Helicopter Surveying Council Bluffs Today

[Brad]

I saw this helicopter flying around Council Bluffs this morning. First saw him down by lake Manawa, but then a bit later I saw him over on the west end.

FAA REGISTRY shows N257MT is registered to "BULANOV GALIS LLC"

Which seems to be linked to "Chesapeake Bay Helicopters Inc."

Hampton Roads, VA based aviation services company specializing in providing technical information support to energy transmission and natural gas pipeline companies regarding maintenance, repair and construction of infrastructure. Our fleet of helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft feature the latest in aerial survey techniques including LIDAR, orthomosaic photography, infrared and corona discharge photography, gas leak detection and right of way patrols, both routine and comprehensive. FAA Certified in classes A, B & C external load operations, we can work on energized lines from a helicopter external platform, carry equipment and parts by long-line and side-line sock pull lines for replacement and new construction. We have equipment based In VA, WV, and TX and provide onsite service throughout the continental US.

Photo below shows a white box on the pilot's side skid which is not on a typical Robinson R44 Helicopter.

202208062X4A7939.jpg

[thenewguy]

I saw it near the riverfront yesterday evening. I honestly wondered to myself if it was Brad getting new photos, lol.

[Brad]

I saw it near the riverfront yesterday evening. I honestly wondered to myself if it was Brad getting new photos, lol.

Soon, I usually wait until the humidity and haze subside in September.

[Busguy2010]

Wasn't really sure where to post it, but just about 20 minutes ago (probably about 1:03 or so), I was southbound on 72nd near Creighton Prep, and suddenly I heard the loudest helicopter I ever heard, so my eyes were scanning quickly to see it. It was right in the sun so I had a bit of a hard time seeing it. I figured it had to be a Chinook, so I was like really excited to see it, but driving at the same time. Eventually, it turned out to be a pretty big single rotor helicopter with red and white (I can't for the life of me recall if the red was on bottom or top, but it was divided in the middle) and it looked to be pretty old. I called my parents to tell them and they happened to be at Lake Manawa, and they told me they saw it there. Called my brother and he said it shook his house.

So did anybody else see, hear, or feel this helicopter fly by? And anybody know what its for? And based on its direction, I assume it was headed for the Blair Airport most likely. And it was bookin'.

[Brad]

Looks like it was a Bell UH-1 Iroquois "Huey", tail number N730VB. It turned off flight following just north of North Bend.

There was also a blackhawk near Eppley about the same time but it never went west of the airport.

Police helicopter and 2 medical helicopters also up in the past little while.

[Busguy2010]

Looks like it was a Bell UH-1 Iroquois "Huey", tail number N730VB. It turned off flight following just north of North Bend.

I pretty much figured it was a Huey within the short amount of time I saw it. Any idea why it would streak across the city like that? Where it was headed, what for? How did you identify it?

[Brad]

Looks like it was a Bell UH-1 Iroquois "Huey", tail number N730VB. It turned off flight following just north of North Bend.

I pretty much figured it was a Huey within the short amount of time I saw it. Any idea why it would streak across the city like that? Where it was headed, what for? How did you identify it?

Found it on Flight Radar 24. Its flight tracker turned off like is said, but then came back on a while later and was still moving NW. It was pointed towards Valentine last I saw but the flight tracker was turned back off south of O'Neil. It first showed up on the radar about Red Oak, IA and if you draw a straight line from Read Oak to Valentine, you get Omaha. It did make a bit of a jog to get around Eppley which probably put it near Prep where you saw it.

Usually you can put the Tail Number in and get a bunch of info from the FAA, but this one had very limited information. Hard to tell, but looks like it might be a company out of Alaska.

[Athomsfere]

I also had this fly almost directly over my townhouse. I walked to the window and wondered what that thing was doing zooming through midtown.

Glad I'm not the only one who saw this and wondered about it.

[Busguy2010]

I also had this fly almost directly over my townhouse. I walked to the window and wondered what that thing was doing zooming through midtown.

Glad I'm not the only one who saw this and wondered about it.

I knew it had to be a fairly widely noticed thing. It's not every day you hear a loud azz Huey strangely streaking across the city. Still don't really know what the deal was about it. At least Brad identified it.

Kinda reminds me of when that jet broke the sound barrier over the city several years back, obviously not quite that to that extent.

[bbinks]

KETV had an article about a chopper that would be surveying OPPD lines. Maybe this is related.