Eye In The Sky Traffic Report

[Le Sabre]

Newsfirst along with Sirasa FM launched a unique programme today to report from a helicopter on the traffic situation on the entry roads to the City during the rush hours in the morning.

The Newsfirst team took off from the Ratmalana airport on board a R-44 helicopter at 7.20am and kept a live commentary on the traffic situation of all entry roads to Colombo.

From today, the Newsfirst team will keep a live update on the traffic to Colombo during the rush hour in the morning during week days.

The commentary will also be aired on Shakthi FM, Yes FM and Y-FM.

Check out the link as well.

http://www.newsfirst.lk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15457:newsfirst-begins-airing-live-news-on-traffic-during-morning-rush-hour&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=18

Source : newsfirst.lk

[jdnet]

how is it "unique"?

[Pericles]

It was on Yes. And from what they said, I do believe the pilot on this first flight was MiniAce I gather he was a bad boy and either scared the reporter or made him airsick or summin like that

[MkX]

how is it "unique"?

May be new to Sri Lanka.

[jehan80]

how is it "unique"?

No one else doing it at the moment in SL, not been done before in SL afaik, etc etc etc

[The Stig]

This is just another lame stunt, they can use some kind of gps to find out the traffic situation.You dont need to fly a heli for this

[da coolest]

flying a helicopter every day just to give a report about the traffic block in the colombo city is stupid, in my oppinion. It would have been good if they use it on emergency situations to provide live video feeds. I think they just wanted to use the heli on "something". Thats all. In live at 8, there are few things that you certainly get to watch every day. Two news presenters "singing news" instead of just presenting. They are dancing while presenting.

[Watchman]

Most countries use heli traffic updates to update people on pile ups or major accidents on highways. In colombo, traffic is just as bad accident or not.

So yeah, i agree this is more or less just another publicity stunt.

[jdnet]

Most countries use heli traffic updates to update people on pile ups or major accidents on highways. In colombo, traffic is just as bad accident or not.

So yeah, i agree this is more or less just another publicity stunt.

Well the cool thing would be at some point the chopper would come crashing down. I really don't want to be the guy driving the car when the tail rotor stops working and chopper starts spinning and crashing into the car. I do hope the cameras record it though....it will be epic.

[Ripper]

Well the cool thing would be at some point the chopper would come crashing down. I really don't want to be the guy driving the car when the tail rotor stops working and chopper starts spinning and crashing into the car. I do hope the cameras record it though....it will be epic.

machang helis have been flying around in our cities for yonks and i haven't heard of a single tail rotor failure or even a crash landing on top of a vehicle. Haven't heardthe commentary but publicity stunt or not...it's a good thing that these kinda things are there

yesfm traffic updates have helped me quite a few times and i'm sure it has helped a lot more out there...

what's wrong in having a helo giving a traffic updates???

besides...these are flown by pros...likes of MiniAce have flown under enemy gunfire on aircrafts that might not have been at their optimum compared to a passenger helo without any incidents.

And what's cool about a helo crashing on a car?

Are all naysayers saying this is not going to help some folks to take alternative routes? and somewhat ease further traffic build up?

[VVTi]

Ahhh... these returning expats... you have to excuse them retards...

Not happy at all that SL is coming out f the dark ages...

What to do...

Uda balagena kela gaseema is a national past time for most of these kalu sudda wannabes...

When the USA does it, its a 'Maara thing, machang, pissu hadenawa their technology, let me kiss their hands'.

But when poor we do it, its a laughing matter where some hope for death and destruction to rain down upon the hapless public.

An Eye In the sky is a must in a heavy traffic congestion city like Colombo where sometimes most of us don't know why we are stuck in traffic.

Radio stations had a Call in service where Traffic Updates were given by drivers themselves, but then, you have to be in Sri Lanka to know these things...

Edited January 6, 2011 by VVTi

[jdnet]

machang helis have been flying around in our cities for yonks and i haven't heard of a single tail rotor failure or even a crash landing on top of a vehicle. Haven't heardthe commentary but publicity stunt or not...it's a good thing that these kinda things are there

yesfm traffic updates have helped me quite a few times and i'm sure it has helped a lot more out there...

what's wrong in having a helo giving a traffic updates???

besides...these are flown by pros...likes of MiniAce have flown under enemy gunfire on aircrafts that might not have been at their optimum compared to a passenger helo without any incidents.

