Okay, so while I was at work yesterday, this chopper was circling my property and flying extremely low, also at times hovering and my wife was looking right at the pilot, could see right into the cockpit. Freaked my family out entirely. Anybody got any guesses what this could have been?
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Identify this helicopter please
- Thread starter cast1
- Start date
The kind where you lock up your dog and flush the drugs.
That’s a UH-72 Lakota, most likely on a training flight of some form. Helicopters have no altitude restrictions, so technically they can do something as “brazen” as hover 1” off your property and not be trespassing, though I doubt they’d do that. All that to say you and your family are nobody of importance to them, they probably just randomly chose your house as a reference to use. 
Making a list and checking it twice.
Flir on front.
Flir on front.
That’s a UH-72 Lakota, most likely on a training flight of some form. Helicopters have no altitude restrictions, so technically they can do something as “brazen” as hover 1” off your property and not be trespassing, though I doubt they’d do that. All that to say you and your family are nobody of importance to them, they probably just randomly chose your house as a reference to use.
i’ve experienced the low flying choppers. my house is on a flight path for the air force base blackhawks. they fly from davis monthan afb north to the open desert and damn if they dont rattle windows some times.
i’ve been out in the desert and seen them as low as tree top height circling things. training i guessed.
i was told once they have a PJ training deal at DM so guessing it's those guys.
That’s a UH-72 Lakota, most likely on a training flight of some form. Helicopters have no altitude restrictions, so technically they can do something as “brazen” as hover 1” off your property and not be trespassing, though I doubt they’d do that. All that to say you and your family are nobody of importance to them, they probably just randomly chose your house as a reference to use.
...should not be operated over any congested area of a city, town, or settlement, or over any open-air assembly of persons, at an altitude lower than:
a) 300 feet above the highest obstacle within a 500-foot horizontal radius of the aircraft.
b) Except when necessary for takeoff or landing, an altitude allowing for an emergency landing without undue hazard to persons or property on the surface.
- Nov 3, 2010
- 9,702
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FYI that pic is a screen grab of video from my wife’s iPhone at 3x, not magnified otherwise. I would guess 200 ft above ground. Scared them to the point she took the kids and the dog and hunkered against the foundation under our porch. Said she felt like she was being “hunted”.
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Another shot of him circling to show altitude. This was not a flyby. Dude lingered for close to 10 minutes by her estimation.
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Georgia National Guard- Counter Drug Task Force
www.nationalguard.mil
Georgia ARNG uses Lakotas on their Counterdrug Task Force TNARNG probably has Lakotas also. Probably looking for marijuana fields.
They build these not far from me. We have an Army aviation facility nearby, I get this from Lakotas and Apaches all the time.
Do you have power lines on your place?
FLIR may be used to find "hot spots" where bad connections/broken strands are.
Mike
FLIR may be used to find "hot spots" where bad connections/broken strands are.
Mike
- Nov 3, 2010
- 9,702
- 20,400
With that view, my guess is they are looking for illegal grow fields. Hovering and marking or getting a better look. I grew up in Arkansas, and used to see them flying all over the mountains around us.
I’d be more concerned about growers using your property illegally. They used to set up some nasty booby traps around to slow people down. Shit like treble hooks on clear fishing line strung between trees. Driving into one of those on a SxS or ATV will turn your day bad real quick.
This would be the reason behind their presence IMO. Chances are they are looking for illegal pot farms or drug manufacturing buildings...although one can't guarantee that's exactly why they are there.
They are doing it over here in SE Oklahoma, although much more commonly at night. I bet I've been buzzed at least a dozen times by small aircraft or helicopters at 11PM - 1AM while I've been out hog hunting. Never had anyone drive up on me and stop me (yet) though.
Oh, cool! Someone who thinks they know more about helicopter regulations than me!
Well keep reading, buddy. FAR 91.119(d)(1) says, and I quote:
“(d) Helicopters, powered parachutes, and weight-shift-control aircraft. If the operation is conducted without hazard to persons or property on the surface—
(1) A helicopter may be operated at less than the minimums prescribed in paragraph (b) or (c) of this section, provided each person operating the helicopter complies with any routes or altitudes specifically prescribed for helicopters by the FAA.”
So I’ll say it again: as long as the operation isn’t careless or reckless in nature and there is no route or altitude prescribed by the FAA, we can fly at *ANY* altitude we want. You and everyone else who gets this wrong reads the first half of the reg that pertains to fixed-wing operations, stops, takes a BIG breath, and goes “aaaaHHHHAAAAAAAAAA!” thinking they did a big “GOTCHA!”
But no.
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I'll take a swing. To me this reads as MAY be operated at less than minimums PROVIDED the helicopter compiles with prescribed routes. So doesn't this mean the can only fly below minimums only in areas approved for such use?Oh, cool! Someone who thinks they know more about helicopter regulations than me!
Well keep reading, buddy. FAR 91.119(d)(1) says, and I quote:
“(d) Helicopters, powered parachutes, and weight-shift-control aircraft. If the operation is conducted without hazard to persons or property on the surface—
(1) A helicopter may be operated at less than the minimums prescribed in paragraph (b) or (c) of this section, provided each person operating the helicopter complies with any routes or altitudes specifically prescribed for helicopters by the FAA.”
So I’ll say it again: as long as the operation isn’t careless or reckless in nature and there is no route or altitude prescribed by the FAA, we can fly at *ANY* altitude we want. You and everyone else who gets this wrong reads the first half of the reg that pertains to fixed-wing operations, stops, takes a BIG breath, and goes “aaaaHHHHAAAAAAAAAA!” thinking they did a big “GOTCHA!”
But no.
No. If what you’re doing isn’t careless or reckless, you can fly at any altitude, at any time.
