Still Life With Robin: What's that Buzzing Overhead?

Photo by Tech Sgt Hans Deffner 
via Wikimedia Commons

by Peggy Robin

You’re not going crazy. There really are more helicopters than ever, roaring around the DC metro area.

Ever wanted to know who’s in the chopper and what they’re doing buzzing overhead? Now you can. There’s a Twitter feed that tracks them. It’s called Helicopters of DC and you can find it here:  https://twitter.com/HelicoptersofDC - @HelicoptersofDC 

So now I know who was buzzing along the Potomac between Georgetown and Arlington a few hours ago:
https://twitter.com/HelicoptersofDC/status/1315034031730446338  

It was a Medstar medical helicopter. There. Now that noise is a lot less annoying because I know someone's being flown to a hospital. 

The one that was flying over Congress Heights less than an hour ago was a police helicopter tracking a suspect fleeing from the scene of an assault with a deadly weapon (knife): 
https://twitter.com/HelicoptersofDC/status/1315080671388459009    

Next time I hear that chopper circling and circling up above, I’m going to open up my Twitter feed and go right to @HelicoptersofDC to see if I can find out, literally, what’s up.  

There’s also a separate twitter feed for both planes and helicopters, called SkyCirclesDC - @SkyCirclesDC. Find it at: https://twitter.com/SkyCirclesDC  

If you don’t want to sign up for Twitter notifications, but just would like to read about the guy who created the Helicopters of DC Twitter account – a guy who can answer practically any and all the DC helicopter-related questions thrown at him – then you should enjoy this article from the Washingtonian website: https://www.washingtonian.com/2020/09/01/whats-that-helicopter-buzzing-your-dc-neighborhood-this-twitter-account-can-help/?fbclid=IwAR34_PBAhkFW4tW3RBhTnQi2ZgUM4APqjWwPZjbYpyzqyCGddE7QC9dkfQg  [or try this:  https://bit.ly/33NFcEb - if the long link above is broken]   

Knowing who’s up there and why they’re buzzing around isn’t going to restore peace and quiet in the sky….but at least it can ease your mind to learn there’s a purpose behind the noise, and maybe give you an idea of how long it will go on.  

And now for a little glimmer of hope for a better future – quieter helicopters may one day become a thing:
https://www.wired.com/story/bells-design-helicopters-quieter-safer/  

If not, here’s a cartoon helicopter with a bouncy little kiddie song that may help you to view copters in a happier light:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVLzSPlFv60  

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Still Life with Robin is posted on the Cleveland Park Listserv and on All Life Is Local on Saturdays.