"Strange" Plane Over Queens?

[Gerard]

Just got a text from a buddy of mine who lives in Astoria, Queens. He said he came home this morning at 2:30AM and he saw a low flying prop plane buzzing around shining a green light (laser?) on rooftops and the ground!! He did a Google and apparently this type of aircraft has been seen before in other places and after 2AM. Asked what he was smoking but he says it doesnt make you hallucinate.
Anyone hear about this or know something?
And if you have to kill me if you tell me then forget about it....

[wunaladreamin]

Just got a text from a buddy of mine who lives in Astoria, Queens. He said he came home this morning at 2:30AM and he saw a low flying prop plane buzzing around shining a green light (laser?) on rooftops and the ground!! He did a Google and apparently this type of aircraft has been seen before in other places and after 2AM. Asked what he was smoking but he says it doesnt make you hallucinate.
Anyone hear about this or know something?
And if you have to kill me if you tell me then forget about it....

****! I just finished cleaning my gun!

[moose135]

It's very precise laser mapping of terrain and buildings known as LIDAR:

http://www.oregongeology.org/sub/pro...lc/default.htm

I first heard of its use following 9/11 to map the debris pile at Ground Zero.

[njgtr82]

There's been a DC-3 flying around the area at night I've heard, can't think of the reg off the top of my head.

[JHNA57]

Try this!!
http://nycaviation.com/forum/threads...608#post477608

[njgtr82]

Yes that's the one, they were doing work over NJ after the storm and have been moving north

[Gerard]

Thanks all. Thought it had something to do with the storm.
Interesting that the DC-3 has miltary livery. Former warbird?

[yankees368]

Lot's of strange air activity post-Sandy.
2 days ago out here on Long Island, there was a helicopter following the path of the Far Rockaway branch of the LIRR at only about 100 feet. Very cool.

[Gerard]

Lot's of strange air activity post-Sandy.
2 days ago out here on Long Island, there was a helicopter following the path of the Far Rockaway branch of the LIRR at only about 100 feet. Very cool.

Yes the days and now weeks after Sandy saw lots of different rotoary and fixed wing aircraft take to the skies. Of course we had military, police and govt aircraft but lots of aircraft charted to inspect the damage done.
BTW did a little research having remembered the LIRR had a police helicopter back in the 70s for track inspection and
found this cool website. You have to sacroll down to the bottom to see 2 pics of the Bell 47 w/floats that they used.
http://www.arrts-arrchives.com/LIPDept.html

And recently Amtrak had their own helicopter "Tracker 1" that worked between DC and Boston but i believe budget cuts grounded that operation a few years back.
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=...20AD4341DBB4DB

[yankees368]

Here's the best pic of it I could get

[PhilDernerJr]

I saw the DC-3 flying the Flushing Corridor westbound over LGA today. A non-aviation friend of mine noticed it before I did and I nearly pooped my trousers.

[JHNA57]

Yes the days and now weeks after Sandy saw lots of different rotoary and fixed wing aircraft take to the skies. Of course we had military, police and govt aircraft but lots of aircraft charted to inspect the damage done.
BTW did a little research having remembered the LIRR had a police helicopter back in the 70s for track inspection and
found this cool website. You have to sacroll down to the bottom to see 2 pics of the Bell 47 w/floats that they used.
http://www.arrts-arrchives.com/LIPDept.html

And recently Amtrak had their own helicopter "Tracker 1" that worked between DC and Boston but i believe budget cuts grounded that operation a few years back.
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=...20AD4341DBB4DB

I saw the same red and white helicopter flying at about 100 ft along Northern Blvd (Rte 25A) in Manhasset on Friday. I have seen others here before and I think they are checking the primary wires (the big mommas at the top of the poles) for damage.

I also remember the Bell 47 that surveyed the RR tracks. The piston engine had a very distinct whine just like the ones on the M*A*S*H tv show.

[yankees368]

I can't figure out why they are doing this now. This branch of the RR has been up and running for weeks, lol.

[Landing Lights]

I can't figure out why they are doing this now. This branch of the RR has been up and running for weeks, lol.

I'm not at all familiar with the LIRR or that area, but might there be high voltage powerlines in the vicinity of the tracks? Helicopters are a much safer option for dealing with high voltage powerlines then ground-based access methods are, as odd as that might seem. I'll try to look up the video of how it is done later on.

[yankees368]

Oh yea, I've seen that video back in the days of HDnet. It's incredible. As for this, they were moving at a fairly decent speed, so it was nothing more than a visual inspection. Very cool to see, however.