Laser lights/searchlights
Yes, Him
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Not quite the original topic but similar. How would I attract the attention of a Police helo at night without dazzling the crew?
A few months ago, well, last winter sometime, was at home watching TV when heard the local MD600 make a series of passes then as I went outside to look, he came into a hover and started scanning around with the NiteSun.
NAGCINC(HOME) then pointed out a car with its lights out hiding under the nextdoor farm track, not visible to cops because of tree cover. I pointed my night-shooting spotlight (1/2 million Cp)at the car and flashed at it a few times but the cops did not notice. After a few mins the helo left and the (I assume) nicked car took off in the opposite direction.
Call 999? Takes too long to explain to them where you are.
Shine light at helo even with best intentions?
Miniflares?
What do you recommend?
A few months ago, well, last winter sometime, was at home watching TV when heard the local MD600 make a series of passes then as I went outside to look, he came into a hover and started scanning around with the NiteSun.
NAGCINC(HOME) then pointed out a car with its lights out hiding under the nextdoor farm track, not visible to cops because of tree cover. I pointed my night-shooting spotlight (1/2 million Cp)at the car and flashed at it a few times but the cops did not notice. After a few mins the helo left and the (I assume) nicked car took off in the opposite direction.
Call 999? Takes too long to explain to them where you are.
Shine light at helo even with best intentions?
Miniflares?
What do you recommend?
Gainesy
Sadly the frivolous use of lasers/torches etc is so endemic that the use of one for a genuine reason is simply going to go unnoticed, especially in an urban area; at least one "joey" light per task is common. I'm afraid I don't have an answer to the question of how to indicate something of genuine interest other than gritting your teeth and enduring the cumbersome phone system; it's a problem to all of us.
[PS it's an MD902]
[ 18 October 2001: Message edited by: Droopy ]
Sadly the frivolous use of lasers/torches etc is so endemic that the use of one for a genuine reason is simply going to go unnoticed, especially in an urban area; at least one "joey" light per task is common. I'm afraid I don't have an answer to the question of how to indicate something of genuine interest other than gritting your teeth and enduring the cumbersome phone system; it's a problem to all of us.
[PS it's an MD902]
[ 18 October 2001: Message edited by: Droopy ]
Iconoclast
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If you want to get the attention of a pilot you might want to try this. In the 1970s I lived in an apartment adjacent to the North Runway at LAX. This runway was used exclusively by the heavy iron (747s, L 1011s and DC-10s). Some of the airlines had operational procedures that kept them on the runway until the last minute to build up speed and when they lifted off the runway they would climb NOE over a large hill with a Nike Base on the top. This was difficult enough in the daylight but at night it was just asking for an accident.
It seems that some of the local youth (or should that be plural yeeth) had obtained a block of magnesium along with several smaller pieces. The placed it in a field adjacent to the runway at about 9-10:00 PM and set the magnesium alight. I can only imagine what the pilots thought when they lost their night vision capability but it was obvious that those airlines that had the delayed lift off were in a lot of problems as they could not see Nike hill nor could they see where they were in relation to the runway length. The cops and the LAX fire department were on it in about five minutes and put the fire out but in the meantime the pilots and controllers were going crazy.
It seems that some of the local youth (or should that be plural yeeth) had obtained a block of magnesium along with several smaller pieces. The placed it in a field adjacent to the runway at about 9-10:00 PM and set the magnesium alight. I can only imagine what the pilots thought when they lost their night vision capability but it was obvious that those airlines that had the delayed lift off were in a lot of problems as they could not see Nike hill nor could they see where they were in relation to the runway length. The cops and the LAX fire department were on it in about five minutes and put the fire out but in the meantime the pilots and controllers were going crazy.
Flashman, if you know that then I should know you. However, nobody springs to mind.
Droopy, I believe I know you. Were you called by the name of a certain glove puppet in you previous life?
Droopy, I believe I know you. Were you called by the name of a certain glove puppet in you previous life?
To get a helicopters attention at night simply illuminate your wife and ask her to slowly expose her funbags. Then move light to offending car/badguy/etc and I bet they will follow........ They may land for a doughnut too!!
A US Army OH-58 was on finals to a night LZ on an exercise in the late '70s. A documentary crew who were filming the exercise finally got set up to film the helicopter which by this stage was on very late finals. The sudden illumination of the white spotlight on the aircraft turned the pilot into a startled rabbit and the aircraft into a training aid!!
Examine your Canadian laws for the "interferrence of an aircraft in flight" which was part of the ICAO legislature beefed up during the Istanbul (I think) conference on Hijaking. The aiming of a laser (in particular) or a searchlight at a night flying helicopter can be seen to constitute "interference with an aircraft in flight" and you might be able to get them this way. I note that the shining of lasers at people is considered an assault in many countries already, so it may not be such a long stretch. Then again, carry a sniper - much quicker, more effective, provides good practice, and reduces the possibility of the shiner breeding more idiots.
A US Army OH-58 was on finals to a night LZ on an exercise in the late '70s. A documentary crew who were filming the exercise finally got set up to film the helicopter which by this stage was on very late finals. The sudden illumination of the white spotlight on the aircraft turned the pilot into a startled rabbit and the aircraft into a training aid!!
Examine your Canadian laws for the "interferrence of an aircraft in flight" which was part of the ICAO legislature beefed up during the Istanbul (I think) conference on Hijaking. The aiming of a laser (in particular) or a searchlight at a night flying helicopter can be seen to constitute "interference with an aircraft in flight" and you might be able to get them this way. I note that the shining of lasers at people is considered an assault in many countries already, so it may not be such a long stretch. Then again, carry a sniper - much quicker, more effective, provides good practice, and reduces the possibility of the shiner breeding more idiots.
