OPP Plane! Who Got Nabbed??

[CAV_MAN]

I'm just trying to think of how funny it would be to be flying in a C172, with a full electronics tracking package! hahaha!

If it was even available for civilian sector purchase, the RADAR system to track multiple ground targets at close range (such as cars on a highway) would need to be something on the par of the Apache Longbow. Its RADAR costs $4MILLION. Thats a little excessive, considering a brand-new C172 costs less than $200,000. And OPP likely didn't buy new. Also to consider, the C172 is a single small piston engine, not twin turbines, which could generate the power required for such a system. Besides, they haven't found a need for this in their $1,000,000 JetRanger III helicopters yet, why would they need it in the plane?

Anyone have more info on the tracking equipment?? I know it has infared capabilities because they said so... Any more info???

[Saden]

If you're going to race/speed whatever, just do it after 9 when the plane's down.

[dr_dirtg]

**** the pigs

instead of wasting money on that ****, they should put more money into training the retards going slow in the passing lanes.

[spankayf]

As far as I have read..... the only method that airborne cops use is a timed interval between 2 points of a measured distance. I wish they did use radar or lidar.

[psycho44]

If you're going to race/speed whatever, just do it after 9 when the plane's down.

Or on Sundays. Or in places where there is no markings. Man the internet is great for street racing tips.

[CAV_MAN]

If you're going to race/speed whatever, just do it after 9 when the plane's down.

Um, don't really think that they won't be flying after 9pm. They have NV capablities and infared. Where did you hear they won't be flying at night from??

[psycho44]

Um, don't really think that they won't be flying after 9pm. They have NV capablities and infared. Where did you hear they won't be flying at night from??

I'm guessing he lives close to the Buttonville airport and has a lawnchair out along with the rest of his neighbors and they sit with 1 hand on a cold bar. Each time the Cessna 172 flies by they give a Stone Cold hell yeah salute.

[hexhead]

[suprPHREAK]

Anyone have more info on the tracking equipment?? I know it has infared capabilities because they said so... Any more info???

NONE! look back to the last part of my post that you quoted. it is only using the stopwatch method.

the law requires the officer to make 2 independant observations of your speed to issue you a ticket:

-visually see you are faster than other vehicles
-timed distance.

on the ground, radar/lidar are calculating distance/time on a flat plane. both methods do not work on angles/curves (cosign error). because of this,, they are completely useless from above.

like i said, an airborne radar system for this use costs a fortune, and isnt available outside of the military. some sort of laser-based 'cut the line' where it watches for a car to cross line a and b is technically possible, but impractical, as there would be other cars in that 500m distance also crossing line b.

trust me, the cop in the plane has only a stopwatch and a calculator.

[Rob MacLennan]

NONE! look back to the last part of my post that you quoted. it is only using the stopwatch method.

the law requires the officer to make 2 independant observations of your speed to issue you a ticket:

-visually see you are faster than other vehicles
-timed distance.

on the ground, radar/lidar are calculating distance/time on a flat plane. both methods do not work on angles/curves (cosign error). because of this,, they are completely useless from above.

like i said, an airborne radar system for this use costs a fortune, and isnt available outside of the military. some sort of laser-based 'cut the line' where it watches for a car to cross line a and b is technically possible, but impractical, as there would be other cars in that 500m distance also crossing line b.

trust me, the cop in the plane has only a stopwatch and a calculator.

A stopwatch and a calculator? No, more than likely he has some variant of the VASCAR system and timing between two fixed points is one of the methods of speed calculation considered valid under Ontario law.

[suprPHREAK]

A stopwatch and a calculator? No, more than likely he has some variant of the VASCAR system and timing between two fixed points is one of the methods of speed calculation considered valid under Ontario law.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VASCAR

A VASCAR unit couples a stopwatch with a simple computer. Speed calculation is done by dividing the distance between two markers (such as a white circle or square painted on the carriageway) by the time the target vehicle takes to travel between the markers.

Stopwatch and calculator.

