Garda helicopter

jimbis

Just wondering is it normal/usual procedure for the Garda helo to fly without any lights/strobes at all?
It was over my house (sandyford) earlier for about 40mins and not one light on at all. Got the binos out and the only bit of light i could pick out was from the instruments inside.
Difficult to tell what height it was at but id say it was around 1000ft.

Only ask as its over here quite alot :rolleyes: and its the first time ive seen it with no lights on.

Victor

Are you sure it was the Garda helicopter, not Air Corps?

If they are tracking a vehicle, it would be hard for them to be detected like this, whereas a bright light in the sky would be a giveaway.

They would still have the ability to see and be seen by the right people.

Nforce

Is the Garda heli NVG equipped? I see the Air Corps EC135 regularly fly without lights when NVG training.

xflyer

You wouldn't need NVGs at night over Dublin city. There's plenty of light. Of course they have thermal image equipment.

You don't even need any external lights on at night because of course they allow you be seen rather than light the way.

It isn't hard to imagine they were in 'stealth' mode watching someone out there.

280special

jimbis wrote: »

It was over my house (sandyford) earlier for about 40mins and not one light on at all.

Sooooo.....What were you up to then to deserve this kind of attention ?????? :D:D

Wayyy back when I was younger we lived very close to the border and used to see Lynx,Sioux,Scouts, Gazelle and the bigger Wessex and Puma very frequently. At night sometimes we could hear them but not see them but most of the time they flew with anti-col lights going.

jimbis

It was definetly the Garda helicopter alright. I can understand why they'd have them off for stealth reasons but it was just id never seen it with them off before. It was surprisingly hard to spot it at first even though the sound was deafening so they're tactics worked lol.

Stayed in the same area for most of the time apart from when it circled twice, so it wasn't a car chase anyway. I guess ill never know...:p

280special wrote: »

Sooooo.....What were you up to then to deserve this kind of attention ?????? :D:D

Haha, i had to rethink what i did the weekend just to make sure it wasn't me they were after :rolleyes:.

SNAKEDOC

they could have been photographing a scene for scenes of crime lab which would require a soc guy to fly with them at low level and the lights may affect a proper exposure, or they could have been assisting in a high risk warrant execution as flying low when the noise of the chopper can be used to disorient and suspect thinking of doing a runner the regional support unit and other specialist units use this tactic sometimes. there are seveal reasons for not having lights on.

ian_m

Maybe its part of the budget cutbacks.
:pac:

SNAKEDOC

most car chases in the city are over before they begin. if you robbed a car and got chased by the gardai would you want the garda chopper on your tail with the flir camera on you where ever you turn. most abandon the car after a few minutes. less chance of getting caught that way.

DOCARCH

jimbis wrote: »

It was over my house (sandyford) earlier

Are you near the Central Bank/Mint? The Air Corps often provide cover for large movements of money in and out of the Central Bank....

or....they could be taking delivery of Punt Nua!

Keith186

Would turning off lights make it stealthy?

I would've thought it'd be heard a mile away or can they track targets really far away where they wouldn't be heard easily?

jimbis

DOCARCH wrote: »

Are you near the Central Bank/Mint? The Air Corps often provide cover for large movements of money in and out of the Central Bank....

or....they could be taking delivery of Punt Nua!

Ive seen many of those air corps escorts and it wasnt anything like that. wasnt near the mint either (unless they're sneaking in the punt nua through a new route:)). More Blackglen road area, couldve been looking for a lost walker maybe but why the need for no lights.



Im not too concerned what it was there for , was just wondering if it was common practice for them to use no lights as its the first time ive seen it without any!

xflyer

Keith186 wrote: »

Would turning off lights make it stealthy?
I would've thought it'd be heard a mile away or can they track targets really far away where they wouldn't be heard easily?

There are videos online from Apache attack helicopters where they are observing insurgents or whoever from a long way off. It's clear that the people being observed are completely unaware of the presence of the helicopter or if they are it's too far away to concern them. Until that is, a missile or rounds from a 30mm cannon blows them into a million pieces.

I don't know the exact capability of the imaging equipment in the EC135 but I suspect it's pretty much state of the art. If, say you are a drug dealer going about your business in a big city with all it's ambient noise, at night and you hear a distant helicopter, but can't see it. You'd hardly be concerned. Besides the Garda helicopters are a familiar sight and sound over Dublin. If the bad guy is in a car, he would be in an even more disadvantageous position. If there's any wind the sound would be further masked. The EC135 is a relatively quiet aircraft, certainly quieter than the previous squirrel.

Even in daylight, you couldn't be sure a helicopter is observing you. It might easily be pointed in the opposite direction but with it's camera zoomed in on you.

Yes despite their noise helicopters can be relatively stealthly.

jimbis

xflyer wrote: »

Yes despite their noise helicopters can be relatively stealthly.

I have to admit it did take me a while to spot the helicopter last night even though i knew by the noise it was VERY close.
It can be very 'steathly' at times too with regards to sound. As you know wind direction plays a big role there.

castie

"Is that a helicopter I hear?...."
"Nope dont see one must just be the wind"

"Now wheres this guy Im buying my stuff from"

jimbis

castie wrote: »

"Is that a helicopter I hear?...."
"Nope dont see one must just be the wind"

"Now wheres this guy Im buying my stuff from"

Is that directed at me? if so you clearly dont understand my previous post

doctorchopper

I'd say its a good chance that the pilot forgot to turn them on