Helicopter No Nav Lights chased by another
 

Tonight just after 21:00 Helicopter over Newport quite low not showing any Nav lights being chased by another helicopter with all lights showing, third helicopter then turned up at a higher level and hovered, appeared it was observing what the other two were doing. Never seen anything like this before, seems odd it was all being carried out over a built up area. I am asuming the chaser and the one at higher level were Police Helicopters, couldnt make them out as they were not hanging around. Quite difficult to spot the one with no nav lights on even thouigh it was at low level. Anyone in the know?

Thanks for that, I did see an RAF Puma pop up on Virtual Radar for a few moments but nothing for the other two. Seems an odd place to do this over built up area.

The USAF do this with C130's out of Mildenhall too. The chase is so others not capable of seeing the darkened aeroplane can see and avoid.

Recall some years ago, minding my own business, wending my way back on a bike via a small country track shortcut back across the Somerset levels after a few(!!!!) beers with friends in the next village on a pitch-black night, the peace suddenly being shattered as the sound of helicopters at low-level rapidly grew in volume.

Some 6 SK 4's, line astern, swept right over me at tree-top height, rotor downwash clearly felt (the trees were not very high - more large bushes!), with only #6 visible with lights. Quite near sent me straight into the adjacent rhyne they did! :\

But a most impressive "sound/sight" and, thankfully, I avoided a dunking! To this day, I still wonder if they used the feeble, flickering light I had on my bike as a "target" to see what chaos they could cause? If so, their plan very nearly worked a treat!!! :ok:

H 'n' H