Helicopter hovering over London

[Enricogto]

Hi chaps,

just a question that has been bothering me since long time.
Every couple of months there's an helicopter hovering in front of the Shard in central London.
It maintains this stationary position for very long time (say more than 30 min) then changes position, but it's almost always facing the building.
Do you have an idea of what it's doing? It seems to happen quite regularly...
Thanks

E

[ecsrobin]

Window cleaning........

[Enricogto]

Needs an helicopter?

[Simpo Two]

The Shard heliport is not open yet?

[Boatbuoy]

Remember the scene in Blue Thunder where they 'test' whisper mode by watching the woman doing her naked workout?

[Enricogto]

Given today's wind gusts, it would be risky to land anywhere near it.
As an update, it was joined by another smaller helicopter and they hovered for another 20 min, but have now left.

RE the suggestion of Blue Thunder.....on the side they were standing, there are men's loo at Aqua....

[anonymous-user]

If it's Sky News, BBC or MetPol bear in mind that whatever they're looking at doesn't have to be directly in front of the aircraft.
Biggles is probably pointing at the Shard as it's nice big landmark with huge vertical extent which makes it a good hover reference, or to point on to wind.

[DJFish]

There are loads of helicopters over London these days.
Police, press, HEMS, sightseeing trips, military stuff transiting or doing fun stuff (technical term) and private aviation.
I'm still sad enough to press my nose to the window every time something interesting goes over....

[SHutchinson]

DJFish said:

There are loads of helicopters over London these days.
Police, press, HEMS, sightseeing trips, military stuff transiting or doing fun stuff (technical term) and private aviation.
I'm still sad enough to press my nose to the window every time something interesting goes over....

On Wednesday I was taking a lady for lunch on the quayside in Newcastle. As we were stood waiting to cross the road adjacent to the law courts an Apache helicopter flew down the river and did a couple of circuits past the Baltic and the Sage then performed a simulated landing at HMS Calliope before lifting off, spinning round and flying away downstream.

I'm ashamed to say I stood and filmed almost the whole thing. After all, it's an Apache helicopter almost landing on the Quayside in Newcastle. I've never seen it before. I'm glad to say my lunch companion didn't find it abnormal.

As an aside, the bread salad in Cafe Vivo was delicious.

[Enricogto]

And the lady commented....?

Later this morning we also had a Chinook circling over Southbank, anyway the hovering helicopter seemed a white AW109, so possibly not a police one.
The strange bit is that it always stays in the same place whenever it visits, ie on the west side of the Shard at about 600/700 ft....

[SHutchinson]

Enricogto said:

And the lady commented....?

The lady drives an Audi S3, of which she is extremely protective. She had been more than a few minutes late due to not being able to find a 'suitable' parking space for it. After the helicopters aborted landing she remarked that he must have been having the same issue as her.

She didn't comment on the bread salad.

[160]

You can't tell us about a video like that and not post it here.

[DJFish]

Enricogto said:

a white AW109, so possibly not a police one.
The strange bit is that it always stays in the same place whenever it visits, ie on the west side of the Shard at about 600/700 ft....

Maybe filming promo shots for the new hotel or tv work?

http://www.castleair.co.uk

[PaulG40]

Ok Geeky question... Slighty off topic, but with helicopters operating so close to buildings in London (how close are they allowed to get?). Do the pilots tend to control the hover by operating the collective manually themselves or can they use a height hold selection (or would they being so close)?

[anonymous-user]

PaulG40 said:

Do the pilots tend to control the hover by operating the collective manually themselves or can they use a height hold selection (or would they being so close)?

Bit of both. Height hold isn't the rock-steady better-than-human feature that Hollywood would have you think.

[PaulG40]

Ah right, interesting. Just finished the AFCS module on my chinny Q course, typical learn the theory in principle but never how it's actually used in practice.

[SHutchinson]

160 said:

You can't tell us about a video like that and not post it here.

Here you go: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEswt77Jlk8

[chilistrucker]

SHutchinson said:

160 said:

You can't tell us about a video like that and not post it here.

Here you go: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEswt77Jlk8

Cracking

[ecsrobin]

SHutchinson said:

160 said:

You can't tell us about a video like that and not post it here.

Here you go: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEswt77Jlk8

Take note: http://youtu.be/AqHZJe6306k

[SHutchinson]

ecsrobin said:

SHutchinson said:

160 said:

You can't tell us about a video like that and not post it here.

Here you go: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEswt77Jlk8

Take note: http://youtu.be/AqHZJe6306k

Honestly, it was the last of my concerns at that moment. But thanks.