Helicopter Searchlights

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RemcoM

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Joined
Jan 14, 2012
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631
Hi,

i not know where to post it, but otherwise put my post elsewhere on the forum.

I want know, how bright searchlights are that helicopters use for search and rescue, and to find criminals.

I saw just a moment ago, a helicopter searching around, and with a bright lightbeam/saber, of white light came out of the helicopter, searching for criminals, or whatever.

Can somebody tell me more about this type of lights? What kind of lights/flashlights are this?

And about their possibly CD number, beam intensity?

Thank you.

Remco
 
NightSun is one model. :)

Illumination Characteristics:
Lamp Type: 1600 Watt Xenon Short-Arc
Peak Beam Intensity: 30-40 million candlepower
Beam Width: 4° (narrow) to 20° (wide)
Focus Control: Bi-directional remote control

Application Information:
Typical Range: 3300 ft (1 km)
Target ID Range: 1 Mile (1.6 km)
Peak Illuminance: 32 Lux (2.9 ft-cd) @ 1km
Diameter at 10% of Peak Illuminance:
230 ft @ 3300 ft (70 m @ 1 km )

Azimuth Rotation: 344°
Elevation Range: 14° to –74° (+/- 1°)
Elevation Slew Rate: 0-90°/sec (Programmable)
Azimuth Slew Rate: 0-90°/sec (Programmable)
Link-ready for thermal imaging systems using RS232
and RS422 interfaces

Electrical Requirements:
Input Voltage: 28 Volts nominal (26.5-29.0 VDC)
Input Current: 65 Amps nominal (75 Amps max.)
Start Time: 1 second typical
Recycle Time: None Required

Searchlight power requirements are compatible with most
standard aircraft type DC generators. Fixed-wing applications,
accessory power converters are available for operation
from other primary power sources.
Mechanical Characteristics:
Junction Box:
Dimensions: 6”Wx7”Lx5”D (15.2x17.8x12.7 cm)
Component Weight: 6.1 lbs (2.8 kg)
 
Our local police helicopter here in North Wales uses Nightsun and I believe most police in the UK do as well.
 
Here are my six: A VARO 2200 Watt, A 1600 Watt NightSun, a 1000 Watt VSS_3A Tank & Helicopter unit, an 800 Watt TrakkaBeam, a 600 Watt Unknown MFG 600 Watt and an Optical Radiation Corp 300 Watt. Ally are Short arc type searchlights.

Common and available VARO VSS-1A

rearrightquarter.jpg


rightsideclose.jpg


MORE INFO: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...-VSS-1-MINT!&highlight=tank+transmission+jack



Common and available Spectrolab NightSun





MORE INFO: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...Been-Found-Parts-of-One-Anyway-SX-16-NightSun





VSS-3A Tank & Helicopter Light

Larryskitright.jpg


MORE INFO: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...on-Arc-Tank-Light&highlight=vss-3+control+box




Common and available TrakkaBeam M800 (this is ground-based but they also make a Helicopter version)




MORE INFO: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...ll-Pleased-TrakkaBeam-M800-800-Watt-Short-Arc




Not Available - Viet Nam Era 600 Watt that was mounted on an M134 Mini Gun

ToppedUp.jpg


MORE INFO: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...134-Cannon-Light-INFANT-AN-ASQ-132&highlight=




Available once in a while on Ebay - Optical Radiation Corp 300 watt Locator

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...tor-quot-Blackhawk-Targeting-Light&highlight=


MORE INFO:
Frontassembledlookingdown.jpg
 
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Where can i buy these things?

Why dont we buy these lights in place of flashlights?

What if you shine around with this lights?

But i think, dont shine it into your neighbours house.
 
RemcoM said:
Where can i buy these things?

Why dont we buy these lights in place of flashlights?

What if you shine around with this lights?

But i think, dont shine it into your neighbours house.
Click to expand...

Are you for real? Do you know the cost? By all means buy one and expect a visit from the police if you are lucky but more likely an angry mob.
 
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Lol, sure, let's all carry helicopter search lights in our pockets. Anyone knows if they make AA models?
 
Impressive to say the least, BVH. You must be exhausted after carrying any of those around all day. Did they all come with holsters or did you have to go custom?

Steve
 
Well, I have an anecdotal story of why you probably don't want to use one of these kind of lights. Especially if you are engaged in illegal activities.

Back around 1990 I was working in Kentucky as a flight instructor and part time charter pilot. For one month I was contracted by the Ky division of wildlife to help spot poachers using a Cessna 172. The mission was simple, we flew at night and looked for the spotlights that were being used. I would then turn off all the lights and essentially glide down over their position. I would mark the position with the Loran-C (GPS was not yet operational). The game warden I had on board would then plot that on his topo map and relay that by radio to the ground officers. Amazingly, this worked quite well. Central Kentucky is still rural enough that a good spotlight was easily seen from the air. I think they managed to locate and arrest on average 4 out of 5 that we reported. Then one night we spotted the MOTHER of all searchlights. I mean this thing was so bright that it cast a solid beam for an estimated ten miles. The spill was so great, that it illuminated the C-172 we were in at about 3000 ft. I estimate that we were approximately 20 miles away when we spotted it. So we did the usual, I turned off all lights and glided down over them ...they were not hard to find. The position was marked and relayed. We didn't hear anything back for about ten minutes. Then the ground crews found them when they lit up again. The radio began to crackle to life as the units on the ground began to call for reinforcements.

What had happened was they had located about 20 men, obviously they were all armed, riding on a flat bed truck. They had rigged up one of those giant lights used on a tank to use as a spotlight. they were not just hunting dear one by one, they were killing heards at a time. Once all the necessary back up arrived, the ground units moved in and apprehended them all. they were caught with over 50 deer that night.

One of my more memorable flights...
 
I related a funny (now, anyway) story from back in 2007 or so when I was using my VSS-1 in my Burbank CA back yard - just shining the non-moving beam up in the air at about a 45 degree angle and not towards BUR airport. What is sad is that I knew the chief pilot for the Burbank Police chopper and had specifically talked to him earlier that day and had coordinated with him that I would be shinning my light that evening. He said no problem, that if any calls came in, he would explain what was happening and that it was not some kind of terrorist activity. Well, as things happened, he was off on "lunch" when calls came in from multiple pilots enroute to BUR airport simply remarking that they could see a bright light in the distance. Not that it was bothering them, they were just remarking. Well since a BPD AIR unit wasn't available, they sent out the BUR based LAPD chopper who lit me up with their NightSun in my back yard. The BPD ground units showed up and by then had been alerted by the chief pilot about what I was doing so they said that while what I was doing is not illegal, it would be best if I shut down.

Just added my sold VSS-1 to my post above. Not too many know that both the VSS-1 and VSS-3 were used on the Viet Nam Huey's
 
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A bright light pointed up in the air...that close to Hollywood?? I'm surprised anyone at all reported it. I certainly would not, provided it was not being shown in my eyes.

There is a lot of paranoia about lasers in the industry right now, so I would be careful with one of those.
 
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