Helicopter ID

[seekir]

quote:

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There is some type of array sticking out the front (looks like a single pole antenna).

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Pretty sure what you're describing here are wire-cutters designed to guide power and phone lines into a cutter mechanism to make front-end wire strikes less catastrophic. Former ag-pilot/fixed wing tour pilot here, so I'm familiar with these devices. There's usually one drooping off the "chin," and another projecting upward off the "eyebrow" of the chopper's front end. The silver Hughes is David Okita's - I believe he operates Volcano Helicopters. I thought the yellow Hughes was the county machine, but the linked .pdf helicopter ID lists it as a private Maui-based machine, and the large reddish-orange chopper seen today is the Coast Guard Dauphin. Seeing the latter in today's operation today here in Fern Forest puzzles me a bit, as I thought it was only utilized in rescue/search ops. I'm not familiar with the grey "boxy" helicopter which seems to be a relatively new presence. As I understand it, the MJ inderdiction operations are conducted by the Federal Government (using locally hired machines operated by agencies and private companies and also the army-green National Guard Bell). Like many of you I've become very weary of the intrusive and obnoxious presence of packs of these machines routinely flying at altitudes which violate normal minimum 500' from any person, vehicle, or structure Federal regulation in part 91 of the FAR's. These are not power-line patrols, which are conducted by single machines (not a fleet of various helicopters) and generally alongside major thoroughfares. Blue Hawaiian's tour choppers are easily identified by their paint scheme and are generally very careful to fly as high as clouds and time constraints will permit - they don't circle in residential areas peering in back yards.

I've written our U.S. Senators and Congressman to express my own opinions on the matter, reminding them that this sort of heavy-handed use of airspace over residential areas would end pretty quickly if it was conducted in an area like Kahala or Waikoloa where there are few po' folks with limited clout. I'd like to suggest you do the same if you're not happy with the status quo and the rather cavalier and proprietary use of airspace over Puna. You may want to remind Legislators that we have a burgeoning and far more pressing crystal meth problem that these very expensive resources could be focused on.

http://hirono.house.gov/ContactMe/ThankYou.htm
http://akaka.senate.gov/email-senator-ak...nfirmation
www.inouye.senate.gov/