Helicopter over the city

extraice

been seen a helicopter come from the west fly over the city go out to east turn few times and flyying back to west again
Any one know whats up ?

Lapin

Don't know, but its never a good sign.

the keen edge

Four or five years ago, helicopters in the skies over Galway were an indication to the supposed affluence of the City; Now unfortunately, when seeing or hearing a helicopter hovering above Galway City, people more than likely think someone has jumped in the river.

It really exposes the deception that was called the Celtic Tiger.

yeehaw

the keen edge wrote: »

Four or five years ago, helicopters in the skies over Galway were an indication to the supposed affluence of the City; Now unfortunately, when seeing or hearing a helicopter hovering above Galway City, people more than likely think someone has jumped in the river.

It really exposes the deception that was called the Celtic Tiger.

How?

Lapin

the keen edge wrote: »

Four or five years ago, helicopters in the skies over Galway were an indication to the supposed affluence of the City; Now unfortunately, when seeing or hearing a helicopter hovering above Galway City, people more than likely think someone has jumped in the river.

It really exposes the deception that was called the Celtic Tiger.

Even during the boom, the sound of a chopper milling around at 3 in the morning was always ominous.

dolphin city

Lapin wrote: »

Even during the boom, the sound of a chopper milling around at 3 in the morning was always ominous.

no it wasn't. It was usually just some sick person coming in from the Islands to hospital cause they couldn't go in on the boat. It was never "ominous" like it is now.

extraice

If came for the west , but at very hight altitude , head to the east off the city (look like the airport ) and then start to 360 pattern to losing altitude , this happen 4 - 5 time (360°) and the flow back out west at lower altitude . dont think it landed at all in the city

It didnt sound like are look like Rescue Helicopter this was smaller Helicopter

Steyr

Yes that was one of An Garda Sicohana's EC135 T2's operated by The GASU ( Garda Air Support Unit ), Nothing out of the norm as night flying is primarily what they do but they are a 24/7 365 day outfit.


The Gardai have 2 of them and they are based along with their Defender Surveillance Aircraft in Baldonnel and are operated by the Irish Air Corps with Gardai on board on behalf of the Dept of Justice.

Lovely sound out of them too. Also of note is that The Irish Air Corps also Operate EC135's but the IAC's version is the EC135 P2 Version.


An EC135 T2 of AGS:

Steyr

It is as the OP suggests a completely different sound to the Sikorsky S61N of The Irish Coast Guard based at Shannon that we are all by now aware of.


EC135's are designed to be quiet in comparison to the likes of other Helicopters of its size or bigger.

happyoutscan

I could be wrong but I think this was at Galway Airport yesterday around 5ish in the afternoon, was returning from Edinburgh. Rotors were running. Also heard it last night, it was quieter than the Rescue chopper alright.

inisboffin

It was quite late when I heard it. Not super loud, but loud enough to hear in the house over music. I just thought it unusual as I heard it go over and back (seemingly) a few times, as opposed to someone being brought in / out from the Islands. I assumed it was a search of some kind tbh, criminal or rescue.

Steyr

It was one of the Gardai Helicopers I mentioned, she did approach from the west and it was exactly around 3am that she was over the City, they didnt use their night sun ( search light ) but were most likely using Thermal Imaging to see whatever they were after on the Ground.

Steyr

happyoutscan wrote: »

I could be wrong but I think this was at Galway Airport yesterday around 5ish in the afternoon, was returning from Edinburgh. Rotors were running. Also heard it last night, it was quieter than the Rescue chopper alright.

They would have used EICM from fuel and if in a rush it would have been a hot refuel*.


hot refuel-refuelling while on the ground with engines running. The EC135 is known for being a far sight quieter than the S61N Sikorsky SAR Helicopter used by The Irish Coast Guard.

Mrs OBumble

dolphin city wrote: »

no it wasn't. It was usually just some sick person coming in from the Islands to hospital cause they couldn't go in on the boat. It was never "ominous" like it is now.

