Aviation bods

Mr Joshua · 1 Jul 2015 at 23:15

Last night we had the pleasure of a visit from the police helicopter, to be fair it has been quite a while since I've seen it around this area but the thing that struck me was that it had no navigation lights or strobe illuminated.

There was a light (I assume) from the cockpit and later the search light but that was it. This was at 2:30am, the sky had some light in it so I could see the distinctive eurocopter EC135 shape.

I always thought all aircraft in UK airspace had to display lights, I seem to recall this from a news report on the B52s heading from the UK to Iraq years ago.

TaKeN · 1 Jul 2015 at 23:25

I've also seen this once before. So you're not alone in wondering how it's allowed!

skaif · 1 Jul 2015 at 23:27

#stealthmodeactivated

On a serious note, all of the choppers around here that I have seen all have the flashy light on the outside...

Mr Joshua · 1 Jul 2015 at 23:29

I was wondering if it was the start of a ground attack, I don't think anyone would notice here mind.

I even got the binoculars out to get a better look at it!

Xordium · 1 Jul 2015 at 23:42

Airwolf.

Terminal_Boy · 1 Jul 2015 at 23:45

Illuminated navigation lights are mandatory on civilian aircraft.

Is the OP sure it wasn't an Illuminati Special Ops stealth helicopter?

skaif · 1 Jul 2015 at 23:47

Xordium said:
Airwolf.

Thanks can't get that theme tune out of my head now :rolleyes:

skaif · 1 Jul 2015 at 23:48

Terminal_Boy said:
Illuminated navigation lights are mandatory on civilian aircraft.

Is the OP sure it wasn't an Illuminati Special Ops stealth helicopter?

You mean the same ones the caught Bin Laden with?

Woden · 1 Jul 2015 at 23:49

skaif said:
Thanks can't get that theme tune out of my head now

Ba dada
Dada da
Ba da dada da dada da
Ba dada
Dada da
Bada da daaaaa

skaif · 1 Jul 2015 at 23:53

Woden said:
Ba dada
Dada da
Ba da dada da dada da
Ba dada
Dada da
Bada da daaaaa

Lol I just had to go and find it.
Dem memrize

aaron · 2 Jul 2015 at 01:11

As far as I'm aware, police helicopters do sometimes go on so called "stealth" missions in which they usually operate at a high altitude in comparison to normal to try and remain undetected. In this case I imagine turning off the collision lights would be advisable. How it coincides with the law I'm not sure as your correct in that all civilian planes need collision lights on.

This could be completely false however as I truly cant remember the ins and outs.

fatiain · 2 Jul 2015 at 01:56

Helicopters aren't that stealthy, that big fan on the top makes a hell of a noise. And the NightSun spot light kind of makes it stand out a bit...

SonniLombardi · 2 Jul 2015 at 02:28

Someone growing something they shouldn't near you OP?

Mr Joshua · 2 Jul 2015 at 02:51

I couldn't possibly say

.

They were probably a good half mile away from me and not particularly high, maybe 1000 feet. The noise made me take a look, I thought it may have been the military training but it was definitely the police :confused:

.

Limpnoodle · 2 Jul 2015 at 03:12

Damn, i remember being at the porch of our house having a smoke, hoping the helicopter gets the bad guys, then theres a massive spotlight on me and i stand agaze.
I hear a copper running around im abit panicked by now but the last straw was the police dogs barking. i thought damn that and ran inside.
This was Huntingdon so was prolly a skallywag who stole a car but still it Scared me enough.

Josh · 2 Jul 2015 at 07:56

I was at Guildford Cruise once back in the day. The Police helicopter was overhead and as I was sitting on the top of my car to get a better view, decided he would use the nightsun to shine directly onto me. For a 30 seconds I was basking in the glow of it, I just stood on the roof and did the "Christ on the Cross" pose.

Not sure why they did it. No police came and spoke to me at all.