter fuselage and a tan colored Humvee parked nearby.

It’s not long before I am greeted by a Roland Reyez and Ben Wildfong (the company armorers and acting RSO’s-Range Safety Officers). They are joined by Matt Fahnestock (one of the owners) who I learned would be piloting the helo today. I’m also introduced to Casey Pursell, the company’s Director of Sales and Marketing. I was fortunate to have been one of the first to arrive as I had a chance to chat with the guys before the rest of the groups showed up.

(checkout our YouTube Channel to hear Roland and Ben talk a bit about what its like working for Gunship Helicopters, the development of the mounts used to secure the guns and some words from Matt about his company)

After signing the necessary waivers, Roland goes over a pre-flight safety brief which included some of the basics of entering and exiting the aircraft safely.

The rotary wing craft is an Airbus AS350B2- a 4 seater helo of French origin designed for use in SOF Support, reconnaissance, transport/attack, and SAR operations. The craft has had its doors removed and is outfitted with TSOPs benches and two post mounts. The first mount is used to mount the M249 “minimi” and the M240B, while the second mount is designed to support the Dillon Aero M134D (a recent addition to their arsenal). The posts, as Roland informs me, took over a year to develop and saw several reiterations before arriving at the version that is currently in service. As one would imagine, Gunships’ priority is the safety of not only the customers but also its staff. A lot of thought and testing went into the design of the gun pods, particularly around the mechanical stops which are specifically designed to prevent the barrels of the guns from flagging either the main rotor above or the fuselage below. Similarly, the left and right movement is also restricted to protect the rest of bird and its passengers.

Equipped for the occasion, I had on my Arc’teryx E220 Rigers’s belt and my Yates PRL. However, I learned that due to recent changes imposed by the FAA, the use of anything other than the lap belts is no longer permitted.

[A modern take on the ‘Monkey Harness’ the Personal Retention Lanyard (PRL), is commonly used in both maritime and helo operations. Crew will typically run a PRL off a gear belt as part of their personal kit. The other end is clipped into a suitable anchor point, keeping the gunner from falling out of the craft while at the same time giving the operator freedom of movement and quick way to detach in the event of an unexpected landing.]

The route to the target zone takes you over the scenic Mojave Desert (the driest desert on the continent). With CCR’s ‘Fortunate Son’ blaring on the provided wireless headsets, the desert unfolds beneath you, adding to the feeling that you are starring in the coolest 80’s action movie ever!

As Roland feeds the 5.56 ammo belt into the feed tray and slams the cover down, I hear, “Hot gun, hot gun!” over the comms, marking that the moment I’ve been waiting for and I’m just about as giddy as a 14 year old girl sitting at the front row at her first N’SYNC concert.

Steel targets are sprinkled across the mountain side for you to test your marksmanship skills (or in my case, lack thereof). I’ve had a lot of trigger time on the SAW both during my time in the Army and recreationally, but admittedly, this is my first time shooting from an aircraft in flight.

Aerial gunnery is one of the most challenging shooting skills to acquire, requiring you to learn to account for both the range of the target and the aircraft’s airspeed (“lagging your targets”). Unlike how you would aim from a stationary firing position when shooting at a fast moving target like an deer or a pig (having to “lead your target”), here you are more often than not moving faster than your target. Because of this, you would instead aim so that your bullet “runs into” your target as it flies through its trajectory.

Of course, having multiple rounds at your disposal and the ability to “walk your round” based off the impact splash below you helps. However, this means holding down that trigger for longer periods at each exposure and putting lots more rounds downrange. So for those who didn’t purchase more than the 100 rounds included in the package, you’re likely to find your joy a bit short lived.

(The M249 has a sustained rate of fire of 50 r/min and a maximum cyclic rate between 650 and 850 r/min. That’s an average of 12.5 rounds per second at those max rates. At about $2/round, it gonna cost you upwards of about $25 each time you pull that trigger for a second. Bear in mind this is still much cheaper than your average Vegas call girl and won’t come with the morning-after regret and a possible Caesar’s Palace-sized smorgasbord selection of VDs.)

With the marksmanship skills surpassed only by a Storm Trooper academy drop-out, I let the lead fly. Matt was kind enough to hover over the targets long enough to give me a chance to hit at least 2 or three of them, all the while providing constant, albeit grossly undeserved, words of encouragement and praise.

The average run on their entry level package, which includes a 100 round belt on the SAW, should roughly take about 10 to 15 minutes (depending on how trigger happy you are). I highly recommend picking up, at the very least, 400 more rounds to make the most of the experience.

The helicopter is equipped with several onboard cameras capturing all the action. For a small fee, this inflight movie is available for purchase. This will let you re-live the moment for years to come and flex your newly-acquired helo-based gunnery badge for the ‘Gram. They also offer a post-flight photo session if you’d like, complete with an M18 smoke grenade in the background to truly enhance that action hero pose.

If you’re still hankering for more action, be sure to ask them about their selection of small arms which they also have available for rent.

Every one of the staff I met or spoke with at Gunship Helicopters is very friendly. Whether you’re a veteran, a YouTube star, or just the average Joe, they are sure to make you feel like a hero for the day. Regardless of if you’re a gun nut looking for something different or someone who’s never shot a gun before, the Door Gunner Experience should definitely be on everyone’s bucket list. While one might argue that there are a handful of outfits down in Texas that also offer aerial shooting packages, Gunship Helicopters is the only place that offers you a chance to shoot a crew-served weapon from a military helicopter with a scenic backdrop that would rival even the most extravagant Hollywood set.

Well, there you have it folks, all the thrill of a desert helicopter tour with a splash of military “OORAH” Las Vegas Style, only at Gunship Helicopters!

This write-up represents the first of a series of reviews I will be doing this year highlighting some of the ‘Wildest Shooting Ranges in North America’. I can already see that this experience at Gunship Helicopters is going to be tough to beat…..I mean, can you really think of anything that is going to even hold a candle to shooting an M249 out of a moving helicopter? Ok maybe shooting a minigun from a helicopter….Wait, you can do that there too!