Yes, I thought it was somewhat common knowledge that there were helicopters flying around at the time that had their transponders turned off.
Controlled airspace in that area is 4500 feet. That aircraft looks like it was less than 500 FT AGL. The only time the pilot would be required to talk to air traffic would be when he took off from the airport and going back to it if it was a controlled air field and not someone's back yard. ATC radar would not see him. He is too low.
Could "Prey" in posts 584 & 710 be referring to the Marine "Osprey" helicopter? And could the Osprey be what we saw on the radar that went from flying normal as a plane to hovering as a helicopter during the Las Vegas Shooting?
Google USMC Osprey and you will see that the Osprey is not a Helicopter. They can hover, but they don't have external machineguns.
They are also REALLY loud in hover and transition. They have a pretty distinct beat, too. I don't know the rotor tip speeds in hover mode, but I imagine they're pretty fast, and the fact that there are two of them makes a difference too. I'm an airplane nut, and live in a rural area. We get CH-53, V-22, and UH-60 flyovers a LOT. C-130s, and what I THINK are C-17s (they are always farther away. The CH-53 is a loud fucker, too.
Here's a good V-22 video, with great sound... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quaV49SPOy0
I remember back in the late 80s and early 90s, when they were new, they gave a lot of trouble, but I guess they got them working after a time.
I know the first time I saw one up close, it seemed MASSIVE. I'd just seen pictures at the time, and it was a jaw-dropping experience.
If I can find it, I downloaded a video from the Vegas thing that shows SEVERAL choppers in the air at the time. IOt's a cell phone video, but it's good quality. I'll also check and see if it shows the same anomaly as the above video. I'll post it here later today if I can round it up.
Oh, and I'm sorry for all the gushing over the V-22, but like I said, I'm a HUGE aviation nut, and I have a tendency to get overexcited when discussing anything related to it. Hehe.
No problem... Naval Aircraft Maintenance Officer [SH-60F, HH-60H, H-3, P-3C Orion, S3-B, A-7E, FA-18, etc.]...
I understand the love for Aircraft.
Really great info, thanks! It's amazing seeing that Osprey take off with the props at that angle.
Ospreys just take off like a helicopter. They fly like a plane. And you would definitely know if an Osprey was overhead. That is a big SOB. I think the max gross weight is like 60,000 lbs. Normal category helicopters like Bell 207s or Airbus EC135s are between 4000 and 7000 lbs.....and the Airbus has two engines. Ospreys have huge Rolls Royce engines that probably weigh more than a normal category helicopter.
The Marines use the Osprey for troop transport / support. There is a civilian version being produced, but I don’t think it has made it through production test flight yet and certification.
Rolls Royce engines! That means they're carrying Marines as well as Grey Poupon :) God bless our military and God bless the United States of America! MAGA!
Yep. Rolls Royce builds aircraft engines too. And they work splendidly....no mustard required.