Where have all the helicopters gone?

dxhound2005

There were 340 of them at the Galway races in 2007 and only 3 this year. And they used to be a common sight at weddings and debs etc. Are they all in a big shed somewhere waiting until it is safe to take them out again?

http://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/horse-racing/galway-races-2014-punters-preparing-3923294

The recession did affect us and I think it was in 2007, 340 helicopters landed in Ballybrit – more than in any other place in Europe.

“That’s down to maybe three or four helicopters if we’re lucky, that’s a sign of the recession.

darkpagandeath

Dole got Reduced ? (in before dole comment) :pac:

artanevilla

There's only 4 in the country, in 2007 they made 85 trips each.

intellectual dosser

340 landings, would imagine less than 30-40 helicopters. Still a lot I admit.

Well i know of one "ran off without paying anyone ****er" who is hiding his across the border.

Sir Arthur Daley

The road tax is very expensive on them.

Banjo String

This big fcuker was circling my house for ages last few weeks ago.

Dunno who owned it, or what it's purpose was, but Jesus it was noisy.

cml387

If Cork were playing GAA in Dublin, the skies over Clonmel used to be like the Ride Of The Valkyries scene in Apocalypse now.

The gas things people used to do with them too like flying them through lamposts:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkPt7HAfmUs

Or landing them on shopping centers

dd972

they've been reutilised as lawnmowers by expert pilots employed by county councils.

daRobot

Banjo String wrote: »

This big fcuker was circling my house for ages last few weeks ago.

Dunno who owned it, or what it's purpose was, but Jesus it was noisy.

Search and Rescue chopper.

It's insanely noisy, and landed about 200ms behind my house in a rugby field a few months ago, where some kid had injured his spine.

Thought a plane was crashing into the house, it was that loud.

Guy:Incognito

****ing death machines that are trying to kill you all the time.Dont care how rich I ever get I wont be using one to commute.

Wossack

every year...

endacl

Banjo String wrote: »

This big fcuker was circling my house for ages last few weeks ago.

Dunno who owned it, or what it's purpose was, but Jesus it was noisy.

That'd be the Coast Guard. Were you being invaded by sea at the time?

Peregrine

Banjo String wrote: »

Dunno who owned it, or what it's purpose was, but Jesus it was noisy.

Owned and operated by CHC Helicopter for the Irish Coast Guard.

Search and rescue operation or possibly medevac.

o1s1n

Helicopter ****!

Seriously though, who is so up their own arse that they'd arrive at the Galway Races in a helicopter?

Tokyo

Banjo String wrote: »

This big fcuker was circling my house for ages last few weeks ago.

Dunno who owned it, or what it's purpose was, but Jesus it was noisy.

That's the coast guard Sikorsky (S-92 I think), I've been up on the one out of Shannon a couple of times.

Auldloon

Ya it's an S92. I'm currently working on them in norway for lots and lots of lovely dosh

stimpson

A neighbour of my old mans crashed his in the field behind the house a few years back. Apparently he forgot to take the cover off the tail rotor. Fcuker went out the next day and bought an R8 for himself while the chopper was getting fixed.

Guy:Incognito

o1s1n wrote: »

Helicopter ****!

Seriously though, who is so up their own arse that they'd arrive at the Galway Races in a helicopter?

Do you have to be up your own hole to not want to sit in traffic and to use a much faster mode of transport

Lapin

o1s1n wrote: »

Helicopter ****!

Seriously though, who is so up their own arse that they'd arrive at the Galway Races in a helicopter?

Galway traffic was a nightmare a few years ago.

We used to go everywhere in our choppers.

Twas a nightmare just nipping out to the shop for sweets and eggs.

Things aren't as bad now since they fixed the road.

AlekSmart

Where have all the helicopters gone?

Unlike mortgaged houses...them oul banks moved to repossess 'em as soon as the first missed repayment occurred !!! :eek:

dazed+confused

Banjo String wrote: »

This big fcuker was circling my house for ages last few weeks ago.

Dunno who owned it, or what it's purpose was, but Jesus it was noisy.

Please tell me you're joking, that's the Coastguard helicopter.


coast-guard-helicopter-390x285.jpg

Sir Arthur Daley

AlekSmart wrote: »

Where have all the helicopters gone?

Unlike mortgaged houses...them oul banks moved to repossess 'em as soon as the first missed repayment occurred !!! :eek:

They were broke down for scrap, aluminum, copper and steel its all money.

uck51js9zml2yt

My son has one.......... In his toy box

Custardpi

Haven't gone anywhere. They've been painted black & are silently hovering above us......

Banjo String

endacl wrote: »

That'd be the Coast Guard. Were you being invaded by sea at the time?

Nimr wrote: »

Owned and operated by CHC Helicopter for the Irish Coast Guard.

Search and rescue operation or possibly medevac.

