Operation Megalithic Lift - The Stones and the Stars: Building Scotland's Newest Megalith - page 192

F IG . 7.5 (continued)
copter lift seemed the obvious answer. There was some discussion
of a “living in the past” operation, using a large team of people
to haul the stones onto and across the hilltop, but MSC Liaison
and the Safety Officer were agreed that this was not an accept-
able approach. Using a helicopter was in any case more true to the
spirit of the project, in which the ancient principles were being
adapted to the modern situation. Stonehenge and its counterparts
had been built with the highest technology available, and to be
faithful to those ideals we should do the same.
With the help of David Proffitt, I approached the Chief Pilot
of the Navy's Air-Sea Rescue 819 Squadron at Prestwick, propos-
ing to fly the stones to site by Sea King helicopter. The Navy was
keen to do it, partly for the challenge, but also as a rare opportunity
to conduct 'a weight-training exercise in urban conditions,' which
wouldn't normally exist. The Ministry of Defense opposed it, but at
that point John Braithwaite and I had a meeting with my boss, Ken
Naylor. We hadn't met since he interviewed and hired John, and he
began by apologizing because he hadn't even had time to read the