by cronix on 1/14/21, 7:06 PM
by neartheplain on 1/14/21, 8:19 PM
by pwenzel on 1/14/21, 6:46 PM
This was a similar ordeal in Minneapolis in 2020. When news choppers weren't circling the George Floyd memorial, it was National Guard and State Patrol scanning for civil unrest, or more recently, State Patrol's investigating carjackings:
https://bringmethenews.com/minnesota-news/more-than-40-arres...
I live next to the autonomous zone and the helicopter traffic frequenting our neighborhood always triggers me. During the protests on December 30th we had State Patrol lights shining in our windows.
With all the surveillance and military response to events happening in the country right now, I'm definitely curious to see what these choppers in Los Angeles are up to.
by ericcholis on 1/14/21, 6:29 PM
by openasocket on 1/14/21, 7:08 PM
When I lived in Northern Virginia I saw a lot of helicopters flying over my apartment building, and not just the usual news and police helicopters. More than once I saw 4 uh-60s flying over in formation, and some uh-60s and uh-72s with a distinctive black and gold stripe color scheme. I did some research online and found that there were people in this region fascinated with identifying and cataloguing all of these aircraft, almost like bird watching. I found out they were likely stationed at the Pentagon. The black and gold ones are VIP transport helicopters, meant for transporting members of congress and cabinet members, particularly for evacuations in an emergency. I also saw marine one a couple times, though since it was alone I believe it didn't have POTUS in it at the time (when POTUS is actually in there they fly several identical helicopters in formation so you don't know which has the president). My apartment was roughly under the direct route between Andrews AB and DC, and pretty close to the pentagon, my guess is it was a convenient route for training and drilling.
by digikata on 1/14/21, 6:24 PM
Similar reports of helicopters in my community were aerial inspections of the electrical grid being conducted by So Cal Edison.
by donatj on 1/14/21, 6:22 PM
The most curious part to me is that all these photos of the helicopters were taken by cameras without rolling shutters.
by ravenstine on 1/14/21, 10:43 PM
For the past few years I've called Pasadena(I live in the general area) the "land of helicopters", but I didn't know that LA in general was seeing something similar recently. People keep telling me that Pasadena/SGV must be a good place to train helicopter pilots, but I don't buy it.
It's been a while since I've bothered to actually look at these helicopters, but a lot of them are pretty nondescript. Not obvious news or police helicopters. Multiple times a month I hear them circle around at night, but I never see anything in the news about an incident or a fugitive. When I ask on Nextdoor I never get replies despite it being loud enough to keep me up.
Then again, I just realized that "Helicopter Hell" is more alliterative. I think I'll call it that from now on.
by Dnguyen on 1/14/21, 8:04 PM
There are reports of a person flying around LA airspace with a jet pack. Maybe that's why the helicopter is there, to catch that person?
by Simulacra on 1/14/21, 7:36 PM
by SrslyJosh on 1/14/21, 8:05 PM
by lloydatkinson on 1/14/21, 10:51 PM
I wonder if this is related to the mysterious jet pack man that keeps flying over LA?
by harpiaharpyja on 1/14/21, 6:14 PM
Makes me wonder if those helicopters being "purchased" by Iraq was just OPSEC.
by asdff on 1/14/21, 10:23 PM
It shouldn't be that other worldly in socal. This is the land of the helicopter, where Kobe (may he rest in peace) used to commute to the staples center on helicopter. Where elon musk also commutes by air rather than by his own tesla car. Where the LAPD flies at least two helicopters between 8am-4am every single day regardless of what the radio calls for. In fact, I'm working outside and hear one above right now, by the looks of it, its a small grey personal helicopter. Just after I wrote this I am hearing a second one, navy blue with a yellow callsign on the tail, probably another personal craft.
by raphaelcosta on 1/14/21, 6:24 PM
How many conspiracy theories people will create/associate using that story?
by Animats on 1/14/21, 8:38 PM
A flight all the way around greater LA while following freeways suggests a training mission. What they're training for is another issue.
by egberts1 on 1/15/21, 3:49 PM
I am reminded of former Governor Jerry Brown who released a swarm of whirlybirds dumping chemicals from the air ... throughout many California cities AND suburban.
by tastyfreeze on 1/14/21, 8:26 PM
I am amazed and appreciative at how quickly real, informative news hits the internet. Even if nothing comes from added aerial surveillance, the world knows it is happening.
by hamitron on 1/14/21, 8:03 PM
The twitter account @SkyCirclesLA keeps track of these sorts of instances. Definitely worth a follow
by Sohcahtoa82 on 1/14/21, 8:27 PM
Keep an eye on the helicopter colors. Are the unmarked helicopters circling the area black? Probably World Government. Not a good area for play that day.
Are they blue? That’s the Sheriff’s Secret Police. They’ll keep a good eye on your kids, and hardly ever take one.
Are they painted with complex murals depicting birds of prey diving? No one knows what those helicopters are, or what they want. Do not play in the area. Return to your home and lock the doors until a Sheriff’s Secret Policeman leaves a carnation on your porch to indicate that the danger has passed. Cover your ears to blot out the screams.
http://www.nightvalepresents.com/welcome-to-night-vale-trans...
by mgarfias on 1/14/21, 7:04 PM
alert alex jones
by trhway on 1/14/21, 6:07 PM
hunting for the jetpack man i guess. In general with jetpacks and drones of all sizes, including human carrying, the airspace is to become more lively and entertaining with coming years - for example police in Japan is using drones with nets to catch drug carrying drones, so the drug traffickers started to use drones with nets to catch those police drones...