# Why do helicopters circle my house? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 8, 2013, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-helicopters-circle-my-house/665724 "2013-08-08T16:57:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2013, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-helicopters-circle-my-house/665724/21 "2013-08-08T22:05:13Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > His office did a little digging and got back to me a couple of days later. So, what happened? Black helicopters sometimes fly over my house, too, but that’s because there’s a National Guard facility several miles away. ---
**Author:** ![Razncain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9d8465/32.png) [@Razncain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Razncain)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-helicopters-circle-my-house/665724/22 "2013-08-09T12:23:44Z")
In my area, some helicopters are used for hunters. > [@doorhinge](#): > > The helicopters have large numbers printed on their sides. Copy the number and contact local airports or the FAA looking for answers. Who owns the copter? Are they for lease? Who leased it on whatever date. > > Unless it’s a police copter, PDs wouldn’t know who the copter belonged to or what it was doing. That’s good advice, but the numbers are not necessarily that large and difficult to read. 12” (height) numbers are only required on planes/helicopters that are capable of traveling something like 200 mph (or close to that) leveled out. Otherwise, it’s something like 2” or 3” number is all that is legally required. I was supposed to get the 12” lettering on my plane, but the builder fudged the speed of it ever so slightly. Not up to no good, but damn, those 12” numbers look awfully damn ugly on a small plane to me. ---
**Author:** ![StrangerThanFiction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f05b48/32.png) [@StrangerThanFiction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StrangerThanFiction)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-helicopters-circle-my-house/665724/23 "2013-08-09T12:36:25Z")
Do you live relatively close to a small airport? Most people do, and they don’t even realize it. I’m with **Johnny L.A.** , it sounds to me like flight training. Perhaps see if there’s a helicopter flight school in the area, and go visit to see what it’s all about. ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-helicopters-circle-my-house/665724/24 "2013-08-09T12:59:01Z")
> [@StrangerThanFiction](#): > > Do you live relatively close to a small airport? Most people do, and they don’t even realize it. I’m with **Johnny L.A.** , it sounds to me like flight training. Perhaps see if there’s a helicopter flight school in the area, and go visit to see what it’s all about. National airport is sort of close by, maybe 8 miles away. We are sometimes in the flight path of the planes coming or going there, depending on the wind I suppose. Fort Belvior is nearby too. There appear to be all kinds of helocopter services around there. None of this explains why they need to circle my neighborhood so often and so low. A Google seach tells me I live within minutes of both the Helicopter Association International and the American Helicopter Society. Who knew?! It’s a wonder I don’t hear the damned things every day. ---
**Author:** ![StrangerThanFiction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f05b48/32.png) [@StrangerThanFiction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StrangerThanFiction)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-helicopters-circle-my-house/665724/25 "2013-08-09T13:06:37Z")
Perhaps there’s some bigwig at HAI or AHS that lives down the street, and everybody’s just swinging by to say hey! ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-helicopters-circle-my-house/665724/26 "2013-08-09T13:11:16Z")
Or a neighbor who sunbathes in the fenced backyard. ---
**Author:** ![Hermitian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hermitian/32/470_2.png) [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-helicopters-circle-my-house/665724/27 "2013-08-09T16:31:33Z")
Do they even have traffic helicopters anymore? I know on the beltway, they have cameras. Between cameras and [cell phone tracking](http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/08/bright-side-of-sitting-in-traffic.html), I would be surprised if they still use them. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-helicopters-circle-my-house/665724/28 "2013-08-09T16:59:54Z")
**shiftless** , Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones will be by shortly, they’ll be wearing dark shades and black suits. They’re gonna ask you to stare into ‘this’ device. DON’T DO IT!! ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-helicopters-circle-my-house/665724/29 "2013-08-09T17:03:24Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > **shiftless** , Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones will be by shortly, they’ll be wearing dark shades and black suits. They’re gonna ask you to stare into ‘this’ device. DON’T DO IT!! What were we talking about? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-helicopters-circle-my-house/665724/30 "2013-08-09T20:25:07Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > What were we talking about? 😕 **Shakes** is referring to the Neuralyzer device used by Agents J and K in the “Men in Black” movie series. If you don’t remember it, it’s because they’ve already used it on you, at least once. > **[Men in Black (franchise)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuralyzer)** > > Men in Black is a science fiction comedy media franchise that originated with the Malibu/Marvel comic book of the same name created by American author Lowell Cunningham. The franchise focuses on the titular non-governmental organization which monitors and regulates paranormal and alien activity on Earth while preventing civilians from finding out about it. The most notable agents within the organization are Jay, Kay, and Zed. The franchise has been adapted into other media including a series of f... ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-helicopters-circle-my-house/665724/31 "2013-08-09T20:44:02Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > **Shakes** is referring to the Neuralyzer device used by Agents J and K in the “Men in Black” movie series. If you don’t remember it, it’s because they’ve already used it on you, at least once. > > [Men in Black (franchise) - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuralyzer) **carnivorousplant** was playing along with the joke. As if he’d been “Neuralized.” ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-helicopters-circle-my-house/665724/32 "2013-08-09T21:07:32Z")
What the hell are you two talking about? Hey! What is tha ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-helicopters-circle-my-house/665724/33 "2013-08-09T22:42:17Z")
Bets it’s a Helicopter Flight School. Pilot training. And there’s some feature on the ground, easily visible, that they use as a navigation mark. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-helicopters-circle-my-house/665724/34 "2013-08-09T22:51:38Z")
32 posts and nobody brings up the username post combo? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-helicopters-circle-my-house/665724.md?page=1)