Police chopper noise levels

[Charles Packer]

At 3 AM recently I happened to be up and about and I
heard a whining-whirring sound that turned out to be the
police helicopter circling over the public housing
project up the street. But...when that chopper comes
around in the daytime and evenings, it's much louder --
the well-known bupbupbup that lowers the quality of life
in this part of town. So how did they fly relatively
quietly at 3 AM and why don't they use that mode more
often?

--
Charles Packer
http://cpacker.org/whatnews
mailboxATcpacker.org

[[email protected]]

On Jul 7, 7:11 am, Charles Packer > wrote:
> At 3 AM recently I happened to be up and about and I
> heard a whining-whirring sound that turned out to be the
> police helicopter circling over the public housing
> project up the street. But...when that chopper comes
> around in the daytime and evenings, it's much louder --
> the well-known bupbupbup that lowers the quality of life
> in this part of town. So how did they fly relatively
> quietly at 3 AM and why don't they use that mode more
> often?
>
> --
> Charles Packerhttp://cpacker.org/whatnews
> mailboxATcpacker.org

Diferent choppers, no doubt. The MD500 has no tailrotor and five
main rotor blades, and runs fairly quietly. Often used at night. The
other popular police copter is the Bell 206, which makes more noise
and that distinctive chop-chop sound.

Dan

[Gig 601Xl Builder]

> On Jul 7, 7:11 am, Charles Packer > wrote:
>> At 3 AM recently I happened to be up and about and I
>> heard a whining-whirring sound that turned out to be the
>> police helicopter circling over the public housing
>> project up the street. But...when that chopper comes
>> around in the daytime and evenings, it's much louder --
>> the well-known bupbupbup that lowers the quality of life
>> in this part of town. So how did they fly relatively
>> quietly at 3 AM and why don't they use that mode more
>> often?
>>
>> --
>> Charles Packerhttp://cpacker.org/whatnews
>> mailboxATcpacker.org
>

"Quality of life" and "public housing project up the street" are not
phrases that you see together very often.

[john smith]

In article
>,
wrote:

> Diferent choppers, no doubt. The MD500 has no tailrotor and five
> main rotor blades, and runs fairly quietly. Often used at night. The
> other popular police copter is the Bell 206, which makes more noise
> and that distinctive chop-chop sound.

Check before you SEND, Dan. :-))
Your are thinking of the 520N, NOTAR (No Tail roTAR)
Other versions of the 500 do have a conventional bladed tail rotor.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MD_Helicopters_MD_500

[Steve Foley]

"Charles Packer" > wrote in message
...
> At 3 AM recently I happened to be up and about and I
> heard a whining-whirring sound that turned out to be the
> police helicopter circling over the public housing
> project up the street. But...when that chopper comes
> around in the daytime and evenings, it's much louder --
> the well-known bupbupbup that lowers the quality of life
> in this part of town. So how did they fly relatively
> quietly at 3 AM and why don't they use that mode more
> often?

Blue Thunder - Whisper Mode?

[[email protected]]

On Jul 7, 12:10 pm, John Smith > wrote:
> In article
> >,
>
> wrote:
> > Diferent choppers, no doubt. The MD500 has no tailrotor and five
> > main rotor blades, and runs fairly quietly. Often used at night. The
> > other popular police copter is the Bell 206, which makes more noise
> > and that distinctive chop-chop sound.
>
> Check before you SEND, Dan. :-))
> Your are thinking of the 520N, NOTAR (No Tail roTAR)
> Other versions of the 500 do have a conventional bladed tail rotor.
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MD_Helicopters_MD_500

I was thinking of the original tailrotorless version, the
MD500N, but forgot the N:
http://www.deca-aviation.com/hawc1.htm
http://futurshox.net/aeroview.php?level=image&id=732
http://www.militarypictures.info/helicopters/md500n.jpg.html

Dan

[gpsman]

On Jul 7, 10:01 am, wrote:
> The
> other popular police copter is the Bell 206, which makes more noise
> and that distinctive chop-chop sound.

