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-   -   What kind of chopper is this? (https://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/666062-what-kind-chopper.html)

TowerDog 15th May 2025 15:28

What kind of chopper is this?
 
Looks like a French machine?
Curious what the pods on both sides are: Fuel, cargo or camera equipment?
He or she was flying too low over a residential area and kept coming around and around, at first we thought it was a police helicopter looking for something or someone but saw no markings. There is an N-number on the tail boom but not much contrast from the metallic light blue color of the craft.
The video is not great, sorry about that.


Bravo73 15th May 2025 15:42

It’s certainly a single Squirrel/A-Star of some flavour. AS350 or H125.

The pod might be some sort of LiDAR scanner/pod. Which would also explain the repeated passes over the same area.

TowerDog 15th May 2025 18:46


Originally Posted by Bravo73 (Post 11884531)
It’s certainly a single Squirrel/A-Star of some flavour. AS350 or H125.

The pod might be some sort of LiDAR scanner/pod. Which would also explain the repeated passes over the same area.

Thx, interesting if scanner pods, this area was mapped out a long time ago but the dock master told me the chopper keeps coming
back once a month for the same low level “survey” or whatever they are doing. 60 degree banked turns at 200 feet okay in a
helicopter? :ooh:

twinstar_ca 15th May 2025 18:52

Looks more like just cargo baskets on each side... LIDAR typically under the nose??

212man 15th May 2025 20:11


Originally Posted by twinstar_ca (Post 11884644)
Looks more like just cargo baskets on each side... LIDAR typically under the nose??

Not exactly a LIDAR profile either.

wrench1 15th May 2025 20:14


Originally Posted by TowerDog (Post 11884520)
Curious what the pods on both sides are: Fuel, cargo or camera equipment?

Agree its a AS350. The pods look like mosquito control dispensers especially since its was buzzing a residential area. Have seen similar on Bell 206s but hard to make out the details on my phone screen.



TowerDog 15th May 2025 20:37


Originally Posted by wrench1 (Post 11884671)
Agree its a AS350. The pods look like mosquito control dispensers especially since its was buzzing a residential area. Have seen similar on Bell 206s but hard to make out the details on my phone screen.

Possible mosquito control, but in this case there was no cloud or residue behind the aircraft and it repeatedly flew over a bunch of empty docks at the marine,
The houses are behind the cameraman and if the chopper had flown over the homes most of us retired old farts would have called the cops or the nearest FAA facility with a complaint. (200 feet, steep turns and noisy as hell)
We are near the beach and near the ocean so we are used to see the orange USCG helicopters fly low to search or for SAR training, this civilian craft was puzzling however and still a mystery if not on a mosquito run or on some sort of a mapping mission.
Thanks for the comments. :cool:


wrench1 15th May 2025 20:46


Originally Posted by TowerDog (Post 11884678)
Possible mosquito control, but in this case there was no cloud or residue behind the aircraft and it repeatedly flew over a bunch of empty docks at the marine,

The ones I'm familiar with would dispense a granular product mostly into areas with standing water. So the boat docks would qualify. Its to control the larva stage and not the adult mosquitos. Is this in FL? What county?

Obba 15th May 2025 21:17

Excuse the preamble, :)

Once yonks ago, here on the Gold Coast QLD close to YSPT, I heard a chopper flying around in circles. 9pm I went out and couldn't see anything but could hear it quite close and circling.
I was going nuts, saying to the wife, it's there somewhere, pointing to sky.....!

After about 5 minutes, I finally saw - the cockpit!
Yep, the glow from cockpit. No nav lights nothing. I couldn't believe it. And then I saw it again... No lights, black as night....

So I went to the local port and asked about it as we have the Sea World choppers based there and I assumed that this 'night' chopper might go there for refueling etc.

Back to the OP. Maybe find out the local ish airports or chopper bases and enquire there, or even ring them. If it's mossie stuff, then the local council would know.

Anyway, after my black night chopper enquiry, they rang me back and told me it was a police chopper and they - are - allowed to fly with no nav lights (so as the bad guys can't see them, LOL!).

TowerDog 15th May 2025 21:56


Originally Posted by wrench1 (Post 11884683)
The ones I'm familiar with would dispense a granular product mostly into areas with standing water. So the boat docks would qualify. It’s to control the larva stage and not the adult mosquitos. Is this in FL? What county?

In Florida, Flagler County.
Not fresh water in the lagoon, but brackish waters, probably on the salty side, don’t think mosquito larvae or eggs can survive in anything but fresh water..(?)
We are so close to the ocean we have a SE breeze most of the time, mozzies not a big problem here, but probably a few miles inland in the swamps.

Not that I am promoting this place, but if any of you studs like boats and are about to retire, this is a residential marina, the only one I have seen or heard of.
Housing and lot prices are a bit depressed right now, a good time to buy probably. (2 retired rotor heads here, as a plank driver I am in the minority)
All the boats are in the hangar (boat house) which is why the docks are empty.
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....f928a4449.jpeg
My boat on the lift, being washed after use before going inside the hangar and parked on a rack.


wrench1 15th May 2025 22:12


Originally Posted by TowerDog (Post 11884723)
In Florida, Flagler County.

https://flaglermosquito.gov/operations/

https://flaglermosquito.gov/2024/06/...-airbus-h-125/


RVDT 15th May 2025 22:28

East Flagler Mosquito Control District

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....1c405da414.jpg
N594MC

TowerDog 15th May 2025 22:39

Bingo, you guys are good: This sure looks like the bird on the video.

Guessing they have a special permission to fly low in residential areas..



Chock Puller 15th May 2025 22:49

TD,

Trailer your boat up to Cumberland Island/St. Marys Georgia and enjoy the Island and local bars in St. Marys.

TowerDog 15th May 2025 23:00

Yup again, that is my hood..

KiwiNedNZ 16th May 2025 01:25

Its good friend of mine TC Cunha from Flagler Mossie Control out working with their brand new H125.


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