Possibly OT: Strange Helo, but no comms monitored

[IndyRick]

OK, Gang, I know this might be off topic....but maybe someone has seen or monitored this bird.

The last couple of days a Huey has been doing some flying around Northern Indy/Carmel. Nothing unusual about that...

But the paint scheme is quite striking....it's a royal blue with no markings that I can discern. The main rotor has a white, concentric pattern painted on it, which is something I've not seen before. It's quite interesting to observe while the rotor is spinning.

I've monitored the local airports, (Metro, Eagle Creek, Exec) as well as the unicom freqs and 123.45 but can't hear anything I can match with it. Any thoughts?

Thanks, N9GSU

 

[jerk]

OK, Gang, I know this might be off topic....but maybe someone has seen or monitored this bird.

The last couple of days a Huey has been doing some flying around Northern Indy/Carmel. Nothing unusual about that...

But the paint scheme is quite striking....it's a royal blue with no markings that I can discern. The main rotor has a white, concentric pattern painted on it, which is something I've not seen before. It's quite interesting to observe while the rotor is spinning.

I've monitored the local airports, (Metro, Eagle Creek, Exec) as well as the unicom freqs and 123.45 but can't hear anything I can match with it. Any thoughts?

Thanks, N9GSU

Probably a power company checking the power lines... is that what they are flying near or over or following?
Or somebody could be getting ready for an air show. Is it a UH-1 or Ranger?

 

[IndyRick]

It's a UH-1. My first thought was power line patrol, but that didn't seem to be the case, as they weren't following the route of any of the power lines I could discern. I'm seeing doing very wide circles, from roughly 126th to Meridian down to about 91st and east to Keystone. Odd.

 

[Utah_Viper]

Indy 500 this weekend, could be somehow related?

 

[jerk]

Indy 500 this weekend, could be somehow related?

Maybe getting some B roll footage.

 

[IndyRick]

My first thought was that it has something to do with the 500, but I've not seen it anywhere near the track (and I've been down there quite a bit this week). I also haven't seen any cameras mounted in the usual places...not that really means anything.

That pattern on the rotor is really quite striking....it almost makes me dizzy to look at it!

 

[Viper43]

Probably a power company checking the power lines... is that what they are flying near or over or following?
Or somebody could be getting ready for an air show. Is it a UH-1 or Ranger?

nope, power co. uses two choppers in the area, one bright yellow, the other white with red trim. This bird seems more like the one I heard rumors about not long ago as being used for security etc at large events and operating out of Shelbyville NG base. Supposedly it's kept hidden except when it's on training or in actual use.
We kinda gave the pilot of the yellow chopper a surprise recently when we came out of a trail and he wasn't expecting us to be there. I guess he didn't notice the well worn trails or the trucks and quads playing before he hovered twenty feet off the ground.

 

[ind224]

I realize I'm a bit late...make sure you have 123.050, Indy Tower 120.9 and you will probably catch them. You have the unicoms and would probably be Exec or Metro if not Intnl for fuel.
118.675 is active during major events.

We are fortunate have a lot of helo traffic and these guys are pros...they radio quite a bit to stay separated and get advisories.

 

[IndyRick]

They weren't on Indy tower, neither VHF or UHF.

118.675 is a new frequency to me...what is it?

 

[W9NES]

118.675 is Indy Tower at The 500 Track during the 500 and the Brickyard 400 events,This is done from the main Tower at the Speedway and they control the airspace over the speedway.I have heard ISPHelicopters along with other aircraft and the "Goodyear Blimp" asking the tower for permission if they could go down the victory lane and take pictures from the air of the winner.This was heard about three years back in 2008.