"Speed enforced by aircraft" budget cuts

[Ted]

Vehicles over 10,000# or towing in combination, in most western states are restricted to 60 MPH, I set the Coach to 60 and put it on cruise, and the tranny in economy mode and let it run. doing that will give me 10.5 MPG. When I run 65-70 I get 6-7 MPG.

Over a 12 hour day the guys doing 70 are 120 miles ahead of me. or 2 hours travel time.

When I was driving around out west with my Dodge Ram and the trailer I'd do about 18-20 mpg empty, and 13-16 loaded (depending on the load). It was an unenclosed trailer, so pretty much no drag if I was empty. Cruise was set at 70 all the time, worked well.

 

[lewy15]

Here's a video courtesy of the Iowa State Patrol Air Wing... It's not all about speeding tickets...

http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/Iowa-State-Patrol-Watching-Tailgaters-from-the-Sky-134151858.html

 

[Skylane81E]

I used to speed more, now I race.

 

[NoHeat]

Last I heard the OHP aviation program was operated off of confiscated funds.

In Iowa the State Patrol flies nice G1000 182s purchased with drug forfeiture money. They are also equipped with forward-looking infrared cameras that hang outside the plane behind the pilot's door -- those are paid for by federal grants.

This is a much higher level of fanciness than in past years. The founder of our club flew for the patrol before he retired, and he started long ago in Super Cubs, which were eventually replaced with 172s.

 

[Skylane81E]

OHP also has 182s, nice shiny new ones.

I've been actively recruited to attend the academy as most of the applicants are "under-qualified"

 

[BrianR]

In Iowa the State Patrol flies nice G1000 182s purchased with drug forfeiture money. They are also equipped with forward-looking infrared cameras that hang outside the plane behind the pilot's door -- those are paid for by federal grants.

This is a much higher level of fanciness than in past years. The founder of our club flew for the patrol before he retired, and he started long ago in Super Cubs, which were eventually replaced with 172s.

Yeah, I recall as a young man growing up in Iowa talking with an ISP trooper who flew around all day in a 152 with a stop watch attached to the yoke. He said it made for some pretty long shifts.

 

[lewy15]

In Iowa the State Patrol flies nice G1000 182s purchased with drug forfeiture money. They are also equipped with forward-looking infrared cameras that hang outside the plane behind the pilot's door -- those are paid for by federal grants.

This is a much higher level of fanciness than in past years. The founder of our club flew for the patrol before he retired, and he started long ago in Super Cubs, which were eventually replaced with 172s.

I think we have a 172 left (the oldest). The others are 182's, 210's and 206's... Not all the planes have FLIR.. I know a western Iowa troop has one on his plane and there might be one more flying around... I will admit, for how broke we are we do have some nice aircraft.