I'm the far side of Naas (from Dublin) so he was in a good bit from the coast.

My kids were mesmerised by it in fairness.

Banjo String

dazed+confused wrote: »

Please tell me you're joking, that's the Coastguard helicopter.


coast-guard-helicopter-390x285.jpg

Why would I be joking

I've never felt the need to google the coastguard helicopter, nor has it ever rescued me. Add to that I'm in County Kildare (pretty far from the coast)

Therefore I know nothing about it. (until tonight)

Tokyo

Banjo String wrote: »

I'm the far side of Naas (from Dublin) so he was in a good bit from the coast.

My kids were mesmerised by it in fairness.

The mountain rescue teams avail of their services too. Not uncommon to see them inland.

Archeron

Where have the cowboys gone, thats another mystery.

Didip, badidip, badidip, badidip.

Henwin

Banjo String wrote: »

This big fcuker was circling my house for ages last few weeks ago.

Dunno who owned it, or what it's purpose was, but Jesus it was noisy.

Thats the sea rescue helicopter

Slicemeister

Auldloon wrote: »

Ya it's an S92. I'm currently working on them in norway for lots and lots of lovely dosh

Maintenance or manufacture?

Stheno

Didn't someone crash a helicopter on the way to a wedding a few weeks ago?

I saw 3 of them outside a very fancy 5 star hotel last week it was a wedding I think.

porsche959

o1s1n wrote: »

Helicopter ****!

Seriously though, who is so up their own arse that they'd arrive at the Galway Races in a helicopter?

That's bad enough, but the wedding/debs thing referred to by OP - which I honestly wasn't aware of - even worse.

Wishiwasa Littlebitaller

Did Seeger ever find those flowers.

o1s1n

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

Do you have to be up your own hole to not want to sit in traffic and to use a much faster mode of transport

Oh right, I didn't realize it was just a mode of transport to them. I take it they commute to work in it too?

And here's me thinking they were just landing in a helicopter at a public event to show off their wealth, silly me...

Tokyo

Not really showing off their wealth - there was a helicopter service running from Oranmore to BallyBrit during race week a few years back for €75 a head. For a lot of people it might be the only chance they get to go up in one...

porsche959

Wealthy bloodstock owners helicoptering it to race tracks is nothing new. Used to live near Leopardstown race course and would hear them buzzing over on a big race day.

MidlandsM

mike_ie wrote: »

might be the only chance they get to go up in one...

That comment reminds me of the old "differnce between a nurse and a helicopter" joke...lol

Peregrine

Banjo String wrote: »

I'm the far side of Naas (from Dublin) so he was in a good bit from the coast.

My kids were mesmerised by it in fairness.

Their role is SAR and air ambulance so it's not unusual to see them anywhere in Ireland.

oppenheimer1

dxhound2005 wrote: »

There were 340 of them at the Galway races in 2007 and only 3 this year. And they used to be a common sight at weddings and debs etc. Are they all in a big shed somewhere waiting until it is safe to take them out again?

http://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/horse-racing/galway-races-2014-punters-preparing-3923294

The recession did affect us and I think it was in 2007, 340 helicopters landed in Ballybrit – more than in any other place in Europe.

“That’s down to maybe three or four helicopters if we’re lucky, that’s a sign of the recession.

Genuine answer, most were sold. Most helicopters in Ireland were owned by developers. Once the property crash came, they were one of the first things these companies disposed of in order to stay afloat.

A huge number of these companies were insolvent anyway and the fire sale of these assets didn't save them. It was possible to get a good cheap helicopter in the first years of the crash.

Btw the same thing happened to all the diggers and other construction plant. Almost all of it was sold and exported, with a lot going to eastern Europe

Auldloon

Slicemeister wrote: »

Maintenance or manufacture?

Maintenance.

Vojera

My cousin works in helicopter maintenance too. He's based in Dubai now, not nearly enough work left in Ireland to have a stable job.

dirtyden

o1s1n wrote: »

Helicopter ****!

Seriously though, who is so up their own arse that they'd arrive at the Galway Races in a helicopter?

Its a novelty, it costed about 50 euros each if there was a group of 8 I think. It would cost you the same to get from Cork to Dublin on the train. Why would you want to up your own arse to spend 50 euros on a bit of craic?

cml387

Vojera wrote: »

My cousin works in helicopter maintenance too. He's based in Dubai now, not nearly enough work left in Ireland to have a stable job.

In fairness, helicopter maintenance techician would be the definition of a Celtic tiger job.
Like Ice sculptor and Hummer dealership.

Slicemeister

cml387 wrote: »

In fairness, helicopter maintenance techician would be the definition of a Celtic tiger job.
Like Ice sculptor and Hummer dealership.

Not if you're willing to travel, which in this country is more likely if pursuing this career.
Would love to have pursued it myself, had the brains but not the health :-(