HOUSTON -- The largest helicopter gathering in the world turned the George R. Brown Convention Center into a helipad in downtown Houston.

It was the Helicopter Association International's Heli-Expo that landed in Houston on Sunday. During three days, the association said 17,373 people visited the convention floor to see 65 choppers on display.

The convention included everything from big helicopters to seemingly confused choppers that looked as much like airplanes. Some even had cameras in bubbles hanging from their bellies. The cameras can see in the light and in the dark. The sales people said these can help save lives by finding missing people.

"The gist of the product is that it can find somebody no matter where they are," said Brian Spillane of FLIR Systems Inc. "What you see on this infrared screen right here would be exactly the same if we turned the lights out because it's not seeing light. It sees heat."

By Tuesday night, the three-day meeting took off and left. The association closed the parking lot beside the GRB. Workers rolled helicopter after helicopter out of the convention center and got them ready for the flight home.

Next year's convention is scheduled for Anaheim, Calif.

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