Suffolk County Tests Traffic Enforcement Plane

[JayT]

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/suffolk_county_tests_traffic_enforcement_y1mbPTPvvcFUJBqAxke2YL

My home county. A year or two ago, the county shut down the Suffolk County Police Highway Patrol Unit and switched patrol of certain roads to the Suffolk County Shrieffs Office, who previously weren't really in the patrol business. Right after the switch, the number of tickets being written dived significantly. I guess this the SCSO way of trying to start to make up for the lost revenue.

[Eclipse]

We've had those here for a long time - they can also gauge your speed by timing between two fixed objects.

Of course the black boxes/GPS/auto-reporters are coming (already in a lot of rental cars).  Soon you won't even see the officer, just
get an email (but don't read it on your phone while driving)!

[bosshawk]

The California Highway Patrol has been using aircraft to catch speeders for much longer than I have lived in CA(22yrs).  Of course, 14 aircraft for a state this big is a drop in the bucket, but they do work.

[CadetProgramGuy]

I read some of the comments to the news story on the website, someone stated "VideoJames-06/19/2010 9:31 PM
Spend $10,000 an hour to operate a plane that will collect $500 an hour in traffic tickets.
Good move."

I think the more reasonable cost is 2-300/hr when you add up aircraft, deputies sararies, ect....

[Flying Pig]

Traffic enforcement from the air is very effective.  Its much safer than racing up and down the freeway in a car or on a motor.  The plane just gives you the vehicle description and then they guide you in.  When you are behind it, they tell you "Yup...that one right in front of you."  You pull it over and the observer in the plane gives you the info for the ticket.  Then you sit on the side of the road and start all over.

When you add in the operating costs, we dont use the pilots salary because he is already a working deputy.  Whether in a plane or on the street he costs you the same.  Unless you hire a pilot and bring him on specifically for the plane. In my unit we are part of patrol staffing already.  So you are looking at about 200 p/hr for a 206 if you have your own maintenance like we do.  It really cuts your costs when you arent paying $100 hr shop rate.

[a2capt]

Plus the over all deterrence factor. "Speed Limits Enforced by Aircraft" and you don't know where that aircraft is, if it's there, or not. Sure, there are way more desert roads than aircraft over them but one aircraft can do a lot in a day.

[Eclipse]

Aircraft are also not detected by radar detectors.

[SarDragon]

That is a non-factor. Aircraft enforcement does not use radar.

They time you as you pass between two markers a specified distance apart on the highway. Sometimes the markers are airplanes painted on the road. The markers are frequently a mile apart, but any known distance will do. Time the car, look the time up in the table, and bingo - the car's speed.

[RiverAux]

I can see the iphone ap now -- Have a receiver for aircraft transponders in your car and link that with some sort of automatic system that monitors FAA frequencies to see what freqs are assigned to the local LE aircraft so that it can warn you when that freq is being received. 

[SarDragon]

All transponders operate on the same duplex frequency pair - 1030 MHZ and 1090 MHz. ID'ing is done by associating the transponder display on the radar screen with the regular radar return of the plane in question. (Very simplified explanation) Your system would have no way of distinguishing between transmitters.

Sorry to bust your bubble.

[a2capt]

Other than one hanging around the vicinity of the highway - moving slowly..

[Jerry Jacobs]

The California Highway Patrol has been using aircraft to catch speeders for much longer than I have lived in CA(22yrs).  Of course, 14 aircraft for a state this big is a drop in the bucket, but they do work.

I'm assuming that doesn't include the various Sheriff departments?

http://www.yolosheriffsaerosquadron.com/

[RiverAux]

All transponders operate on the same duplex frequency pair - 1030 MHZ and 1090 MHz. ID'ing is done by associating the transponder display on the radar screen with the regular radar return of the plane in question. (Very simplified explanation) Your system would have no way of distinguishing between transmitters.

Sorry to bust your bubble.