And what's cool about a helo crashing on a car?

Are all naysayers saying this is not going to help some folks to take alternative routes? and somewhat ease further traffic build up?

lol I know. I was joking....If they want to have a heli in the air good for them. It's thier money so they can do what they want. It will be interesting though.

BTW I was joking when I said it will prolly come crashing down, but, if you must know choppers are really self destructive and IIRC Mohammed Ashraff died in a chopper crash. Results were inconclusive bugt nine times out of ten it's the tail rotor failure.

Edited January 6, 2011 by jdnet

[Pericles]

Chill people, no call for personal attacks at all.

It will be useful, tho its gotta be done properly. I think the dude needs some more practice. Needs to stick to what he can see. He said he was over Depanama and was saying traffic was clear up to the Wellawate Bridge on Galle Road. Maybe it was when he was there, but by that time, traffic was building past the flyover.

Don't think it'll last tho. Heli's are expensive things to keep in the air.

[Pericles]

lol I know. I was joking....If they want to have a heli in the air good for them. It's thier money so they can do what they want. It will be interesting though.

BTW I was joking when I said it will prolly come crashing down, but, if you must know choppers are really self destructive and IIRC Mohammed Ashraff died in a chopper crash. Results were inconclusive bugt nine times out of ten it's the tail rotor failure.

I do believe that was pilot error. Flew into a mountain thru a fog bank or summin.

You've just been watching too much Die Hard

[VVTi]

lol I know. I was joking....If they want to have a heli in the air good for them. It's thier money so they can do what they want. It will be interesting though.

BTW I was joking when I said it will prolly come crashing down, but, if you must know choppers are really self destructive and IIRC Mohammed Ashraff died in a chopper crash. Results were inconclusive bugt nine times out of ten it's the tail rotor failure.

hak hak hak. right.

The late MA did not die due to a tail rotor failure. The conclusion was that it was an on-board explosion. A lot of good people died that day, including the SLAF crew. When you say things about failing rotors, you undermine the work of our ground crew that kept an air force up in the air without any frame losses due to mechanical failure.

[jdnet]

hak hak hak. right.

The late MA did not die due to a tail rotor failure. The conclusion was that it was an on-board explosion. A lot of good people died that day, including the SLAF crew. When you say things about failing rotors, you undermine the work of our ground crew that kept an air force up in the air without any frame losses due to mechanical failure.

Kept our air force up? are you kidding? remember all those jets that suddenly came crashing down for no apparent reason? Exactly how many Kfirs and MIGs did we loose?

[Ripper]

I do believe that was pilot error. Flew into a mountain thru a fog bank or summin.

You've just been watching too much Die Hard

well late minister's son works with me...afaik...the helo went down due to some form of explosion either onboard or via a projectile like an rpg or a missile

If MiniAce is around...he might know a lot more of this

[VVTi]

Chill people, no call for personal attacks at all.

It will be useful, tho its gotta be done properly. I think the dude needs some more practice. Needs to stick to what he can see. He said he was over Depanama and was saying traffic was clear up to the Wellawate Bridge on Galle Road. Maybe it was when he was there, but by that time, traffic was building past the flyover.

Don't think it'll last tho. Heli's are expensive things to keep in the air.

Not being personal mate.... just not tolerant of anyone who undermines the country's efforts to crawl out of the pit it was in all this time. If things are not 'up to standards' in SL, either you do something to change it or stop complaining about it like a little whiner.

Well, large birds are expensive to maintain, but the small whirlybirds I am sure can manage a few hours in the air with minimum costs. Now that the war is over, some companies may be allowed to bring in smaller birds for commercial or even personal use. Didn't some MP use one to go somewhere?

Perhaps when MiniAce logs in next time, he might be able to give us a better picture.

[VVTi]

Kept our air force up? are you kidding? remember all those jets that suddenly came crashing down for no apparent reason? Exactly how many Kfirs and MIGs did we loose?

