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Channel 3 returns to the skies with new helicopter

Updated June 6, 2023 - 5:00 am

At the risk of jinxing a certain Las Vegas ice-hockey team, if there were to be a need for aerial coverage of a parade — it could be Helldorado or Veterans Day or Pride — Channel 3 is again ready to fly.

Sky 3 has returned to the Las Vegas NBC affiliate. This is a new whirlybird, replacing the old chopper, which was grounded in early May as the company negotiated a new insurance policy.

“We needed to redo the policy and upgrade the helicopter, and we’ve done that,” KSNV General Manager Larry Strumwasser said in a phone chat Monday afternoon. “This absolutely increases our ability to cover traffic conditions across the valley, give aerial coverage of the F1 race and any breaking news story.”

And also, victory parades, such as the Aces’ championship celebration last year, should it come to that.

Reporter Kelly Curran has posted about returning to the air, in the only news helicopter in the state. Curran reports the new chopper is a Robinson R66, which has a turbine engine. It’s lighter and faster than the previous Sky 3, a Robinson R44, which had a piston engine.

The Robinson R66 also has four new cameras that are sharper than the previous video equipment.

The chief difference for us on the ground, is the old chopper was white, the new one jet-black. Just look up, any weekday morning. You can’t miss it.

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.

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