Theres a reason I don't hold any patents.... but I'm sure someone could figure out a system...

[tsrup]

All transponders operate on the same duplex frequency pair - 1030 MHZ and 1090 MHz. ID'ing is done by associating the transponder display on the radar screen with the regular radar return of the plane in question. (Very simplified explanation) Your system would have no way of distinguishing between transmitters.

Sorry to bust your bubble.

Theres a reason I don't hold any patents.... but I'm sure someone could figure out a system...

I'm guessing that usually the PD is operating VFR, so how do you tell the difference between all the aircraft that are squacking 1200.  Not to mention if they did have a code, unless you were on the radio while they were issued it you'd have no way of knowing it was a cop anyways. 

I could see a system that alerts you that there's an aircraft overhead, but as for telling you if it's pd or not, you're probably SOL

[Eclipse]

Well, there's always the option of obeying the law...

[CadetProgramGuy]

Well, there's always the option of obeying the law...

Whoa there.  Lets not get drastic.

[Flying Pig]

Yolo County Aero Sq....

Unless they are level 3 ( I think its 3) Reserves or have a sworn deputy on board, volunteers cant run speed.

[SarDragon]

All transponders operate on the same duplex frequency pair - 1030 MHZ and 1090 MHz. ID'ing is done by associating the transponder display on the radar screen with the regular radar return of the plane in question. (Very simplified explanation) Your system would have no way of distinguishing between transmitters.

Sorry to bust your bubble.

Theres a reason I don't hold any patents.... but I'm sure someone could figure out a system...

I'm guessing that usually the PD is operating VFR, so how do you tell the difference between all the aircraft that are squacking 1200.  Not to mention if they did have a code, unless you were on the radio while they were issued it you'd have no way of knowing it was a cop anyways. 

I could see a system that alerts you that there's an aircraft overhead, but as for telling you if it's pd or not, you're probably SOL

To add to the above, the unit in your car has to have a transmitter (interrogator) to activate the transponder. Transmitter = license. In addition, there's a bit of digital circuitry necessary to make it all work. It would probably be more expensive to build than it would to pay a couple of tickets and the FCC fine for operating w/o a license.

[a2capt]

Or install a TCAS unit in a vehicle. Since these are purchasable and installable, unless there is something specific that they have to be operated in a vehicle that's primary mode of transportation is done via lift and propulsion.

Like what comes to mind .. http://www.zaon.aero/content/view/12/40/

[SarDragon]

Works for me. Might give you bogus info once in a while, if the vehicle is close to an airport, and it sees planes other than cops. The trick is still in specifically ID'ing cops.

[a2capt]

Start a database of S mode serial numbers and registered tail numbers ...

I guess I could make an App for That .. ;-)

Feed them out via data port ..

Okay, so all of this - yes, expense and development, it's probably easier to just PAY the ticket, but better to .. shall we say it again, "obey the law" ;-) bah. I know.

Okay, so near an airport, suffice to say that the likeliness of an enforcement aircraft operating would be not the smartest thing to be doing at enforcement altitude most likely being similar to pattern altitude I can't think of a good reason to be doing this at all

Along side the rural interstate, picking up a return with a heading in parallel with the roadway and say, 1000 AGL?  I'd say there's a good chance it's a bear in the air. Unless your in line with O.J. fleeing ..

[Eclipse]

Okay, so near an airport, suffice to say that the likeliness of an enforcement aircraft operating would be not the smartest thing to be doing at enforcement altitude most likely being similar to pattern altitude I can't think of a good reason to be doing this at all

There's a major interchange West of ORD, right on the flight path to 9R, the I355-290 split.

ISP airplanes circle it all the time.

[Flying Pig]

You guys are a bunch of freakin nerds.

[SarDragon]

Thank you, Bob. I have a hat that says that, too.

[Flying Pig]

I didnt mean you specifically. Just "you guys" as a generality

[SarDragon]

No problem. Still guilty as charged!