Archived on 6/5/2022

Police Helicopter at 3am

Jack
25 Aug '17

Did anyone get woken up by the police helicopter circling over Honor Oak Park at 3am this morning? Was overhead for a good 15 mins. Anyone know what happened?

Londondrz
25 Aug '17

Might be worth checking out their twitter feed to find out.

anon64893700
25 Aug '17

I was awake and heard it. Didn’t see anything on Twitter. Worth asking though if you are interested.

Must have been something worthy though, which isn’t always great to know when it’s so local.

GillB
25 Aug '17

Looks like there are 2 helicopters now going over to Brockley rise. Just spotted them while out in my garden in Kilgour Road. Nothing on the local news this morning?

anon64893700
25 Aug '17

Any distinctive colours or markings?
I know the Met will be minimising flying time at the moment on the run up to NHC, so would be a good reason to be up, not so much routine stuff.

Most of their stuff never makes the news. Vulnerable people, missing people, fail to stop etc.

GillB
25 Aug '17

No colours that really stood out. Haven’t seen them since though, so maybe the issue if there was one has been resolved.

anon64893700
25 Aug '17

Police rarely use 2 helis together, only for really large events, or when they swap over duel to fueling. Possible it could have been some filming, or the network rail heli.

kat.standlake.point
25 Aug '17

We had one over Windrush lane today around half nine in the morning, dark grey colour, no particular markings.

GillB
25 Aug '17

We may find out, but we may not :grimacing:I’m sure if there’s anything to report we will soon find out :blush:

anon51837532
25 Aug '17

As we witnessed after the London Bridge attack, the SAS have a team deployed permanently in London and they have use of their own helicopter.

It may be the case that if there were two helios it may have been a joint exercise or training run.

anon64893700
25 Aug '17

That time of the morning there are usually a lot of transport helis about in the air.
The ones to look out for that we may hear info about is the red HEMS medical helicopter, there is a blue and white one for Kent Surrey and Sussex which comes into London also (usually over this sort of area).
And of course the police copters from Redhill, Lippitts and Borehamwood which are blue and yellow.
Not to be confused with the Network Rail one which is also the same colours. A keen eye will help you tell the difference.
Also the NR one spends its time over the railway lines.

anon64893700
25 Aug '17

Twitter accounts to watch for occasional info on them.

@NPASLondon @NPASRedhill @NPASBoreham @LDNairamb

topofthehill
25 Aug '17

Helicopters are now being used to assist police with moped issues.

anon64893700
28 Aug '17

Yup, they play a large role in policing the roads, all sorts of vehicles, much safer for them to be a couple of thousand feet up, than a caravan few hundred feet behind. For all, especially with the recent clarification of legal action against police drivers involved in accidents . They are really stuck at the moment, so it’s brilliant that we have 3 helis generally available over
London.