It's still as likely as ever to be a sick person coming in from the islands.

It was ominous back then, but perhaps you just didn't realise.

extraice

it didnt land .... where i work i can see most off the city from salthill to the eircom tower

Side Show Bob

Steyr wrote: »

They would have used EICM from fuel and if in a rush it would have been a hot refuel*.


hot refuel-refuelling while on the ground with engines running. The EC135 is known for being a far sight quieter than the S61N Sikorsky SAR Helicopter used by The Irish Coast Guard.

Waterford would be used if the Garda helicopter were operating in Kilkenny, only because of distance and terrain, hot refuelling would be unusual out of hours as the fire & emergency services would have to be on standby.

Greenview

It's there now, over towards the Telecom tower (as I look from the Westside).
Slowly hovering (at first I thought it was a planet, but wrong part of sky for that - then I noticed the flashing beacon lights ).

schween

The excitement a helicopter produces!

Steyr

Side Show Bob wrote: »

hot refuelling would be unusual out of hours as the fire & emergency services would have to be on standby.

I am very aware of that but they can have arrangements in place for night ops too, I was referrering to Happyoutscan's post about seeing her at EICM around 17:00hrs.

shakin

The garda helicopter was hovering over eyre square yesterday morning around 4:30am....and it isnt all that quiet

Steyr

shakin wrote: »

The garda helicopter was hovering over eyre square yesterday morning around 4:30am....and it isnt all that quiet

They are compared to most other Helicopter types, and they will always be loud when being stationery in the hover its constant noise just hovering there..

The helicopter incorporates Eurocopter's low-noise patented Fenestron tail rotor. The array of ten blades in the Fenestron are arranged asymmetrically and are spaced at different intervals which substantially reduces the helicopter noise.

The four-bladed, bearingless, main rotor system is made of fibre-reinforced composite. The built-in anti-resonance isolation system also contributes to low vibration and noise level. The external noise level is 6dB lower than the regulatory specification and allows the operation of the helicopter in highly populated areas and in close approach to hospitals.

shakin

still likely to wake a man up at 4:30am!

dolphin city

JustMary wrote: »

It's still as likely as ever to be a sick person coming in from the islands.

It was ominous back then, but perhaps you just didn't realise.

no, believe me JustMary - it wasn't ominous.

drum!

JustMary wrote: »

It's still as likely as ever to be a sick person coming in from the islands.

It was ominous back then, but perhaps you just didn't realise.

Exactly! This is not a new phenomenon, there is just more attention drawn to it now. I've been living around the river for almost ten years now and helicopter searches after jumpers has been frighteningly frequent during this time.

Sponge Bob

I heard it was a search using thermal gear for cannabis growhouses in the City and Connemara ...so it was done at night when it was cooooooold and where the thermal signature should have been at its clearest.

drum!

Would it not make more sense to do that during the day when people would have less of an excuse for producing a lot of heat in a certain area of their house?

extraice

Sikorsky SAR Helicopter used by The Irish Coast Guard just left town , heading back two SNN shannon 21.30

Lapin

dolphin city wrote: »

no it wasn't. It was usually just some sick person coming in from the Islands to hospital cause they couldn't go in on the boat. It was never "ominous" like it is now.

I would regard the sight of some poor bollix being rushed to hospital at 4 in the morning on a chopper as being fairly ominous, in much the same way as an ambulance or fire engine rushing past my house with lights and sirens at full blast.

The sick person is hardly on a sight seeing pleasure flight after all.

Anyway, did anyone find out what was going on the other night ?

Steyr

Lapin wrote: »

Anyway, did anyone find out what was going on the other night ?

Nope and I doubt we will for all I know it could have been a Mission with Gardai or Training ( Nav exercise/Co-operation with ground units ).

Mrs OBumble

shakin wrote: »

The garda helicopter was hovering over eyre square yesterday morning around 4:30am....and it isnt all that quiet

Thank you: Mr justMary was cross with the council for sending their leaf-blower guy out early ... handy to know it wasn't them.