VASCAR just does the math for the officer, but he still has to press start/stop on the watch.

[J@mes]

Wasn't this how they caught the guy in the states doing almost 200mph on a RC51 a couple years ago? This system is really accurate

[smooth1]

trust me, the cop in the plane has only a stopwatch and a calculator.

LOL that's ridiculous. You're telling me with all the technology we have, they are timing cars with a stopwatch and calculator?? No way man. First of all, the plane would pass them WAY before they could do the math. Second, how do they get the license place; get a pair of binoculars??

If google earth can see your backyard from 500km in space, I'm sure a plane has a bit more sophisticated equipment than a stopwatch and calculator!!

[GooseYZF]

It's not ridiculous at all. They've been using aircraft speed enforcement in the States since the 1950's. In those days the observer would use a stopwatch to time between 2 painted lines at the side of the road and use a printed table to determine the speed. The Time/Speed/Distance calculation is very accurate (how do you think GPS measures speed?), the only error is going to be in the human factor, i.e. the judgement of the observer to start/stop the clock accurately, which over the nornmal distances measured is very small.

The only thing that's changed is that the Time/Speed/Distance calculation will be supported by a video image to verify any challenge of the human factor, i.e. VASCAR or a variation of it. The UK traffic police have been using VASCAR units for years...... do a google search and you'll get plenty of examples of the video imagery.

[Brian P]

I saw what they are using on the news back when they announced this. They are using a special stopwatch that makes the calculation to km/h right inside. (You press the stop button X seconds after the start button, it says Y km/h. This is of course dependent on the marks being a set distance apart, which they are.)

Stopwatch + calculator in a single unit.

[Brian]

LOL that's ridiculous. You're telling me with all the technology we have, they are timing cars with a stopwatch and calculator?? No way man. First of all, the plane would pass them WAY before they could do the math. Second, how do they get the license place; get a pair of binoculars??

If google earth can see your backyard from 500km in space, I'm sure a plane has a bit more sophisticated equipment than a stopwatch and calculator!!

Aerial surveillance is done in conjunction with officers on the ground. The pilot will basically radio the information to officers on the ground. And yes, they basically use a glorified stopwatch and calculator system.

As for the plane passing people 'WAY' before they could do the math, this is untrue. The stall speed (Vs1, or minimum steady flight speed with flaps retracted) of a Cessna 172 is only 94km/h.

[Rob MacLennan]

I saw what they are using on the news back when they announced this. They are using a special stopwatch that makes the calculation to km/h right inside. (You press the stop button X seconds after the start button, it says Y km/h. This is of course dependent on the marks being a set distance apart, which they are.)

Stopwatch + calculator in a single unit.

Yup, that's VASCAR. It will calculate based on a known distance, without any intervention other than pressing start and stop.

[suprPHREAK]

LOL that's ridiculous. You're telling me with all the technology we have, they are timing cars with a stopwatch and calculator??

Yes, ask a cop who operates in the helicopter. I know this, because I have family who operated in Air1 in Durham, and a neighbour in Air2 in York.

No way man. First of all, the plane would pass them WAY before they could do the math.

Dude, its a CESSNA. Not a jet!

Second, how do they get the license place; get a pair of binoculars??

Are you capable of following a car in traffic, and radioing it to cars on the ground, ahead? The plane (like the helicopter) NEVER operates alone.

If google earth can see your backyard from 500km in space, I'm sure a plane has a bit more sophisticated equipment than a stopwatch and calculator!!

Google is a multi BILLION dollar corporation, who buys imagery off of commercial satellites which it does not own. This goes far beyond the budget of a local police force.

Oh, and spy satellites operate in 250-350km altitude. And do a full earth orbit in 90mins. You think the plane goes too fast?

[moto22]

+1 .. your right. The chopper uses those to nab speeders in that area.

It's only out fri and sat nothing during the week.

[Stock R]

I've flown in a police surveillance plane before (not the one mentioned here).

It's true. Stop watch. Calculator. Gyro-stabilized binoculars.