Now, “careless and reckless” are intentionally broad terms, so the FAA can potentially nail you if what you’re doing catches their attention. But by their very nature, most of what helicopters do in a commercial setting is done at low altitude.
So short of you being an idiot and hovering over a busy public pool or something like that without a dang good reason, you’re generally fine. Buzz a neighborhood too low and raise a bunch of eye brows with pissed off Karens and you’ll be under a microscope, but doing so is not expressly against regulations.
Generally speaking, we’re perfectly legal to go flying along at 200’ unless an established route/approach/procedure says otherwise. Because nobody WANTS the FAA eyeing them, and because altitude is your friend unless you’re on fire, the vast majority of pilots maintain about 500’ AGL at a minimum because it keeps us out of the “wire environment” and buys us time to get to a landing spot if we were to have an engine failure.
Again, if you can safely land in your backyard, or any other property with prior permission, nothing’s stopping you (unless a local ordinance prohibits it, but that’s not an FAA/federal thing). Same goes for hovering at 200’. We can do it all day long if what we’re doing requires it (such as training, powerline/pipeline inspections, tree trimming, looking for pot fields, herding cattle, etc.). That’s why that reg makes the exception, because again, money’s made down low for most us heli folk.
Yeah where I used to live in Norcal one of the neighbors was a helicopter pilot and would occasionally land in his own backyard for the fun of it. Helicopters can get away with quite a bit, same as drones, unless they do something really really stupid that is.
Oh, cool! Someone who thinks they know more about helicopter regulations than me!
Well keep reading, buddy. FAR 91.119(d)(1) says, and I quote:
“(d) Helicopters, powered parachutes, and weight-shift-control aircraft. If the operation is conducted without hazard to persons or property on the surface—
(1) A helicopter may be operated at less than the minimums prescribed in paragraph (b) or (c) of this section, provided each person operating the helicopter complies with any routes or altitudes specifically prescribed for helicopters by the FAA.”
So I’ll say it again: as long as the operation isn’t careless or reckless in nature and there is no route or altitude prescribed by the FAA, we can fly at *ANY* altitude we want. You and everyone else who gets this wrong reads the first half of the reg that pertains to fixed-wing operations, stops, takes a BIG breath, and goes “aaaaHHHHAAAAAAAAAA!” thinking they did a big “GOTCHA!”
But no.
You got me. Cause I never flew those rattling egg beaters! I will now show myself out with contrite humility.
Someone's growing the devil's lettuce.
How much Sudafed have you been buying?
How much Sudafed have you been buying?
Ah, I don't think you know the meaning of "prescribed" vs "proscribed"Oh, cool! Someone who thinks they know more about helicopter regulations than me!
Well keep reading, buddy. FAR 91.119(d)(1) says, and I quote:
“(d) Helicopters, powered parachutes, and weight-shift-control aircraft. If the operation is conducted without hazard to persons or property on the surface—
(1) A helicopter may be operated at less than the minimums prescribed in paragraph (b) or (c) of this section, provided each person operating the helicopter complies with any routes or altitudes specifically prescribed for helicopters by the FAA.”
So I’ll say it again: as long as the operation isn’t careless or reckless in nature and there is no route or altitude prescribed by the FAA, we can fly at *ANY* altitude we want. You and everyone else who gets this wrong reads the first half of the reg that pertains to fixed-wing operations, stops, takes a BIG breath, and goes “aaaaHHHHAAAAAAAAAA!” thinking they did a big “GOTCHA!”
But no.
But WTF...you know things
In Illinois, the guard lacota unit works with counter drug task force to bust people.
The local power companies are now running similar airframes to check power lines during Red Flag fire conditions looking for potential fire start points. This brings them fairly low and slow for the inspection. Another bit of fallout from some of the massive fires that we have had out here.
Seriously?!?!! I think I know the guy who owns that property. Do you have any idea who it was?
Ah, I don't think you know the meaning of "prescribed" vs "proscribed"
But WTF...you know things
Bruh…
I copied the reg verbatim off the law.cornell.edu website. It’s spelled “prEscribed” right in the FAR/AIM book that the FAA publishes. Every. Single. Year. Here, let me help you:
On 'Prescribe' and 'Proscribe'
Just what the doctor ordered (or forbade you from doing).
www.merriam-webster.com
Per Merriam-Webster, “Prescribe means to instruct or dictate a rule for others to follow. A doctor prescribes medicine for treatment. Proscribe, although it sounds similar, means to forbid something.”
The correct spelling in this particular case is “prEscribed,” as in “the FAA has a dictated altitude and route you must follow.”
Just block me already if you’re going to follow me around and intentionally allow my posts to bunch your panties up that much, especially if you’re going to be wrong every time you do it…
Edit: apologies to the OP for taking the bait and muddying up the thread.
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Light utility helicopter used for operating in permissive environments to meet Homeland Defense and Security, general support, reconnaissance, command and control operations, search and rescue, and training requirements.
For some reason, I was thinking the Lakota was a 4tr helo. That's what I get for not looking further. In my ignorant defense, I haven't turned a wrench on anything other than military utility, attack and tilt rotor for 28yrs, rarely touched a civilian or law enforcement rotor component in that time, did briefly rework some rotors for an experimental aircraft after a catastrophic failure. If it's not directly in my wheelhouse, don't pay any mind to it.
Continue on with the rules and regulations educational summit
Quick! Surround yer house with sloped roofs.
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If you want them gone, call up the National Guard in your state and complain. Ask for the direct phone number to Army Aviation Support facility. There are probably a couple in your state. Tell them you are sick and tired of aircraft flying low over your property and scaring your family. The aviation unit there will make your property a local Restricted operating zone and they should stay away from it. But, we are talking army pilots here….. so, mistakes will happen.
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