News Helicopters List and Discussion

[Recovering Producer 410]

36 minutes ago, GodfreyGR said:

A rare look at "Sky Fox9" a little bit ago on KMSP... The "7CL" seen in the news footage ties back to N67CL that landed at Flying Cloud in Eden Prairie, not too far from KMSP's studios, which looks like it got brought in from somewhere else. Wonder if it replaced WCCO's N444TV that the three stations had been sharing, or if Fox went solo? N76CL did have life as a newscopter in D.C., but that doesn't look like any 9 that WUSA has ever used.

 

Anyone got any more info? Now I'm curious!

 

The branding and logo makes me suspect it was at one time flying for  WFTV/Orlando, FL.

[Greggo 384]

That looks like WFTV’s (Orlando) 9 logo

[rtmclaug 75]

19 minutes ago, Greggo said:

That looks like WFTV’s (Orlando) 9 logo

I believe it was WFTV’s chopper at one point. I saw video of it at the Orlando airport. 
 

Side note: does KSTP still have their own chopper? 

[GraphicsMan 345]

On 5/17/2024 at 4:34 PM, appleachian said:

WRAL is currently flying N6TY, which was formerly assigned to KMOV.  WRAL's own N553HD which has always been registered to Capitol Broadcasting is now registered to Helicopters, Inc. and hasn't flown since February.  Word is that it is undergoing rehabbing.  But either way, it does look like WRAL has sold their chopper and outsourced the service.

That leaves ABC O&O WTVD as the only station with a helicopter in the Raleigh market. W ABC 11. That owned by them and isn't outsourced.

Edited January 24 by GraphicsMan

[GodfreyGR 812]

23 hours ago, rtmclaug said:

Side note: does KSTP still have their own chopper? 

I ran N5774W through FlightRadar and didn't see anything. The one I tied back to KMSP was the only one I say on the map yesterday, aside from MN State Patrol. I didn't see any chopper footage on WCCO or KSTP when I was channel surfing, but KMSP had "SkyFOX9" and KARE had "SKY11", so they at least are still sharing a chopper. 

[rtmclaug 75]

I don’t live in the Seattle area, but I was curious as to how the stations handled news chopper usage for coverage of the Seahawks Super Bowl parade last week. Do any of the stations share chopper footage? 

[TheRolyPoly 3510]

It looks like WFTV's Skywitness 9 has been grounded permanently, if this new banner from WESH on Facebook is of any indication.

 

From having three news choppers at one point in the market (WESH's Chopper 2, WKMG's Sky 6, and WFTV's Skywitness 9), we're now down to just one.

 

Just for specifics, this is a Bell 206L-4 LongRanger IV.

 

[rtmclaug 75]

9 hours ago, TheRolyPoly said:

It looks like WFTV's Skywitness 9 has been grounded permanently, if this new banner from WESH on Facebook is of any indication.

 

From having three news choppers at one point in the market (WESH's Chopper 2, WKMG's Sky 6, and WFTV's Skywitness 9), we're now down to just one.

 

Just for specifics, this is a Bell 206L-4 LongRanger IV.

 

How far WFTV has fallen. I know choppers are expensive, but still. 
 

I thought WOFL (FOX 35) shared a chopper with Spectrum News 13.

[newsman123 142]

14 hours ago, TheRolyPoly said:

It looks like WFTV's Skywitness 9 has been grounded permanently, if this new banner from WESH on Facebook is of any indication.

 

From having three news choppers at one point in the market (WESH's Chopper 2, WKMG's Sky 6, and WFTV's Skywitness 9), we're now down to just one.

 

Just for specifics, this is a Bell 206L-4 LongRanger IV.

 

WFTV is a shell of itself. Same in other Hearst markets. WTAE now has the only copter in pittsburgh. WPXI has been gutted. 
 

The Cox stations cant keep staff either. They all

post reporter openings daily. 

[TheRolyPoly 3510]

7 hours ago, rtmclaug said:

I thought WOFL (FOX 35) shared a chopper with Spectrum News 13.

 

The way that banner reads sounds like that chopper is gone too.