Helicopters in NW Phoenix Flying without navigation lights tonight

We heard helicopters pass very low overhead 3 times. We finally went outside to take a look the forth time and saw a copter fly overhead with no lights. 40 seconds later, two more fly by without navigation lights.

Interesting.....

Fourth

Yeah, we saw them too! The first time was so loud, we thought it was crashing into us!!! The 3rd time we looked, we saw the two following very low to the ground without lights. Been searching "breaking news" and there' nothing...

There is another thread of the same incident. I don't know how to link or I would.

Stay alert.

~

Is it really illegal though? If it's a military exercise and they are in communication with ATC? I'm not sure myself, but can say I've personally been on military training flights that were fully 'lights out', so wouldn't worry too much.

I'd still regard it as a highly interesting occurrence if it was happening in my neck of the woods, though.

I live in north Phoenix and am experiencing the same thing tonight! They flew right over my house low, loud and no lights! It was crazy! I am trying to figure it out. They have passed times. Isn't there a base up by Lake Pleasant?

I heard them twice in East Phoenix

3 passes and at least 5 helicopters

By navigation lights, do you mean just without white strobes on? Those are technology not navigation lights. Navigation lights are the red and green lights on the wing tips. I believe it's not FAA law that planes have white strobes on in clear weather. I could be wrong and don't want to look it up.

Someone should give them an unsafe flying ticket.

This is within 3 miles of the nations 25th busiest airport.

If it is legal, it shouldn't be. I could see three additional aircraft at the same time in the immediate vicinity.

I've lived here for 12 years and have never seen "lights out" helicopter flights above a major city.

Just saying...,

And a fine.

NO LIGHTS. None....completely dark.

If it wasn't for the full moon, I doubt you could see them.

If they have no navigation lights on and no strobes. Then it's an official exercise and not usual touch and goes. And I'm sure all commercial air traffic and local air traffic control are aware. Odds are all the air space is totally closed off from commercial and private use. Just calm down. We're not being invaded.

Saw six of them fly overhead here (approx I -17 and 101) around 8:30pm. They flew over twice, very low and in formation. The fourth and sixth copter had only 1 red light on them each. I wish the news would give us all SOME information already!

where they chasing any lights in the sky?

I-17 north Phoenix. Low - One escorting three north then one escorting three south followed by one escorting two south then one escorting one south then five minutes later one escorting one south. No more.... spooky....

You would think air traffic would be interrupted, but that wasn't the case.

On the second pass there was an aircraft about 1500 ft. above the copters and one on approach about 2 miles south.

<laughing>

Yes, no invasion.

That being said, this was highly unusual...

I'm by no means up on anything military. But if the pilots all have night vision on, maybe all the nav and strobes would be blinding?

I'm sure if a lot of people in the area called some news stations, there might be something on. But honestly, we has local news ever really found anything out, when it comes to local military?

I am about two miles away from you.

I went outside after I heard three very low flights overhead.

I then proceeded to see one dark flyover of a single helicopter and then two more about two minutes later.

Still talking with my neighbors about this....

No, I didn't see anything else unusual.

However, there was a good amount of air traffic in the area, which I thought to be interesting considering the "dark" flights occurring below.

A lot of local activity out of Luke AFB as well. Flight patterns are deviating over the city and the Estrellas instead of heading southwest to the Goldwater Test Range. I counted eight jets (presumably F 16s) and three helicopters, but was not able to visually identify what kind of choppers. It's dark, yanno.

Prolly some sort of joint exercise.

I'll check in tomorrow.

Something interesting happened tonight.....

Thread: whole convoy of military helicopters just flew south over Tempe.

Activity has been all over the valley. i'm at Ray Rd and the I10 and I had two helicopters fly so fast and so low that my entire house shook. By the time i got outside, i saw one helicopter tailing another helicopter that was conpletely blacked out. They set off car alarms on the street. About 15 minutes later, two more passed over. The first helicopter was completely blacked out. The second one was right on its tail. About 15 minutes later a single, blacked out helicopter with no lights flew low and fast directly over us again, it shook the windows. I have no idea whats going on.

Any follow-ups?

That was really strange last night.

What direction were they headed?

Just heard from a friend who lives in the area right next to Sandra Day O'Connor High School. He said that the helicopters were landing and taking back off from the high school or very close to the high school in an open field. Wondering if it is another training exercise. My husband also heard and saw the helicopters again this morning flying in the same formation. I suspect something is up, and it doesn't smell good :(

Can anyone confirm this information who lives in the vicinity?