I really think you should stick to your DIY threads mate...

[Pericles]

well late minister's son works with me...afaik...the helo went down due to some form of explosion either onboard or via a projectile like an rpg or a missile

If MiniAce is around...he might know a lot more of this

Ah, hadn't seen an update like that. This fog story was also covered, IIRC.

Well, large birds are expensive to maintain, but the small whirlybirds I am sure can manage a few hours in the air with minimum costs. Now that the war is over, some companies may be allowed to bring in smaller birds for commercial or even personal use. Didn't some MP use one to go somewhere?

There was a whole lot of fuss about Anurudha using an SLAF chopper (I think the Jet Ranger) to go to Nuwara Eliya or something, after he was out of his govt capacity. Lots of numbers pointing out how expensive it was and that tax payers were picking up the bill, and the dude wasn't even in the govt at the time, etc, etc... Or was that when that case was going on in Kandy?

[scds]

anything that helps is good

cameras, traffic updates from heli's are all more than welcome.

I hope the govt has the guts to widen all the roads too, especially at the junctions. its good to see this happening in some places like the Nugegoda junction. The Galle road at Dehiwela still looks like an alleyway from Dark ages with all the mudalalis encroaching their shacks right up to the road.

Edited January 6, 2011 by scds

[jdnet]

I really think you should stick to your DIY threads mate...

Well you got an answer for my question?

[VVTi]

Well you got an answer for my question?

Not obliged to reply you, mate....

Figure it out yourself. Google it... set up a DIY Report on how many SLAF Air frames were lost due to mechanical/hostile actions....

Make a list while you are at it.

[VVTi]

BTW, just so you would know, the SLAF ground crews kept the air craft flying when it mattered the most. Perhaps not with fancy digital torque wrenches and what not, but at least they knew what they were doing with what little they had.

The lost air frames were the least of our worries, we lost men that will never be replaced.

Mate, try not to be a prick and question or ridicule the sacrifice the SLAF made during the war.

Like I said, you should stick to DIY stuff... and looking for dogs or carrying our a poll to sell or not to sell your car or whatever it is that rattles your tool box.

[MasterDon]

Well the last time I saw miniace he was dropping off a V*P with one 'em very light weight Helis which I think was used for this also.I dunno anything about aviation but it shouldn't be that expensive to run and maintain.So this could well be a regular fixture on the radio.

flying a helicopter every day just to give a report about the traffic block in the colombo city is stupid, in my oppinion. It would have been good if they use it on emergency situations to provide live video feeds. I think they just wanted to use the heli on "something". Thats all. In live at 8, there are few things that you certainly get to watch every day. Two news presenters "singing news" instead of just presenting. They are dancing while presenting.

This kinds of traffic reports have been done since the seventies(I think) in many countries dude and If done correctly it can be very helpful to daily commuters.

[VVTi]

Off Wiki

Airbus state that their A380 consumes fuel at the rate of less than 3 L/100 km per passenger.

CNN reports that the fuel consumption figures provided by Airbus for the A380, given as 2.9 L/100 km per passenger, are "slightly misleading", because they assume a passenger count of 555, but do not allow for any luggage or cargo.Typical occupancy figures are unknown at this time.

NASA and Boeing are conducting tests on a 500 lb (230 kg) "blended wing" aircraft. This design allows for greater fuel efficiency since the whole craft produces lift, not just the wings.

The Sikorsky S-76C++ twin turbine helicopter gets about 1.65 mpg-US (143 L/100 km; 1.98 mpg-imp) at 140 knots (260 km/h; 160 mph) and carries 12 for about 19.8 passenger-miles per gallon (11.9 litres per 100 passenger-kilometres).

The Bell 407 single-engine turbine helicopter burns 51 gallons per hour at 120 knots carrying one pilot and six passengers. 2.35 NM per gal for 14.1 passenger-miles per gallon. If the pilot is counted as a passenger, it's 16.4 people-miles per gallon. Increased altitudes can yield better fuel rates. It has operated at 47 gal/hr.

Concorde the supersonic transport managed about 17 miles to the gallon per passenger; similar to a business jet, but much worse than a subsonic turbofan aircraft.