Television's newest hero is Blue Thunder, a super-helicopter that fights crime with its sophisticated arsenal of aerial technology, weaponry and surveillance systems. Blue Thunder is part of a special unit assembled by APEX, an agency of the federal government, to deal with crimes of extraordinary proportion. It prowls the city skies at 250 miles per hour, protecting its occupants with inch-thick belly armor. Its two locator lights, each three times as bright as the sun, enable the chopper to pinpoint any vehicle or person on the ground. Even more extraordinary, Blue Thunder has the awesome power to see and hear through walls. At the controls is Frank Chaney (James Farentino), a former Vietnam helicopter pilot, whose unorthodox methods often put him at odds with his stubborn captain (Sandy McPeak), a tough leader determined to do it by the book. Chaney's sidekick and observer on Blue Thunder is computer whiz Clinton C. Wonderlove (Dana Carvey), who operates the copter's complex hardware. The Blue Thunder Unit also includes ex-football player "Ski" Butowski (Dick Butkus), who drives the unit van that provides ground support for the helicopter. Another ex-gridiron veteran, computer expert "Bubba" Kelsey, handles the vehicle's high-tech equipment. Housed in the van's interior is a four-wheel drive mini-truck, loaded with state-of-the-art weaponry and able to travel almost anywhere. Blue Thunder's beat is the sprawling metropolis of Los Angeles, but the LAPD AstroDivision often sends it on international assignments for the Treasury Department, the FBI, Customs and Immigration. The series' Executive Producers are Roy Huggins and David Moessinger. Jeri Taylor and Donald A. Baer are the producers. Second unit director of all flying sequences is James W. Gavin, whose 20 years experience as a flyer and director of aviation action for movies and television has made him an industry legend. This exciting, one-hour adventure series, based on the highly successful motion picture, is a realistic glimpse into crime-fighting in the not-too-distant future. / Currently 6/10