Annoying police helicopters (Phoenix, Mesa, Scottsdale: house, neighborhoods, live)

[Joan Jacobs]

I woke up to loud helicopter noise today 12/10/19 and this helicopter lingered for an hour circling our area in north Phoenix/Scottsdale of only a few blocks. I figured there was a criminal - I called Phoenix Police -- no reports of criminal activity - So Why Then are they doing this???? It's already a nightmare with Scottsdale Airport non-stop jumbo jets buzzing overhead day and night.

Has anyone else noticed low flying light blue and white police helicopters buzzing overhead your house for extended periods of time? They actually followed me and circled overhead for the longest time - while I am in my purple robe putting trash cans back into the yard....

This is not normal and I am from a big city.

I called the police dept. and they said no naked criminals running down the streets. So why the constant and long intrusion?

This had better stop. The police are out of control and I'm a white person.

[Burning Madolf]

Ray Liotta in Goodfellas.

[jd433]

That is one more thing I don't miss about Arizona. The helicopters flying around and shining their light in the middle of the night. I always thought that the sheriffs department overused helicopters and had them patrolling around unnecessarily all night long. One time I got pulled over for speeding and a helicopter circled over us while the officer wrote me a ticket. It was so loud that I couldn't hear what the cop was saying. I had forgotten about that. Also those Cicadas that buzz all night. They can be irritating. It's like having tinnitus 24/7.

[exit2lef]

Originally Posted by Joan Jacobs

It's already a nightmare with Scottsdale Airport non-stop jumbo jets buzzing overhead day and night.

The Scottsdale Airport may be busy, but there are no "jumbo jets" there. The airport can accommodate aircraft weighing no more than 100,000 lbs. The best known wide-body aircraft, the Boeing 747, weighs at least 300,000 lbs., not counting cargo, passengers, and fuel. Also, the single runaway at Scottsdale isn't long enough for that type of aircraft.

[observer53]

Originally Posted by exit2lef

The Scottsdale Airport may be busy, but there are no "jumbo jets" there. The airport can accommodate aircraft weighing no more than 100,000 lbs. The best known wide-body aircraft, the Boeing 747, weighs at least 300,000 lbs., not counting cargo, passengers, and fuel. Also, the single runaway at Scottsdale isn't long enough for that type of aircraft.

Agreed. There are several small private jets that can fly in and out of Scottsdale, but no airliners of any kind.
As to your helicopter issue, Phoenix is not the only jurisdiction that could have been involved. They aren't generally doing that kind of activity for no reason. If these issues are really bothering you that much, contact your city councilperson. Perhaps they can get you some information.

[yukon]

I'm in Mesa, we get the helicopters every so often. I just ignore them, they eventually go away.

As for it being a "Phoenix" problem, the cops used helicopters when I lived in Dallas, Houston, Tampa, Baton Rouge, Ft Lauderdale...shall I continue?

[veritased]

Having lived in LA during 80s/90s, helos overhead were as common during the night as were stars.
You just got used to it.

Re SDL, maybe they are smaller planes, but they are also flying ALOT lower. These G4/G5s are flying over my house at like 300-500ft and it's super annoying.

[exit2lef]

Originally Posted by veritased

Re SDL, maybe they are smaller planes, but they are also flying ALOT lower. These G4/G5s are flying over my house at like 300-500ft and it's super annoying.

I expect there will be more of them in the near future. The Barrett-Jackson auto auction and the Phoenix Open are both in January, and those events attract people going to north Scottsdale with the means to travel via private jet. In Scottsdale, the area immediately around the airport is mostly commercial. The airport's southwestern edge touches Phoenix, which is just across Scottsdale Road, and most of the development there is residential. I suspect most of the noise is experienced in northeast Phoenix, rather than Scottsdale itself. In contrast, Sky Harbor has a generous buffer around it, and that's somewhat controversial because the city demolished neighborhoods like the Golden Gate Barrio to create that zone. The advantage, though, is fewer noise complaints.

[Sno0909]

Originally Posted by Joan Jacobs

I woke up to loud helicopter noise today 12/10/19 and this helicopter lingered for an hour circling our area in north Phoenix/Scottsdale of only a few blocks. I figured there was a criminal - I called Phoenix Police -- no reports of criminal activity - So Why Then are they doing this???? It's already a nightmare with Scottsdale Airport non-stop jumbo jets buzzing overhead day and night.

Has anyone else noticed low flying light blue and white police helicopters buzzing overhead your house for extended periods of time? They actually followed me and circled overhead for the longest time - while I am in my purple robe putting trash cans back into the yard....

This is not normal and I am from a big city.

I called the police dept. and they said no naked criminals running down the streets. So why the constant and long intrusion?

This had better stop. The police are out of control and I'm a white person.

You're a white person, so this better stop? Who do you think you are, lady?

[ShampooBanana]

The internet will be a much quieter place once all the Boomers are gone. Who will there be to start and clog threads complaining about every little thing?

Now get off my lawn!