2 helicopters abandoned

[Bill Chernoff]

From the Okanagan Saturday



PENTICTON -- Two helicopters abandoned on the Penticton Indian reserve
Thursday, less than a quarter of a mile apart, have triggered an
investigation by the RCMP, Canada Customs and Transport Canada. "Yesterday,
I believe in the afternoon, there was two of our band members cutting wood
on the north portion of the reserve land base," said Penticton Indian band
Chief Stewart Phillip on Friday

A helicopter landed near the men, and the sole occupant jumped out with a
duffel bag. When he got closer to the men, the pilot apparently said,
"You're not my ride," and ran away

The men reported the incident to the tribal police, who called the RCMP

"The site was secured by the tribal police service, and this morning word
was put out to the relevant agencies," Phillip said

The tribal police were to wait by the helicopter until a Kelowna team was
flown in by helicopter

"They were a bit upset because the tribal police were not waiting by the
helicopter as agreed, but it turns out they were waiting by a second
helicopter, a short distance from the first." The helicopters were less than
a quarter of a mile from each other, said Phillip, but both were hidden from
view by small trees. One of the helicopter's rotors, likely from the tail of
the aircraft, was broken from striking a tree

Though the pilots' identities are unknown, one of the helicopters has been
traced to Vernon, and the other to New Westminster

"I don't think there is any doubt this is drug related," said Phillip. "Why
else would they be up there? They landed in a very concealed location." He
also pointed to a high level of interest by the various agencies -Canada
Customs and Transport Canada -- and the value of the helicopters as
indicators of the seriousness of the situation, suggesting a link to
organized crime

The aircraft are worth an estimated $1 million, and the band is working on a
seizure notice under trespassing law

Phillip wonders if band members are involved, since the men who were
approached were natives

He said he thought long and hard about bringing the story forward to the
media. "When you live in the middle of a situation like this and more
details are coming forward each day, it becomes pretty intense," he said

He decided the public needed to be informed

"I just think we have to expose this and let all levels of government, the
RCMP and the public know it's a very serious problem that we are dealing
with," said Phillip, who is committed to cleaning up his community.

[Steve R.]

"Bill Chernoff" > wrote in message
news:Mw9md.230259$%k.39590@pd7tw2no...
> From the Okanagan Saturday
>
>
>
> PENTICTON -- Two helicopters abandoned on the Penticton Indian reserve
> Thursday, less than a quarter of a mile apart, have triggered an
> investigation by the RCMP, Canada Customs and Transport Canada.
> "Yesterday,
> I believe in the afternoon, there was two of our band members cutting wood
> on the north portion of the reserve land base," said Penticton Indian band
> Chief Stewart Phillip on Friday
>
> A helicopter landed near the men, and the sole occupant jumped out with a
> duffel bag. When he got closer to the men, the pilot apparently said,
> "You're not my ride," and ran away
>

Wow, that's a good one. At least this guy didn't "insist" that they become
his ride!

Out of curiosity, do they mention what kind of helicopters they were?

Fly Safe,
Steve R.

[Bill Chernoff]

oops, meant to reply to group..

I just caught the news out of the corner of my eye at breakfast- one looked
like a jet ranger. I didn't see the other but a guy at work described a
Bell 47 or Hiller- "the kind with the big bubble"

[B Ghostrider]

One looked like a LongRanger and the other looked like a Hiller UH-1
or a mil-34 "hermit"
On Mon, 15 Nov 2004 23:42:09 GMT, "Bill Chernoff"
> wrote:

>Hiller-

[B Ghostrider]

http://vancouver.cbc.ca/regionalnews/caches/bc_helicopter20041115.html
here a news link with some pictures of the choppers

Mon, 15 Nov 2004 23:19:56 -0800, B Ghostrider >
wrote:

>One looked like a LongRanger and the other looked like a Hiller UH-1
>or a mil-34 "hermit"
>On Mon, 15 Nov 2004 23:42:09 GMT, "Bill Chernoff"
> wrote:
>
>>Hiller-

