Black Helicopter! Honest!

I prepared heavily for Y2K, and came into contact with a fair number of wild-eyed crazies in the "preparedness" world. Home from church this afternoon, we were surprised to see an honest-to-goodness black helicopter buzzing up and down our valley, below treetop level.

Imagine how intrigued I was by this fellow! And even more so when the Sheriff's dispatcher said, "I have no idea who that guy is - I've already called all of the airports in the area and nobody knows. If you can get a number off of the aircraft, I would love to have it." Thinking out loud, I mused, "I suppose it would be a poor idea to use the scope on my deer rifle..." The dispatcher agreed.

The helicopter seemed to be making a pattern about 100 yards per pass, at only about 50-80 feet off the ground (at least as he passed over our house). I got a photo on his pass over my neighbor's place, but the camera died as he came over mine. But I was close enough to read on the bottom of the craft, "Power Line Patrol". So much for conspiracy theories! But it was fun while it lasted.

I called the power company and suggested that the survey crew phone the county sheriff as a courtesy when they pull such antics, and to their credit they did call him within a half-hour.

We have a good time out here in the country.

Attached: telephoto shot of helicopter over neighbor's place, a normal shot of the same view showing where the telephoto shot fit in, and an advertising shot from Sikorsky showing their Model 333 powerline inspection helicopter with the same paint job as our visitor.

You think that's something, you should see the one they send out with the saw attached. That takes one heck of a pilot to use his helicopter to cut off tree limbs.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by deadeye72

You think that's something, you should see the one they send out with the saw attached. That takes one heck of a pilot to use his helicopter to cut off tree limbs.

---

That boggles the mind. Found this video: YouTube - HELICOPTER TRIMMING TREES FOR TGT SALOMA KY IN TAYLOR COUNTY

That's pretty cool, but the one I saw only had one blade and it was mounted on a pole that was about 15 to 20 feet long. He had to get real close to the trees to cut the limbs.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Paymeister

Thinking out loud, I mused, "I suppose it would be a poor idea to use the scope on my deer rifle..."

---

:rofl: Good call!

Hahaha, I read the first sentence of the third paragraph and said out loud (to myself) "Duh, they're inspecting the power lines."

Interesting scenario. When I lived back up in the Winslow area, we got buzzed by choppers at certain times of the year. Some maybe as close as 150-200', some looked military but with no markings. Of course I knew what they were doing down in the Brentwood valley................inspecting the weeds!

That was my thought at first as well - and I've been told that this part of Appalachia has shifted from moonshine to other cash crops. From all indications, however, our corner of the county is clean as a whistle, and the funny stuff is at the other end where they have the communes. But I would expect that the local dispatcher would know what was up. If he knew of an operation, he might not tell me, but he would be unlikely to voice his frustration as he did. He told me, "None of our guys are in on it, whatever is going on - earlier this morning he was buzzing the Sheriff's place down the road from you..."

If they were sharp-eyed, they might have seen some of my wife's carefully-nurtured asparagus plants. Like I said, we live an exciting life.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Paymeister

But I was close enough to read on the bottom of the craft, "Power Line Patrol". So much for conspiracy theories! But it was fun while it lasted.

---

That's what they want you to think!! Where's may hat?

I thought they had quit using the old "power line patrol" paint job, it must have been one of their older choppers.

I'd heard their most recent undercover scheme is posing as environmentalists and choppers marked "cow patty counter".

Poor Paymeister they probably grabbed him about the time he submitted that last post......and got his deer rifle too.

Head's up folks.......any other posts here probably aren't actually Paymeister's.

Speaking of helicopters I think I hear one too........I'm outta here.



:rofl: Just kidding of course. Good aggressive dispatcher, I like that.

Do ya'll remember the "cow mutilation" rumors from the 70's ? :rofl:

If it's a Black Helicopter it must be an assault aircraft!

Am I the only one who finds it interesting that Paymeister's camera died just as the chopper got close? I guess they have perfected the remote battery draining technology the NSA has been working on all these years, I bet all his clocks are now blinking 12:00. :image035:

Hold on the phone is ringing


Back it was Scully and Moldey and they said "Nothing to see here keep moving along"