"Choppers"... go whop-whop-whop.
-----

- gpsman

[Charles Packer]

On Jul 7, 10:01*am, wrote:
> On Jul 7, 7:11 am,Charles > wrote:
>
> > At 3 AM recently I happened to be up and about and I
> > heard a whining-whirring sound that turned out to be the
> > police helicopter circling over the public housing
> > project up the street. But...when that chopper comes
> > around in the daytime and evenings, it's much louder --
> > the well-known bupbupbup that lowers the quality of life
> > in this part of town. So how did they fly relatively
> > quietly at 3 AM and why don't they use that mode more
> > often?
>
> > --
> >Charles Packerhttp://cpacker.org/whatnews
> > mailboxATcpacker.org
>
> * * * Diferent choppers, no doubt. The MD500 has no tailrotor and five
> main rotor blades, and runs fairly quietly. Often used at night. The
> other popular police copter is the Bell 206, which makes more noise
> and that distinctive chop-chop sound.
>
> * * * * *Dan

Hard for me to believe that D.C. police could afford two choppers.
Is there a Web site where the different makes are shown in profile so
I could learn to identify them?

--
Charles Packer
http://cpacker.org/whatnews
mailboxATcpacker.org

[john smith]

In article
>,
Charles Packer > wrote:

> Hard for me to believe that D.C. police could afford two choppers.
> Is there a Web site where the different makes are shown in profile so
> I could learn to identify them?

Some cities did not have to purchase helicopters.
The federal government has a program to give surplus equipment to state
and local governments if they apply for it.
Former US Army OH-58 helicopters (military model of the Bell 206) are
one of the items which come available as they are retired from military
service and are placed on the surplus list.

[Gig 601Xl Builder]

Charles Packer wrote:

> Hard for me to believe that D.C. police could afford two choppers.
> Is there a Web site where the different makes are shown in profile so
> I could learn to identify them?
>
> --
> Charles Packer
> http://cpacker.org/whatnews
> mailboxATcpacker.org
>

Strangely, the DC Metro police don't have anything on their webs site
about their aviation unit. (This is usually something that PDs brag
about.) They mention on their web site in one place that they have one
but no mention of the aircraft they use.

Being DC though they may use federal helos on an as needed basis in
addition to what they have in their own inventory.

Google "pictures of helicopters".

[Mortimer Schnerd, RN[_2_]]

John Smith wrote:
> In article
> >,
> Charles Packer > wrote:
>
>> Hard for me to believe that D.C. police could afford two choppers.
>> Is there a Web site where the different makes are shown in profile so
>> I could learn to identify them?
>
> Some cities did not have to purchase helicopters.
> The federal government has a program to give surplus equipment to state
> and local governments if they apply for it.
> Former US Army OH-58 helicopters (military model of the Bell 206) are
> one of the items which come available as they are retired from military
> service and are placed on the surplus list.


The DC Metropolitan Police Department has two American Eurocopter AS350 B3s.
They paid for the 2nd one with Homeland Security funds. I don't know how they
funded the first one.



--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN
mschnerdatcarolina.rr.com

[[email protected]]

On Jul 7, 7:11*am, Charles Packer > wrote:
> At 3 AM recently I happened to be up and about and I
> heard a whining-whirring sound that turned out to be the
> police helicopter circling over the public housing
> project up the street. But...when that chopper comes
> around in the daytime and evenings, it's much louder --
> the well-known bupbupbup that lowers the quality of life
> in this part of town. So how did they fly relatively
> quietly at 3 AM and why don't they use that mode more
> often?
>
> --
> Charles Packerhttp://cpacker.org/whatnews
> mailboxATcpacker.org

"Public Housing Project"?

Hmmm,... sounds like it is time for you to move.

