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How many news/traffic helicopters in DFW?

D

DishBacker

With the recent news about traffic helicopters... and the note that Chip and Julie were in the same helicopter providing traffic for 3 different news groups (Fox4, KRLD and KVIL), I was curious how many actual traffic / news helicopters are up and flying at any one time in DFW?
 
There's a couple of small planes that are used instead of helicopters, so you might want to take that into account...
 
DishBacker said:
how many actual traffic / news helicopters are up and flying at any one time in DFW?
Click to expand...

Unless things have changed, Traffic.com contracts out a helicopter and airplane.
Laura Huston, Michael Scott, and Justin Frizzell fly in the chopper, with Monty Cook
in the airplane. When they toss it to Randy for Denton, I'm pretty sure he's in with
Monty. I don't believe they have added another plane, but I could be wrong.

I've been out of the Metro loop for a little while, but I know they contract out
and have one helo that flies Chip and Julie, another flying Max Miller, and then
the plane flying John Driggs.

All the major TV players have their own choppers (4, 5, 8, and 11). One
or two of those may contract out, but most have their own bird. You'd be amazed
how many times a TV station would call up and want to use the TRAFFIC
services aircraft (rather than the TV station dispatching THEIR reporter to
cover the scene with THEIR aircraft). Many assignment desks and news
directors just called the traffic services because they felt they deserved the
special treatment for being an affiliate, didn't want to pay for the gas for their
own bird, and were being cheap.. It's an evil little game they play, and they know
exactly what they're doing.....Of course the traffic services oblige by bending
over backwards...
 
So, here is what I got:

Traffic.com
* helicopter - Laura Huston (WBAP), Michael Scott and Justin Frizzell
* airplane - Monty Cook (WBAP) and Randy Fuller (WBAP)

Metro Networks Traffic
* helicopter - Chip Waggoner (FOX4), Julie Deharty (KRLD / KVIL)
* helicopter - Max Miller (KRLD)
* airplane - John Driggs (KRLD)

Major Networks
* helicopter - Sky4
* helicopter - NBC5
* helicopter - HD Telecopter 8
* helicopter - CBS11

So, 7 helicopters and 2 airplanes? Did I miss any?
 
KPLEXCOMPLEX said:
Univisions Ice cream cart ::)
Click to expand...

ROFLMAO :D :D

I think I saw their special mobile unit up here on
Lewisville Main Street the other day. 'Ole!
 
DishBacker said:
So, here is what I got:

Traffic.com
* helicopter - Laura Huston (WBAP), Michael Scott and Justin Frizzell
* airplane - Monty Cook (WBAP) and Randy Fuller (WBAP)

Metro Networks Traffic
* helicopter - Chip Waggoner (FOX4), Julie Deharty (KRLD / KVIL)
* helicopter - Max Miller (KRLD)
* airplane - John Driggs (KRLD)

Major Networks
* helicopter - Sky4
* helicopter - NBC5
* helicopter - HD Telecopter 8
* helicopter - CBS11

So, 7 helicopters and 2 airplanes? Did I miss any?
Click to expand...


That's about the gist of it. Any of you "highway stars"
chime in if I'm incorrect, eh?
 
theshadow said:
Any of you "highway stars" chime in if I'm incorrect, eh?
Click to expand...

Ok, I'll chime in on my own quote....heh, heh :)

I don't listen to the Wolf hardly at all, so this has probably been
going on for quite a while, but I actually listened to them yesterday
morning and heard Justin Frizzell doing traffic. He is no longer in
the helicopter. They are once again using that goofy helicopter
sound effect, but he ain't in the bird, trust me. He's in the studio... ;)

So that frees up a spot in the Traffic.com chopper with Laura
Huston and Michael Scott. Randy Fuller looks like he's taken that
spot instead of flying with Monty Cook, or in a separate aircraft.
Randy's doing good, and sounding good. I always thought he had
a nice, smooth, polished delivery. Thing is, 'BAP's playing catch up to
KRLD with the three aircraft deal, but they're getting there.... KRLD
actually has an aircraft that flies over Denton and Collin County, rather
than being over Oak Cliff, and giving Denton/Collin County updates ... ;)
 
<<< Thing is, 'BAP's playing catch up to
KRLD with the three aircraft deal, but they're getting there.... >>>


That might be the only place BAP is chasing KRLD. Top 5 vs. what 18th or 19th? That extra airborne unit ain't helping 1080 particularly when it's John Driggs puking all over himself.
 
So what's the zebra bird??? who's that?
 
I know that ya'll are talking about the TV station helicopters, but does K104 still use their helicopter for traffic because I haven't heard from Alicia Speeds doing traffic in a while.
 
Nope... She's in the lovely Las Colinas suite. Sometimes you can even hear her in the background of other Metro folk's traffic reports.

I think she's a Shadow cross-over and went over to Metro during the big buy. I'm guessing the helicopter she was in at one point was maybe a Shadow helicopter? Don't quote me on that.
 
DFWPT said:
So what's the zebra bird??? who's that?
Click to expand...

Owned by Zebra Air, used by Traffic.com. Flies out of Love
Field.

Carries Laura Huston (WBAP), Michael Scott (KSCS), and
Randy Fuller (WBAP).
 
czechmate said:
Nope... She's in the lovely Las Colinas suite.
Click to expand...

Guess I've been under a rock. When did Metro move from
Ford Rd? That place was BAD. The roaches in the
bathroom could carry you away....Las Colinas? Wow...
Dave Saperstein and Chuck Bortnick must be working their
barter magic again.... ;)

czechmate said:
I think she's a Shadow cross-over and went over to Metro during the big buy. I'm guessing the helicopter she was in at one point was maybe a Shadow helicopter?
Click to expand...

Flip it over. She was a METRO employee, that stayed through the "change"
and merger with Shadow. She was good friends and a co-worker with Starlene
Stringer, and I believe after Starlene was in that hard landing/crash in the chopper
in North Dallas, Julie (Alicia) did not have much of a desire to fly anymore, and she
told K-104 that. HOWEVER, she (Julie) has been filling in for someone a couple
of weeks ago, and I heard her up in the chopper on the Metro two way frequency, so
maybe things have changed.
 
Hmmm. Did you actually hear her name, or just a voice that sounded like hers? The reason I'm asking is that the chic who's been subbing on Krld lately... (I'm guessing that's maybe her husband who made a post on one of these threads) sounds a lot like Julie (Alesia.)

But I've been my own rock....I guess. Maybe they put her up there when they were in a pinch, since she's got some flying under her belt.

I tried to find her bio on k104's website. They used to have a little picture of her way back when, but now it looks like they've only got pics of the air talents.

So where in this big airborne equation does that chic Val fit in? I used to hear her as the third airborned on WBAP, but sometimes I hear her on KSCS... Obviously a traffic.com person.... I think she actually used to share a ride with Miss Houston in the zebra.

But what happened to Michael Scott? Is he still flying?

God, I need to get a life.
 
Never mind, I just saw Dishbacker's list again... I guess Michael Scott still rides with Laura.

But for the record, Metro's Max Miller is also in a Cessna these days. Maybe that'll change if they get a new aircraft, but it seems like it would be much cheaper to go with three planes. I guess Fox 4 still needs a helicopter, though.

I'm wondering if Julie D. is planning to fly again?

And I'm so telling LULAC about KPLEX's comment. :D
 
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