[Biff Douglas]

On Mon, 15 Nov 2004 23:44:27 -0800, B Ghostrider
> wrote:

>http://vancouver.cbc.ca/regionalnews/caches/bc_helicopter20041115.html
>here a news link with some pictures of the choppers
>
> Mon, 15 Nov 2004 23:19:56 -0800, B Ghostrider >
>wrote:
>
>>One looked like a LongRanger and the other looked like a Hiller UH-1
>>or a mil-34 "hermit"
>>On Mon, 15 Nov 2004 23:42:09 GMT, "Bill Chernoff"
> wrote:
>>
>>>Hiller-
The Hiller appears to be a FH1100.

[Ash Wyllie]

Biff Douglas opined

>On Mon, 15 Nov 2004 23:44:27 -0800, B Ghostrider
> wrote:

>>http://vancouver.cbc.ca/regionalnews/caches/bc_helicopter20041115.html
>>here a news link with some pictures of the choppers
>>
>> Mon, 15 Nov 2004 23:19:56 -0800, B Ghostrider >
>>wrote:
>>
>>>One looked like a LongRanger and the other looked like a Hiller UH-1
>>>or a mil-34 "hermit"
>>>On Mon, 15 Nov 2004 23:42:09 GMT, "Bill Chernoff"
> wrote:
>>>
>>>>Hiller-
>The Hiller appears to be a FH1100.

I think that the one you think is a Hiller is a Bell 47J Ranger or an H-13J.

http://cellmath.med.utoronto.ca/B47/images/kearney/C_FAFK/AFK_01.jpg




-ash
Cthulhu in 2005!
Why wait for nature?

[Gyroplanes]

Not only is it a Bell 47 as in the link picture, it looks like the exact ship.
I don't know about Canada, but Bell 47 rangers are quite rare in the lower half
of North America.

[SelwayKid]

B Ghostrider > wrote in message >...
> http://vancouver.cbc.ca/regionalnews/caches/bc_helicopter20041115.html
> here a news link with some pictures of the choppers
>
> Mon, 15 Nov 2004 23:19:56 -0800, B Ghostrider >
> wrote:
>
> >One looked like a LongRanger and the other looked like a Hiller UH-1
> >or a mil-34 "hermit"
> >On Mon, 15 Nov 2004 23:42:09 GMT, "Bill Chernoff"
> > wrote:
> >
> >>Hiller-
Yep...looks like a Long Ranger but the other doesnt' have the paddles
of the Hiller and the bubble is more like Aerospatiale or Russian? It
kind of reminded me of a Bell J model...talk about old?????

[B Ghostrider]

On 16 Nov 2004 10:45:59 -0800, (SelwayKid) wrote:

>B Ghostrider > wrote in message >...
>> http://vancouver.cbc.ca/regionalnews/caches/bc_helicopter20041115.html
>> here a news link with some pictures of the choppers
>>
>> Mon, 15 Nov 2004 23:19:56 -0800, B Ghostrider >
>> wrote:
>>
>> >One looked like a LongRanger and the other looked like a Hiller UH-1
>> >or a mil-34 "hermit"
>> >On Mon, 15 Nov 2004 23:42:09 GMT, "Bill Chernoff"
>> > wrote:
>> >
>> >>Hiller-
>Yep...looks like a Long Ranger but the other doesnt' have the paddles
>of the Hiller and the bubble is more like Aerospatiale or Russian? It
>kind of reminded me of a Bell J model...talk about old?????
thats what I thought. I remember seeing these helis (Bell j)in some
movies in the 70's. I also remaimber seeing this in a documentry about
when the police started to uses helis in there work in potroling.
as from the reason they were adondoned the story just gets weirder
and weirder.

[Micbloo]

>I think that the one you think is a Hiller is a Bell 47J Ranger or an H-13J.

Back in the early 80s one of the local
radio stations flew a number of 47s including this 47J model. Still listed
as
being active.

http://www.helispot.com/photos/03304.html

[Mike Th...]

