A belly bar method and apparatus use to attach, carry and release external cargo from a hovering aircraft. The belly bar apparatus has articulated tubing tool connected to an airframe of the hovering aircraft at a first mounting end and at a second mounting end. The articulated tubing tool has a first external catch and a second external catch mounted on the articulated tubing tool. The first external catch is manually configured for optional attach, carry and release of the external cargo via the cyclic. The second external catch is electronically configured for optional attach, carry and release of the external cargo proximate the collective.