Telecopter
Television news helicopter From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A telecopter is a helicopter used to gather footage for television stations. It is a portmanteau of television and helicopter.
The KTLA Telecopter was the world's first television news helicopter, which first went into operation in 1958[1] and was invented by John D. Silva.[2] The on-board video and audio equipment communicated with a line of sight KTLA transmitter receiver on top of Mount Wilson. The first helicopter was leased to KTLA by National Helicopter Service and Engineering Company in Van Nuys.[3] For several years, KTLA (channel 5) was the only TV station with a helicopter based TV camera crewed reporting platform.
The Telecopter was designed and introduced by KTLA chief engineer John D. Silva (1920-2012).[4]
Today, KTLA's news helicopter is known today as "Sky 5" and it is used during breaking news coverage.
Versions
The first three Telecopters were:
| Version | Year | Helicopter | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1958 | Bell 47G-2 | Equipment mounted externally |
| 2 | 1959 | Bell 47J-2 Ranger | Equipment mounted internally |
| 3 | 1969 | Bell 206 JetRanger |
References
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