Video: West Seattle double-rotor, double-chopper flyover

We still don’t know where they were from or where they were headed, but we sparked some discussion on Facebook by noting this late-in-the-day flyover involving two double-rotor choppers (Chinooks, we believe) – and then Jeff J was kind enough to send in his iPhone video of the sighting, so we’re sharing.

13 Replies to "Video: West Seattle double-rotor, double-chopper flyover"

  • clark5080 March 4, 2010 (11:04 pm)

    Definitely Chinooks

    • WSB March 4, 2010 (11:11 pm)

      Thanks. I hate to assume any more since I’ve been wrong before but they’re kind of distinctive. Literally went right over us, though, so we didn’t see the full profile, just the underbellies at a distance, and clearly two rotors each … TR

  • clark5080 March 4, 2010 (11:16 pm)

    Yup seen my share of them in Nam and got to ride on a couple also Very cool copters

  • HelperMonkey March 5, 2010 (12:00 am)

    they were SUPER loud. louder than any normal helicopter. as usual, when I went outside to see, they were already gone. thanks for clearing up the mystery!

  • miws March 5, 2010 (4:39 am)

    I saw them too! Actually heard them soon enough to give me several seconds to get up and start looking for them out of the back (west facing) window.

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    From my perspective, it looked the they flew right over the back part of my building. Seemed a bit lower, and more inland than I usually see them, when they fly over in that northwest-ish direction.

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    As always, very cool ! :cool:

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    Mike

  • MTM March 5, 2010 (6:07 am)

    Flew right over my house as well. The neighbor was out in her yard and the first thing we said was, “It’ll be in the Blog.” :)

  • kg March 5, 2010 (8:33 am)

    You rode on them in Nam? I had a few hops on them in Iraq. Hope it wasn’t the same one.

  • West Seattle Runner March 5, 2010 (8:52 am)

    kg, there is a good chance you and clark did ride in the same one! They only built 1200 of all the variations, with the newest ones being built in 1991. I was a Jarhead so I flew in CH-46s, almost the same thing, hard to tell from a distance, just the side pontoon is shorter on a 46.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CH-47_Chinook#cite_note-0

  • Miles March 5, 2010 (9:24 am)

    I’ve seen one fly by right over my house (Arbor Heights) 3 or 4 times recently at about the same times these two flew over yesterday afternoon. Always heading North……

    Next time I’ll have my camera!

  • Lola March 5, 2010 (9:50 am)

    Yep they came right over my house as well, I even felt it shake the house they seemed so close.

  • Eric Goetz March 5, 2010 (7:58 pm)

    I’ve lived near Highpoint for over 10 years. I’ve seen Chinooks fly over at least 3-4 times a year. I’ve always wondered where they are coming from and headed to.

    • WSB March 5, 2010 (8:27 pm)

      Some times of year, they are here for “salute to the armed forces” type tributes before Mariners games and other big events – we have a few of those in our archives. But to my knowledge, there wasn’t anything happening at the stadiums late yesterday.

  • Ex-Westwood Resident March 6, 2010 (9:12 am)

    They flew in from the SSE and headed NNW. If I had to hazard a guess, it would be that they were headed to Whidbey Island NAS from Ft. Lewis/McCord

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