You guys are right. It was a Bell 47J, the registration was C-FAFK. The
previous owner sold it about a month and a half ago. (I know, he's my Ops
Manager). The aircraft was ferried up to Vernon BC, Where the new owner
took possession of it. And the rest is history.

"Bill Chernoff" > wrote in message
news:Mw9md.230259$%k.39590@pd7tw2no...
> From the Okanagan Saturday
>
>
>
> PENTICTON -- Two helicopters abandoned on the Penticton Indian reserve
> Thursday, less than a quarter of a mile apart, have triggered an
> investigation by the RCMP, Canada Customs and Transport Canada.
> "Yesterday,
> I believe in the afternoon, there was two of our band members cutting wood
> on the north portion of the reserve land base," said Penticton Indian band
> Chief Stewart Phillip on Friday
>
> A helicopter landed near the men, and the sole occupant jumped out with a
> duffel bag. When he got closer to the men, the pilot apparently said,
> "You're not my ride," and ran away
>
> The men reported the incident to the tribal police, who called the RCMP
>
> "The site was secured by the tribal police service, and this morning word
> was put out to the relevant agencies," Phillip said
>
> The tribal police were to wait by the helicopter until a Kelowna team was
> flown in by helicopter
>
> "They were a bit upset because the tribal police were not waiting by the
> helicopter as agreed, but it turns out they were waiting by a second
> helicopter, a short distance from the first." The helicopters were less
> than
> a quarter of a mile from each other, said Phillip, but both were hidden
> from
> view by small trees. One of the helicopter's rotors, likely from the tail
> of
> the aircraft, was broken from striking a tree
>
> Though the pilots' identities are unknown, one of the helicopters has been
> traced to Vernon, and the other to New Westminster
>
> "I don't think there is any doubt this is drug related," said Phillip.
> "Why
> else would they be up there? They landed in a very concealed location." He
> also pointed to a high level of interest by the various agencies -Canada
> Customs and Transport Canada -- and the value of the helicopters as
> indicators of the seriousness of the situation, suggesting a link to
> organized crime
>
> The aircraft are worth an estimated $1 million, and the band is working on
> a
> seizure notice under trespassing law
>
> Phillip wonders if band members are involved, since the men who were
> approached were natives
>
> He said he thought long and hard about bringing the story forward to the
> media. "When you live in the middle of a situation like this and more
> details are coming forward each day, it becomes pretty intense," he said
>
> He decided the public needed to be informed
>
> "I just think we have to expose this and let all levels of government, the
> RCMP and the public know it's a very serious problem that we are dealing
> with," said Phillip, who is committed to cleaning up his community.
>
>

[bryan chaisone]

"Bill Chernoff" > wrote in message news:<Mw9md.230259$%k.39590@pd7tw2no>...
> From the Okanagan Saturday
>
>
>
> PENTICTON -- Two helicopters abandoned on the Penticton Indian reserve
> Thursday, less than a quarter of a mile apart, have triggered an
> investigation by the RCMP, Canada Customs and Transport Canada. "Yesterday,
> I believe in the afternoon, there was two of our band members cutting wood
> on the north portion of the reserve land base," said Penticton Indian band
> Chief Stewart Phillip on Friday
>
> A helicopter landed near the men, and the sole occupant jumped out with a
> duffel bag. When he got closer to the men, the pilot apparently said,
> "You're not my ride," and ran away
>
> The men reported the incident to the tribal police, who called the RCMP
>
> "The site was secured by the tribal police service, and this morning word
> was put out to the relevant agencies," Phillip said
>
> The tribal police were to wait by the helicopter until a Kelowna team was
> flown in by helicopter
>
> "They were a bit upset because the tribal police were not waiting by the
> helicopter as agreed, but it turns out they were waiting by a second
> helicopter, a short distance from the first." The helicopters were less than
> a quarter of a mile from each other, said Phillip, but both were hidden from
> view by small trees. One of the helicopter's rotors, likely from the tail of
> the aircraft, was broken from striking a tree
>
> Though the pilots' identities are unknown, one of the helicopters has been
> traced to Vernon, and the other to New Westminster
>
> "I don't think there is any doubt this is drug related," said Phillip. "Why
> else would they be up there? They landed in a very concealed location." He
> also pointed to a high level of interest by the various agencies -Canada
> Customs and Transport Canada -- and the value of the helicopters as
> indicators of the seriousness of the situation, suggesting a link to
> organized crime
>
> The aircraft are worth an estimated $1 million, and the band is working on a
> seizure notice under trespassing law
>
> Phillip wonders if band members are involved, since the men who were
> approached were natives
>
> He said he thought long and hard about bringing the story forward to the
> media. "When you live in the middle of a situation like this and more
> details are coming forward each day, it becomes pretty intense," he said
>
> He decided the public needed to be informed
>
> "I just think we have to expose this and let all levels of government, the
> RCMP and the public know it's a very serious problem that we are dealing
> with," said Phillip, who is committed to cleaning up his community.

