European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - October 27, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 24 the stars and stripes thursday. October 27,198b Bonn opens debate on army request to base More copters at Wiesbaden by Rosemary Sawyer staff writer two Wem German parliamentary committees began deliberations wednesday Over whether the . Army should he Allu cd to station additional helicopters at Wiesbaden All. A West German defense ministry spokesman will. The opening or committee discussion in Bonn Mark he latest chapter in the army s three year Effort to bring 3rl attack helicopter Squadron into Erbell Tim a suburb of Wiesbaden. Local residents and politicians have opposed the stationing of More aircraft at inc army base saying it would result in increased noise Levuli and safely risks because of heavy air traffic in inc Khein Mai vision. Members of the bundestag s defense committee and environmental committee Are weighing objections from members of the Hussen state parliament and local Riili tits against nato defense interests. They will make a recommendation to West German defense minister Rupert Scholz who will make the final decision. West German defense ministry spokesman a fire Schaltz Sherg did not know when a decision would be made As inc joint committees recommendation also must be reviewed by the parliament s transportation committee by fire going to Scholz. A process that could take weeks. Meanwhile. 14 of inc battalion s ah-64 apaches and seven ii so Kiowa Are expected to head Friday for Hie Hannu army Airfield. The aircraft have been stored at a . Maintenance facility in Mannheim since Odiol asked the army sept. 12 to delay their deployment. In Hanau air Crews from the Wiesbaden battalion will train on the aircraft to maintain flight qualifications a Saki us spokesman said wednesday. Schol initially on aug. 24 gave the army his go ahead to station the aircraft at Wiesbaden a. However a Wiesbaden administrative court decision forced hint to turn around and ask the army to hold up its a Craft deployment. The court ruled he had violated West German Law by approving the station ing. Because aircraft for inc attack helicopter battalion already were in route to Europe when Scholz requested inc delay they were sent to the maintenance facility in Mannheim. The army is moving the aircraft to Hanau to sup port training. Usa eur spokesman had Brand Lulu said wednesday. The Hanau Airfield Only will be used As a Home base Sib Gaia Date a cameraman snaps a picture of an a Pache copter held at Mannheim pending settlement of the Wiesbaden Issue. For the apaches and no training will be conducted in the Vicinity he said. The German television news program report said tuesday some residents in the Hanau Etc see area already have begun organizing protests against the operation of inc aircraft in Hanau. Two apaches already had been deployed to Wiesbaden a from Lluc Shim Home of the army s first Apache battalion in West Germany when Scholz asked the army for the delay. One of the battalion s Kiowa also is Al the base. Soldiers from inc St so 6lh Cav regt 12th aviation brigade and their family members began arriving in Wiesbaden from fort Hood Texas five Days after Scholz s initial approval in August. The entire unit of about 266 soldiers has arrived in Wiesbaden. Usa eur spokesman Jim Boyle said tuesday. The battalion s 38 aircraft include 13 oh-5b Kiowa three uh-60 Black Hawks and 22 apaches. Twenty of the apaches arc at Mannheim the Black Hawks also Are awaiting relocation in Mannheim. No training has been conducted out of Mannheim said Mai. Dale Maddos 78th trans in executive offi cer at Coleman Barracks. The apaches were Only flight tested after their Assembly. The night Hying Apache is considered important to boosting nato s conventional defense efforts As its anti tank capability is vital to countering Warsaw pact Armor. Officials selected Wiesbaden to receive the aircraft because of is available infrastructure and Central Loca Tion in the v corps area according to Usa eur.  10 i report. Rog