Rick McWilliams Posted July 28, 2011 Report Share Posted July 28, 2011 A funny thing happened at Santa Paula airport today. A police car was loitering near the fuel pit as I taxiied by in an airplane. A little black R22 approached to the runway and was told that it was better to land at the helipad and a fuel truck will come to them. After the rotor was slow the police car crossed the runway and approached the helicopter. I departed. Helicopter and police were gone when I returned an hour later. Is this happening at every airport? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RagMan Posted July 28, 2011 Report Share Posted July 28, 2011 Probably airport security. Maybe the driver knew the helicopter pilot. Nothing wrong with a little chit chat! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick McWilliams Posted July 28, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2011 Airport security at Santa Paula? That is funny. SZP is a family run private airport. It is my home base. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nolapilot89 Posted July 28, 2011 Report Share Posted July 28, 2011 Helicopter + Pilot = unspoken invitation to conversation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goldy Posted July 28, 2011 Report Share Posted July 28, 2011 Helicopter + Pilot = unspoken invitation to conversation. I doubt it, my first guess is someone complained about a low flying aircraft and they went over to check them out....not really knowing what else to do. The only other reason would be a tip regarding drugs, etc. No reason for SP PD to even go to that airport, let alone stop and chat with a helo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nolapilot89 Posted July 28, 2011 Report Share Posted July 28, 2011 I don't know man,I have random people talk to me all the time for some reason. It must be my boyish good looks lol.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ADRidge Posted July 28, 2011 Report Share Posted July 28, 2011 I don't know man,I have random people talk to me all the time for some reason. It must be my boyish good looks lol.... Or maybe they just like Mountain Dew... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick McWilliams Posted July 28, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2011 Several months ago there was a similar "stop and chat" with an arriving airplane. I saw several police cars come into the airport. Friends reported that two were hiding inside a hangar. When a Cessna 172 arrived and pulled off the runway they were immediatly surrounded by cars, 2 unmarked and 3 black and whites. Officers drew weapons and asked the pilot and passenger to come out. After a "voluntary" search of the aircraft they were free to go. It seems that they flew from Mendocino along the Sierras stopping at scenic airports. DHS and FAA flight following seemed to think that this was a suspicious route of flight. Of course airplane pilots are of different character than helicopter pilots. This must be happening at every airport, but it is not mentioned on the web. Maybe Santa Paula is uniquely a suspicious airport. The only criminal activity that I see is people having too much fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenacious T Posted July 28, 2011 Report Share Posted July 28, 2011 Of course airplane pilots are of different character than helicopter pilots. Helicopter pilots probably would have been shot on sight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goldy Posted July 29, 2011 Report Share Posted July 29, 2011 I don't know man,I have random people talk to me all the time for some reason. It must be my boyish good looks lol.... Me too- but most are not carrying a sidearm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hang'em High Posted August 3, 2011 Report Share Posted August 3, 2011 I think there is too much paranoia and "conspiracy theorists" here on this thread. Also, ATC isn't going to think that just because a VFR pilot is doing "flight following" to airports within the Sierra Nevada range that somehow, thats "suspicious activity." Controllers are not cops. They could care less. No, this "stuff" as previously described is NOT happening at other airports..... I land/take-off at multiple airports every day that I'm at work and one NEVER sees the cops. It's like getting struck by lightning to see them as perceived or portrayed here on this thread. Maybe the cop was a friend or just had a curiosity question with the R22 driver at Santa Paula. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karl Posted August 3, 2011 Report Share Posted August 3, 2011 Read this from someone who was stopped. There was also an article about it happening to someone in one of the AOPA emails. plane stopped Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick McWilliams Posted August 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2011 Santa Paula, SZP, must be a suspicious airport. Beware of the sloped helipad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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