So what's the latest scoop on this?

Bryan

[B Ghostrider]

It has been reported the the owner of the Bell 47J has, through a
letter from his lawyer, requested that his helicopter be returned to
him. The Penticton Indian brand has stated that they do not have the
copter as it is in the poesion of the RCMP and transport Canada. The
owner has stated that his helicopter was only being "stored' on the
reserve until he got his pilots liecenesand is in no way conected to
the Drug trade.THe Penticton Indian band is interested in knowing
were he got promission to "store" the copter on Band land as the only
one that have the authority to give promission is the band counel and
there as been no requests made to them . The incident is still under
investigation by the RCMP and Transport Canada.

[bryan chaisone]

B Ghostrider > wrote in message >...
> It has been reported the the owner of the Bell 47J has, through a
> letter from his lawyer, requested that his helicopter be returned to
> him. The Penticton Indian brand has stated that they do not have the
> copter as it is in the poesion of the RCMP and transport Canada. The
> owner has stated that his helicopter was only being "stored' on the
> reserve until he got his pilots liecenesand is in no way conected to
> the Drug trade.THe Penticton Indian band is interested in knowing
> were he got promission to "store" the copter on Band land as the only
> one that have the authority to give promission is the band counel and
> there as been no requests made to them . The incident is still under
> investigation by the RCMP and Transport Canada.

Thanks, I'd be interested in more, if/when you know more.

Thanks again,
Bryan

[B Ghostrider]

Just show on one of the news channels. The owners of the choppers have
come to some sort of agreement with the indian band. The
hellicopters were airlifted out yesterday.Not sure what type of Helo
was used to do the lift with. It looked to be a Bell 212 .

On 27 Nov 2004 22:38:13 -0800, (bryan chaisone)
wrote:

>B Ghostrider > wrote in message >...
>> It has been reported the the owner of the Bell 47J has, through a
>> letter from his lawyer, requested that his helicopter be returned to
>> him. The Penticton Indian brand has stated that they do not have the
>> copter as it is in the poesion of the RCMP and transport Canada. The
>> owner has stated that his helicopter was only being "stored' on the
>> reserve until he got his pilots liecenesand is in no way conected to
>> the Drug trade.THe Penticton Indian band is interested in knowing
>> were he got promission to "store" the copter on Band land as the only
>> one that have the authority to give promission is the band counel and
>> there as been no requests made to them . The incident is still under
>> investigation by the RCMP and Transport Canada.
>
>Thanks, I'd be interested in more, if/when you know more.
>
>Thanks again,
>Bryan

[Micbloo]

>The
>hellicopters were airlifted out yesterday.Not sure what type of Helo
>was used to do the lift with. It looked to be a Bell 212 .

Why couldnt they fly out on their own?

[Micbloo]

>
>If memory serves, at least one of 'em had a tail rotor strike..

NOw THAT would make sense.