Which Helicopter Parts The Clouds Over Los Angeles: The LAPD’s Helicopter Fleet.

To walk in Los Angeles, CA, is to walk amongst the sounds of the city; people talk on cell phones, dogs bark at other dogs, police sirens emerge and peak as quick as they plateau, and dissipate. You can get used to pretty much anything, as long as the weather treats you right. But there is one noise that is, in many intriguing ways, much more challenging to feint: the sound of the ever-prevalent helicopter.

Most often it is a helicopter owned by local news station, zooming over you as you sit in traffic, reporting to those already home that the drive they’re no longer doing is still somehow just as bad. One’s displeasure with said helicopters arises simply because they wish they could be in them, not because of the noise. The noise is always magical and it will always incite one’s curiosity and imagination.

Especially curious are those times when you see an LAPD helicopter go overhead – who is inside, where are they headed, what are they going to do? Answers to those questions, for better or worse, will not usually be available to the people below. Fret no longer, for the next time you see and hear that ever-prevalent hum, and you see that it’s LAPD, you’ll at least be left with something – you’ll know what helicopter parts the clouds over Los Angeles.

According to the LAPD Air Support Division website, they have 17 helicopters in their fleet, including a UH-1H “Huey” helicopter, 4 Bell 206 Jet Rangers, and 12 Aerospatiale B-2 A-Stars.

The UH-1H “Huey” helicopter is one of those very large yet versatile helicopters that were the common breed used in the Vietnam War. Its major selling points were its ability to hold large loads (both human and cargo), switch large guns in and out, and fly both low and high. This is without a shadow of a doubt going to be the loudest of any LAPD helicopters, so keep that in mind.

LAPD Bell Jet Ranger Helicopter on patrol over the City.The Bell 206 Jet Rangers – manufactured at Bell’s plant in Mirabel, Quebec – are composed of some of the best helicopter parts out there. These light utility dual-bladed helicopters were originally manufactured to win a military contract, but were ultimately beat out. You can differentiate between these guys and the UH-1H by noticing that it’s not as loud, and its tail is shorter. It probably has its doors closed, too. It’s white on top, and blue on the bottom with a huge spotlight.

Lastly, the most commonly seen LAPD helicopter – the Aerospatiale B-2 A-Star. This helicopter is known for its streamlined appearance from the outside, and it’s exceptional visibility from the inside. The fleet first got one of these models in 1988, and have since acquired many more. This is an exceptional unit for the LAPD, due to it agility, speed, cargo capacity, and pilot visibility. If you see an LAPD helicopter, statistically speaking, you’re probably looking at the Aerospatiale B-2 A-Star model.