[Gig 601Xl Builder]

Airbus wrote:
> In article >,
> mschnerdatcarolina.rr.com says...
>
>>
>> The DC Metropolitan Police Department has two American Eurocopter AS350 B3s.
>> They paid for the 2nd one with Homeland Security funds. I don't know how they
>> funded the first one.
>>
>>
>>
> What's an "American Eurocopter"?
> Does that mean that Aerospatiale manufactures some "Squirrels" in the US?
>>
>

It means they finish them out and support them here.

http://www.eurocopterusa.com/Company/CompanyHome.asp

[Peter Clark]

On Tue, 08 Jul 2008 08:16:36 -0500, Gig 601Xl Builder
> wrote:

>Charles Packer wrote:
>
>> Hard for me to believe that D.C. police could afford two choppers.
>> Is there a Web site where the different makes are shown in profile so
>> I could learn to identify them?
>>
>> --
>> Charles Packer
>> http://cpacker.org/whatnews
>> mailboxATcpacker.org
>>
>
>Strangely, the DC Metro police don't have anything on their webs site
>about their aviation unit. (This is usually something that PDs brag
>about.) They mention on their web site in one place that they have one
>but no mention of the aircraft they use.
>
>Being DC though they may use federal helos on an as needed basis in
>addition to what they have in their own inventory.

Maybe Coast Guard stuff a-la the ADIZ when they're not intercepting
someone?

[john smith]

In article >,
Airbus > wrote:

> What's an "American Eurocopter"?
> Does that mean that Aerospatiale manufactures some "Squirrels" in the US?

The Public Relations Department's spin so American taxpayers will think
their public servants are purchasing an American made product.

[TheSmokingGnu]

Mortimer Schnerd, RN wrote:
> The DC Metropolitan Police Department has two American Eurocopter AS350 B3s.
> They paid for the 2nd one with Homeland Security funds. I don't know how they
> funded the first one.

*tinfoil hat*

Drugs. Gotta give that chopper something to do, eh? Make the investment
worthwhile?

:P

TheSmokingGnu

[Airbus[_4_]]

In article >,
mschnerdatcarolina.rr.com says...

>
>
>The DC Metropolitan Police Department has two American Eurocopter AS350 B3s.
>They paid for the 2nd one with Homeland Security funds. I don't know how they
>funded the first one.
>
>
>
What's an "American Eurocopter"?
Does that mean that Aerospatiale manufactures some "Squirrels" in the US?
>
>

[Charles Packer]

On Jul 8, 9:16*am, Gig 601Xl Builder >
wrote:
> Charles Packer wrote:
> > Hard for me to believe that D.C. police could afford two choppers.
> > Is there a Web site where the different makes are shown in profile so
> > I could learn to identify them?
>
> Strangely, the DC Metro police don't have anything on their webs site
> about their aviation unit. (This is usually something that PDs brag
> about.) They mention on their web site in one place that they have one
> but no mention of the aircraft they use.
>
> Being DC though they may use federal helos on an as needed basis in
> addition to what they have in their own inventory.


Maybe that explains it. Indeed, I've seen a Park Police 'copter
overhead in the
past, definitely outside its usual haunts.

--
Charles Packer
http://cpacker.org/whatnews
mailboxATcpacker.org

[Mortimer Schnerd, RN[_2_]]

Airbus wrote:
> In article >,
> mschnerdatcarolina.rr.com says...
>
>>
>>
>> The DC Metropolitan Police Department has two American Eurocopter AS350 B3s.
>> They paid for the 2nd one with Homeland Security funds. I don't know how
>> they funded the first one.
>>
>>
>>
> What's an "American Eurocopter"?
> Does that mean that Aerospatiale manufactures some "Squirrels" in the US?


I have no earthly idea. Here's the link where I got the information:

http://www.helitorque.com/portal/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=290




--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN
mschnerdatcarolina.rr.com